Vicente Segrelles and El Mercenario: Visual Mastery in Spanish Comics
by Art Shutter
Edited by Dave Kelly

Vicente Segrelles is a well-known name in the world of illustration and comics in Spain, thanks in part to his captivating fantasy character, el Mercenario, known to English audiences as… the Mercenary!

Segrelles transports us to alternative medieval worlds where adventure and beauty meet in every stroke. In this article, we’ll explore the life and work of this talented illustrator from Barcelona, whose passion and dedication have left an indelible mark on the global comic scene. Join us on this journey through Segrelles' legacy, and discover how the Mercenary has won the hearts of readers and critics alike.

Born on September 9, 1940, in Barcelona, just a few years after the end of the Spanish Civil War, Segrelles grew up during a time of scarcity and hardship. Despite the tough times, his home was always filled with creative and artistic inspiration. His father was passionate about painting and inventing, while his uncle, José Segrelles, was an internationally renowned illustrator and watercolorist. Surrounded by such an artistic environment, it was no surprise that younger Segrelles developed a love for drawing and illustration, a passion he pursued from a very early age.

“I owe a lot to my uncle, José Segrelles, who was a great watercolorist specializing in fantasy. Thanks to him, my dream was always to become a painter-illustrator.”
- Vicente Segrelles

However, pursuing a career in art was risky due to the field's instability. At the age of fourteen, Segrelles enrolled in the training school of ENASA, a famous truck factory in Barcelona known for producing the Pegaso truck.

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There, he received a trade education in mechanics, technical drawing, and materials, giving him a strong foundation. By seventeen, he was working as a draftsman and soon joined ENASA’s technical publications department, where he helped create instruction manuals and parts catalogs.

With his creativity and talent, Segrelles introduced innovative ideas that impressed his superiors. Despite his success, his true passion remained in the artistic realm. While his work gave him valuable skills in perspective and linear drawing, his greatest fulfillment came from his love for illustration, a skill he continued to refine, which became fundamental in his future artistic career.

“Before becoming an illustrator, I worked as a draftsman at a company school where they made the 'Pegaso' truck and aviation engines, among other things. That job taught me many technical skills which I later included in the adventures of The Mercenary."
- Vicente Segrelles

At eighteen, Segrelles decided to pursue painting like his uncle. He created a series that received good reviews. Although it may seem hard to believe, especially knowing the enormous quality of his work, he was unable to sell any of them. Despite this setback, he continued searching for an activity that matched his artistic interests. In 1964, he responded to a job ad from the advertising agency Ruescas McCann Erickson and started working there as a specialist in color and form. However, he didn't stay long. A year later, he moved to Zaragoza to work as a design director for an ad agency. Although he spent several years there, his passion for illustration remained strong.

First steps as a professional illustrator

Driven by his lifelong passion, Segrelles looked for new opportunities. In 1968, he contacted Editorial Bruguera in Barcelona. Through correspondence, he created several collections of color prints and illustrated books for them. In 1969, he joined the artist agency Selecciones Ilustradas, where he started creating a series of illustrations about Western weapons. This experience opened new and exciting doors for him. By 1970, he decided to leave advertising entirely and focus on his illustration career.

This shift was a major milestone in his life, allowing him to explore his creativity without limits and establish himself as a top illustrator.

His technique is incredibly detailed, achieving a quality rarely seen in the comic world. His ability to capture texture and detail in his illustrations enabled him to work across various genres. His mastery of color and light is exceptional. His character designs are highly expressive, and his landscapes often feature stunningly beautiful fantasy architecture.

Works for major publishers

After deciding to become a full-time illustrator, he became highly sought after by publishers in Spain and across Europe. During his time at Selecciones Ilustradas, he proved to be a versatile artist, creating photorealistic plates of weapons as well as covers for novels and comics. He became an expert in science fiction and fantasy themes, while also working on Western, horror, war, and detective paperback covers.

