Vicente Segrelles Sacristán made his first graphic novel, 'El Mercenario', in 1980, when he was already 40 years old. Growing up in an artistic family, he started drawing and painting at age fourteen. After many failed attempts to get his work published, he got his first assignment in 1970, illustrating a book on firearms. Through an agency, he did several cover illustrations, which resulted in a permanent relationship with the publisher AFHA. Here, he illustrated a series of books called 'Los Inventos'. It was agent and publisher Raphael Martinéz who gave him the opportunity to create a graphic novel. In 'El Mercenario', Segrelles combined all his favorite themes - the Prehistoric, Middle Ages, technology, and aircraft. This work was an instant success, but because of his very time-consuming technique (every panel is oil-painted), only a few stories have appeared. Segrelles has established himself as one of the absolute masters of the Sword & Sorcery genre.
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