Making Comics as Artisans: Comic Book Production in Colombia

Abstract

There is a common saying that goes, “Colombia is well known for all products that start with the letter C.” Sadly, comics are not among the products that come to mind directly after that statement. This chapter presents Colombia’s (non-existent) comics industry, and the works of those who, on the fringes of the economy, have strived to continue with their trade. We want to start by stressing the perspective from which we draw this incomplete picture of the Colombian comic world: we have been at both the academic and creative ends of comics. We grew up in a country filled with comics in the shape of small magazines, mainly American in origin and mostly translated into Spanish. We grew up reading Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse, some Marvel and DC Superhero comics, the occasional Tintin and Astérix, but very few Latin American comics, with Condorito and Kalimán taking the lead.