With such an impressive career, it didn't take long for him to break into the competitive American market, where he started producing illustrations and covers for some of the most renowned publishers in the United States.

Throughout his career, he created hundreds of covers for a wide range of titles, including the works of prominent figures such as Ray Bradbury, H. Rider Haggard, Poul Anderson, Roger Zelazny, Alistair MacLean, Desmond Bagley, G.F. Unger, Andre Norton, Joel Rosenberg, Charles De Lint, C.H. Guenter, Jason Dark, and Terry Pratchett, among many others. His covers not only captured the essence of the stories but also drew in readers with their captivating art.

The origin of El Mercenario

Sometimes artistic professions can be a bit ungrateful. Despite his impressive talent, Segrelles was a freelance artist, constantly needing to find new illustration projects to work on. This was a stressful and uncertain activity. By 1979, he had the idea to create a comic. He was told that, if successful, it could first be published in a magazine and later in collected volumes, ensuring longterm work.

To avoid spending too much time on research, he chose themes he liked that didn't require extensive investigation: medieval times with armor and castles, oriental fantasies, and aerial battles like those in World War II, but with dragons instead of planes. This is how el Mercenario, the Mercenary, was born.

Segrelles created six sample pages and gave them to his agent to take to the Bologna Book Fair, without much expectation of success. The agent returned with half a dozen precontracts signed, so he had to quickly continue developing the story.

The Mercenary began publication in 1980 in Cimoc magazine, a well-known magazine at the time, leading the boom of adult comics in Spain. It was later published in a collection of fourteen volumes. The launch of this comic projected Segrelles internationally, not only as an illustrator with exceptional technique, but also as a remarkable storyteller.

All about The Mercenary

This work masterfully fuses elements of fantasy and adventure, depicted through meticulously crafted oil-painted landscapes. Each panel stands as a masterpiece, conjuring a fantastical medieval realm teeming with mysticism and curious technologies. Throughout these extraordinary settings, we accompany a brave protagonist on thrilling and challenging missions.

The Mercenary stories are set in the Middle Ages, around the year 1000 AD. While the cities and people have a European feel, the plot unfolds in a hidden valley somewhere in the Himalayas, covered almost constantly by thick clouds and isolated from other civilizations. This place, known as the Country of the Clouds, has developed its own unique culture.

Instead of horses, the inhabitants travel on flying creatures that resemble dragons. Segrelles brought these enormous animals to life in a marvelous way. He was already skilled at drawing dragons for book covers and illustrations, some even with riders. For his comic, he changed the typical dragon design, which usually has four legs and wings on the back. Instead, he made the front legs into wings because he believed that the back wouldn't have had enough muscles to support wings for flying.

He got the idea for the dragon's head from a lizard called the tuatara, native to New Zealand. These reptiles have remained almost unchanged since the Mesozoic Era. This gives his dragons a unique and recognizable look.

Another striking visual element is the architecture, which the Spanish artist completely invented. By creating his own designs, he didn’t need to stick to the building styles of any specific historical period. This artistic choice gave him greater freedom and creativity in drawing and illustrating his comic scenes.

Segrelles' inventive approach to architecture adds a unique flavor to his work. Without the constraints of historical accuracy, he could let his imagination run wild.

In this exotic place with flying reptiles and unique architecture, there is a legend about a warrior known simply as the Mercenary. This enigmatic character, with his shining medieval armor, is the vehicle through which Segrelles showcases his masterful illustration skills, using textures, lights, shadows, and reflections.

Segrelles takes the reader on adventures that range from classic chivalry and fantasy to the realms of science fiction. With each page, he creates a captivating and unique universe, drawing in those who delve into these fascinating stories.

