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Graphic Literature

The Eternonaut

By Héctor G. Oesterheld & Francisco Solano López
Translated from Spanish by Erica Mena
Man in shadow: THAT NIGHT , THE NIGHT WHEN MY NORMAL LIFE WAS SHATTERED FOREVER , WAS A WINTER'S NIGHT , MUCH COLDER THAN THIS ONE

SO COLD THAT THE HOUSE WAS HERMETICALLY SEALED . I TELL YOU THIS DETAIL BE CAUSE EVERYTHING DEPENDED ON IT . ON THE HOUSE BEING COMPLETELY SHUT THREE OF MY NEIGHBORS AND I ...

WERE PLAYING TRUCO . I REMEMBER THE GREAT HAND FORTUNE HAD DEALT ME LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY ....

Juan to himself: I'VE GOT 33 IN HAND , AND IT'S MY TURN ... I CAN'T LOSE ... BUT I'LL LET THEM BID ..

I PLAYED AN INNOCENT FOUR . IT WAS FAVALLI'S TURN ...

FAVALLI WAS A PHYSICS PROFESSOR , WHO SPUIT HIS FREE TIME BETWEEN A LITTLE SAILBOAT HE KEPT IN OLIVOS AND EXPERIMENTING WITH ELECTRONICS , WHICH HE DID IN THE SPACE I LET HIM USE ..

..IN THAT VERY ATTIC , WHICH WE POMPOUSLY CALLED THE LABORATORY . LUCAS HERBERT , A BANK EMPLOYEE , WAS ALSO CRAZY ABOUT ELECTRONICS .

BUT LUCAS WAS INTERESTED IN RADIOACTIVITY : HE IWAS WORKING ON BUILDING A GEIGER - COUNTER OF HIS OWN DESIGN . AT THE TIME I HAD A MORE URGENT INTEREST , THOUGH A BIT LESS INTEL LECTUAL .

Lucas Herbert: SO , JUAN ? HOW DO WE LOOK TO OPEN ?

Juan: NOT GOOD , LUCAS . THEY'LL TAKE IT .

IT WAS POLSKY'S TURN ; HE WAS AN OPPORTUNISTIC PENSIONER WHO APPROPRIATED MY ATTIC FACILIMES TO BUILD VIOLINS .

Polsky: RAISE

I BREATHED SLOWLY : NOW I HAD THE CHANCE TO REALLY USE MY CARDS . I PLAYED DUMB .

Juan: RAISE , YOU SAID ? *

TRUCO , A RAISE IS ACCEPTED BY REPEATING THE WORD , OPENING THE WAY TO THE NEXT RAISE .

Polsky: RAISE AGAIN !

" FINAL RAISE " MEANT WE COULD DOUBLE OUR POINTS IF WE TOOK THE HAND , WITH 33 IN MY HAND , THERE WAS NO WAY WE'D LOSE . I STILL REMEMBER MY PARTNER LUCAS'S TRIUMPHANT CRY ...

Juan: FINAL RAISE !

THAT FINAL RAISE MEANT THE GAME FOR US . I ALSO REMEMBER THAT FAVALLI , TO HIDE HIS ANGER , TURNED UP THE LITTLE RADIO WHICH HAD BEEN HUMMING SOFTLY IN LOUIS ARMSTRONG'S ROUGH VOICE .
Favalli: I WANT TO HEAR THE NEWS .

Radio Broadcast: ... RETURN AFTER THE NEWS , THIS JUST IN : MASSIVE ATOMIC EXPLO SION IN THE PACIFIC . AN ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT ...

Radio Broadcast: ... DESPITE RECENT ANNOUNCEMENTS THE UNITED STATES HAS CONTINUED NUCLEAR TESTING . THE DETONATION OF A NEW KIND OF ATOMIC BOMB HAS PRODUCED MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF RADIOACTIVE DUST ...

Radio Broadcast: ... SPREAD BY THE WIND , THE RADIOACTIVE CLOUD IS ADVANC ING QUICKLY TOWARDS THE SOUTH - WEST . MORE DETAILS IN OUR NEXT BULLETIN AT 11:30 .

Polsky: WHEN WILL THEY STOP THESE EXPLOSIONS ?

Polsky: THEIR " HOBBY " IS A LITTLE MORE DANGEROUS THAN OURS .

Favalli: TO HELL WITH THE RADIO . YOUR MOVE , JUAN

SILENCING THAT BRIEF INCURSION OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD , WE RETURNED TO OUR OWN . THE NEWS HADN'T DISTURBED MY SENSE OF WELL - BEING AT ALL . I SHUFFLED THE CARDS . I WAS GOOD TO BE THERE , WITH MY FRIENDS , IN THE ATTIC THAT WAS , TO ME , MORE THAN JUST A PLACE TO BUILD MODEL AIRPLANES , MY MAIN HOBBY . HHH .

