Two creators, with extensive professional careers, have released a new graphic novel that transports readers to the mining past of Bizkaia. This work, which took three years to complete, features events such as the fire at Bilbao's Arriaga Theatre and the inauguration of San Mamés with a match against Racing de Irún.
The story is a thriller set in the mining region of Bizkaia. Near the village of Gallarta, the body of a young girl is discovered inside a coal sack. Unaware of this event, three children, Niko, Pablito, and Lina, embark on an escape to the nearby town of Portugalete. There, Pablito suffers a serious accident, and his younger sister, Lina, disappears. Fifteen years later, Pablito works as a concierge at the Triano Mining Hospital and obsessively investigates the killer known as “El Carbonero” in his free time.
“"The work recreates various emblematic spaces of Bizkaia from that era: Gallarta, Portugalete, the Blast Furnaces, Barakaldo, or the Triano Hospital."
According to the screenwriter, the work “mixes the left bank, mystery, and social drama,” offering readers a narrative experience that maintains historical accuracy. The project originated from a conversation with the illustrator, who presented material about doctor Areilza, sparking the screenwriter's creative interest. The screenwriter stated that doctor Areilza was a “great humanist” who “deserves a novel in his own right”.
The graphic novel's presentation was attended by several renowned graphic artists and writers, bringing together many prominent figures from the comic world. The screenwriter's comics have been translated into more than half a dozen languages since the 1980s, and he has received numerous awards throughout his career. The illustrator, for his part, has been drawing professionally since the 1970s and has won two Goya awards for animated films.