One standout example of fantasy stories is the first adventure in the series, "The Village of the Sacred Fire." (The first three adventures ran consecutively in Heavy Metal from October 1981 to May 1982, by the way.) In this tale, we meet the Mercenary on a classic mission to rescue a damsel, hired by a powerful feudal lord to save his wife. After a challenging rescue, complicated by the woman's reluctance to return to her husband, the Mercenary descends from the thick cloud cover of his homeland and discovers a populated valley and a city.

In this new setting, he is tasked with saving the daughter of an alchemist, who has been captured by the inhabitants of a mysterious village that worships a sacred fire. This flame is not just a cult object, it is also the source of power that the villagers protect fiercely. Using his wit, sword, and flying skills, the Mercenary embarks on his mission, facing numerous challenges to uncover the true nature of the sacred fire.

This adventure introduces readers to a world full of fantasy and mystery while highlighting the Mercenary's bravery and determination in his quest for truth.

In the second volume of the series, titled "The Formula," he is hired by Claus, a renowned alchemist known for his ingenious inventions and extraordinary formulas. This encounter leads the Mercenary to discover a hidden monastery located in a remote and dangerous region, far from the Country of the Clouds, where few dare to venture.

During his mission, he uncovers the dark secret behind Claus's success. The alchemist, far from being just a creative genius, turns out to be much more dangerous than anyone could have imagined. This discovery adds a new layer of intrigue and danger to the Mercenary's adventures.

In the third volume, titled "The Trial of Strength," the story of the Mercenary progresses with a proposal the protagonist cannot refuse: to help Nan-Tay, a valiant warrior, in defending and securing the Order of the Crater. However, before fulfilling this mission, he must undergo a series of extremely difficult trials that put his life at risk.

Throughout these trials, he faces gigantic warriors, monstrous beasts, spectral spirits, and complex moral dilemmas. All of this leads him to strive for what he desires most: to become part of the monks' secrets, who seem to hold the key to universal wisdom.

In the fourth volume, titled "The Sacrifice," it is revealed that the Mercenary is a warrior with an unknown past. However, the rescue of a child kidnapped by a fanatical sect brings back memories of his childhood and reveals the origin of the scar on his face. The story becomes a race against time, wherein he must navigate gigantic beasts and traps, all to save the child before the fanatics carry out a sacrificial ritual. (This adventure was published in Heavy Metal’s Fall 1987 issue.)

In the fifth volume, "The Water Fortress," Claus, still the alchemist with dark plans, has acquired the formula for gunpowder, a secret he guards closely. Determined to consolidate his power in the Country of the Clouds, Claus starts storing large amounts of gunpowder in an impenetrable fortress he has built. Faced with this imminent threat, the monks of the Order of the Crater have no choice but to act quickly to stop Claus and his dangerous ambitions.

In the sixth volume, "The Black Ball," Claus reappears with a devastating solar ray, an ultimate weapon capable of destroying everything in its path. To face this new threat, our hero embarks on a spectacular journey that takes him to remote corners of the planet. During his adventure, he must enter an ancient Egyptian tomb, confronting age-old mysteries, mummies, and submarines in a story filled with mysticism and danger.

In the seventh volume, titled "The Journey," the adventure begins with what seems to be a routine trip. However, the Mercenary becomes lost after crossing the Indian Ocean on his flying dragon and landing on an unknown island. This situation is particularly strange, considering the advanced navigation methods of the monks from the crater.

On this island, the Mercenary encounters a fascinating world full of magical creatures. At first glance, it appears to be a paradise, but he soon discovers it hides a deadly secret.

In the eighth volume, "Year 1000," the story focuses on an emblematic date that alerts the monks of the Order of the Crater to an impending catastrophic legend. The Mercenary will witness firsthand what will trigger the cataclysm as he ventures into a world similar to Earth, which was previously highly advanced and futuristic but now seems inhospitable, yet still inhabited.