THAT ATTIC WAS CONCRETE PROOF OF MY SUCCESS IN LIFE . I , JUAN SALVO , WAS NOT RICH , BUT MY SMALL TRANSFORMER FACTORY ALLOWED ME TO LIVE COMFORTABLY ..

... TO HAVE THE KIND OF SIMPLE PLEASURES THAT OCCUPIED MY WORLD . YES , LIFE WAS SWEET THAT FROZEN NIGHT , IN MY SMALL COTTAGE IN VICENTE LÓPEZ , COZY AS A NEST .

IT WAS SWEET TO KNOW THAT ONE FLOOR BELOW , ELENA , MY WIFE , WAS READING IN BED .

IT WAS SWEET TO KNOW THAT , IN THE ROOM NEXT TO OURS ..

... MARTITA , OUR " PRINCESS , " SLEPT . BUT I CAN'T THINK MUCH MORE ABOUT ALL THE SWEETNESS THAT WAS TAKEN FROM ME .


Favalli: WELL ? ARE YOU ASLEEP , JUAN ?

FAVALLI WAS SHORT TEMPERED AND HID HIS ANGER OVER THEIR RECENT DEFEAT POORLY .
Juan: OK , OK , FAVA ..

I BEGAN TO DEAL , STILL ENJOYING THE MOMENT .

THE FOUR OF US IN THAT WARM ATTIC , MORE THAN MADE UP FOR THE COLDNESS OUTSIDE , WITHERING THE PLANTS IN THE GARDEN .

WE WERE APART FROM THE WORLD , AS THOUGH THE LITTLE COTTAGE WERE AN IS AN ISLAND BARELY TOUCHED BY THE NOISE OF THE NEARBY STREETS ... LAND

THE WHINING CLUTCH OF A BUS , THE STEPS OF A COUPLE FLEEING THE COLD , THE SWIFT PASSING OF A CAR MAKING THE MOST OF THE LIGHT TRAFFIC ..

ONCE AGAIN I WAS FORCED BACK TO THE PROSAIC REALITY OF TRUCO .

Favalli: IS YOUR HEAD IN THE CLOUDS , JUAN ? WE CALLED FINAL RAISE !

Juan: SORRY . I'M HERE ,

A VIOLENT NOISE IN THE STREET INTERRUPED ME .

Lucas: WHAT WAS THAT ? IT SOUNDED LIKE A CRASH .

Favalli: I THOUGHT I HEARD A SCREAM .

Juan: I'LL GO SEE

Favalli: YOU SIT DOWN , JUAN ! IT'S PROBABLY JUST A CAR ACCIDENT : WE'RE NOT STOPPING THE GAME FOR THAT .

Favalli: I TOLD YOU : WE CALLED FINAL RAISE !

I FORGOT ABOUT THE NOISE AND LOOKED AT MY CARDS .

Juan: HMM ... THREE OF THE SAME SUIT . A FLUSH ! THIS WILL REALLY ANNOY FAVALLI ..
VICTORY ASSURED , I SUNG A FAMILIAR SONG TO MYSELF ..

Juan: POR EL RÍO PARANÁ ..

Juan: HEY ... WHAT HAPPENED ?

Lucas: A FUSE ..

Favalli: JUST MY LUCK .... WHEN I HAD THIRTY - THREE IN MY HAND , TOO !

Juan: YOU SHOULD SEE MY HAND !

Polsky: QUIET ! BE QUIET AND LISTEN !

Polsky: SOMETHING'S HAPPENED .

TOTAL SILENCE , SILENCE THAT SEEMED TO HAVE DESTROYED EVERYTHING : THE THOUSANDS OF NOISES YOU ALWAYS HEAR IN A CITY , EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT , HAD STOPPED COMPLETELY . THE RADIO WAS MUTE

Juan: NO .... IT CAN'T BE ...

Lucas: AND YET , THERE IT IS . LOOK !
Polsky: NO ! DON'T OPEN IT . LUCAS ,

Polsky: THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE AIR ! DOESN'T IT LOOK LIKE IT'S SNOWING ?

Favalli: HE'S RIGHT , LUCAS . IT LOOKS LIKE GLOWING SNOW ..

TINY FLAKES FELL FROM ABOVE , ROCKING IN THE SILENT AIR , ALMOST TRANSPARENT , EMITTING WEAK , UNEARTHLY LGHT .