The ninth album, titled "The Lost Civilization," deals with an exhaustive search to uncover the origins of Nan-Tay. The Mercenary embarks on a journey that leads him to uncover the secrets of the descendants of the mythical city of Atlantis. These descendants, who arrived on Earth from the planet Geos, established themselves as colonists and developed an advanced culture that remained isolated for millennia.

Throughout this fascinating and dangerous adventure, the Mercenary travels from Reconquista Spain and religious conflicts to the American continent, home of the Mayans.

The tenth volume, titled "The Giants," begins when our heroes take a break in the middle of their journey. The Mercenary tells Nan-Tay four stories about adventures involving giants. The tales range from science fiction to horror. This album is full of fantasy, packed with monsters, humor, and unusual situations.

At one point during this volume, Segrelles nearly gave up on the series. The reason was that illustrating every panel in such high detail using oil paint took a tremendous amount of time. But luckily, he found Photoshop, which significantly sped up his production process.

By adopting Photoshop, Segrelles was able to keep up his detailed artistry while working much more quickly.

In the eleventh volume, "The Flight," a critical situation unfolds at the crater monastery: the Lama, the wise man on whom the order depends, is on the brink of death. If he dies, everything will fall apart. However, Ky, a young girl from Earth's twin world, Geos, knows that there is still a remedy in Geos that can save him. Despite the Lama's initial opposition, Ky and the Mercenary manage to travel back to this twin planet in search of the cure.

In the twelfth volume, titled "The Ransom," the aerostat crew, friends of Nan-Tay and the Mercenary, have been arrested and sentenced to death. Nan-Tay cannot let this happen and decides to help them without hesitation. However, time is their enemy, as there are daily executions. Our heroes infiltrate the Sultan's domain, blending in with his subjects to devise a plan and rescue their friends on a complicated mission.

This exciting adventure continues in the thirteenth volume, also titled "The Ransom," or sometimes “The Ransom 2,” a huge spaceship approaches the crater with hostile intentions. The monastery's inhabitants are in mortal danger, fearing for their lives. An improvised plan by the Lama delays death but does not prevent their capture. Only Ky and the Mercenary—thanks to the Lama's strategy—manage to escape. Now, the responsibility of saving everyone falls on them.

After Segrelles retired following the thirteenth volume, an unexpected fourteenth volume titled "The Last Day" was released. This volume, based on notes and materials Segrelles had kept in his archive, offers a true and surprising end to the Mercenary's adventures. Through its prose pages and 24 full-page illustrations, readers discovered the fate of the evil Claus, the destiny the Country of the Clouds, and what happens to our friends from the Crater Monastery.

From Spain to the World

The artistic quality of The Mercenary is exceptional, highlighted mainly by the pioneering oil painting technique Segrelles used. This method not only emphasizes the impressive visual beauty of each page but also provides a rare depth and texture in the comic world. Segrelles' illustrations immerse the reader deeply in a world of fantasy and adventure that is hard to match in this medium.

It is not surprising that The Mercenary has become Segrelles' most international work and possibly the most translated series in Spanish comic history. The series has captivated readers in seventeen different countries, spanning from Spain and Germany to Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, and Sweden. Its influence extends to Yugoslavia, Turkey, Greece, Serbia, and Poland, and even the Czech Republic and the French-Belgian region. Portugal, Brazil, and the United States also feature on this impressive list.

There was even an attempt to take this series to the cinema, but it didn’t happen because there wasn’t enough budget. Segrelles thought the script had a very cinematic feel and believed it could have been a fantastic film.

Segrelles is undoubtedly a name that deserves much more recognition in the world of comics. His career, marked by a hyper-realistic style and meticulous attention to detail, has left an indelible mark on the comic art scene, highlighting his innate ability to tell visual stories that transcend time. From his early work in the editorial to his foray into comics, his career is a testament to the power of art to transport viewers to imaginary worlds full of fantasy and adventure.

For more of Art Shutter’s work, visit his YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@ArtShutter

For more Mercenary, read the relaunch of Heavy Metal!