AS FAR AS I COULD SEE , EVERYTHING WAS COVERED BY THE SNOWFALL . SURREAL SNOW , SNOW OUT OF COMICS . AND FATAL , TERRIBLY FATAL ...

Polsky: THIS MUST BE THE RADIO ACTIVE DUST WE HEARD ABOUT ON THE RADIO ..

Lucas: WE HAVE TO SEAL EVERY THING !

A CRAZY FEAR TOOK ME .

Juan: ELENA ! MARTITA !

Juan: PLEASE , LET THE WINDOWS BE CLOSED !

Elena: WHAT'S GOING ON , JUAN ? WHAT HAPPENED ?

Juan: I'LL EXPLAIN LATER ..... DON'T OPEN THE WINDOW !

I RUSHED TO MARTITA'S ROOM AND MY HEART CAUGHT .

Juan: THE MOON ! THE WINDOW'S OPEN !
Juan: NO...WE LEFT THE CURTAINS OPEN , BUT THE WINDOW'S CLOSED .

I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BUT HUG MY DAUGHTER , SQUEEZE HER ...

Martita: TOO TIGHT , PAPA !

Elena: WHAT'S HAPPENED , JUAN ? TELL ME !

Juan: SOMETHING HAPPENED OUTSIDE , SOMETHING TERRIBLE EVERYONE IN THE STREETS IS DEAD ..

Juan: FAVALLI SAYS IT MUST BE BECAUSE OF THE FLAKES ... I THINK THEY'RE RADIOACTIVE . WE HAVE TO KEEP EVERYTHING SEALED SO NOTHING CAN GET IN !

FROM THE OTHER ROOMS , WE HEARD THE PANICKED VOICES OF MY THREE FRIENDS . FAVALLI ASKED FOR PUTTY TO SEAL ANY OPENINGS ; POLSKY TRIED TO USE THE PHONE . LUCAS PACED BACK AND FORTH .

Elena: BUT JUAN , IF THAT'S TRUE , THEN IN ANY HOUSE WITH ANYTHING OPEN , NO ONE'S SURVIVED !

Juan: THAT'S WHAT I THINK , ELENA .. WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY ...

Elena: WHAT ABOUT MARIA ? AND BERTA AND HER CHILDREN ?

MARIA AND BERTA WERE HER SISTERS : ONE LIVED IN LUCILLA , THE OTHER DOWNTOWN .

I COULDN'T ANSWER . HER QUESTION , FOR THE FIRST TIME , LAYED BARE THE SCOPE OF THE DISASTER , OUR LOSS , ALL THE DEATH THAT HAD FALLEN OVER BUENOS AIRES ...

Juan: HEY'RE ALL DEAD .... EVERYONE , OR ALMOST EVERYONE MY UNCLES , MY COUSIN GUILLERMO ... MY FRIEND NICOLAS AND EVERY ONE ELSE ! EVERYONE I KNOW !

THIS MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE WHAT IT WAS AT HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKIA PART OF MY MIND , WITH COLD CURIOSITY , MAINTAINED OBJECTIVITY , DESPITE ALL THE HORROR . I REMEMBER THAT IN THAT FIRST MOMENT , I DIDN'T FEEL LOSS , OR SADNESS ,

Juan: ALMOST ALL THE AUTHORITIES ARE DEAD , TOO .

Elena: THE PHONE ! I HAVE TO SPEAK WITH MARIA !

Polsky: THE PHONE IS DEAD . THERE'S NO DIAL TONE !

Elena: MY GOD...
Elena: MY GOD !

Juan: STAY CALM , ELENA . WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE OUR HEADS ... WE'RE ALL IN DANGER .

Elena: MAYBE IT'S NOT AS BAD AS IT LOOKS ...

THE HUMAN MIND IS ABSURD . I REMEMBER THINKING ABOUT THE NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM . COULD THEY ALL BE DEAD ? COULD A SINGLE BLOW HAVE WIPED OUT THE WHOLE TEAM ? I SHOOK MY HEAD . I THINK MY MIND ....

FOCUSED ON THESE THINGS SO AS NOT TO GO MAD .

Elena: YOU HAVE TO SEAL EVERY THING , JUAN !

Juan: FAVALLI'S ALREADY DOING IT . IT'S LUCKY THEY WERE HERE .

IN THAT MOMENT ....

..WE HEARD A DISTORTED VOICE ...

Polsky: THE PHONE IS DEAD

Polsky: I HAVE TO GET HOME

Polsky: EDITH AND THE KIDS ARE ALONE !

Favalli: YOU CAN'T LEAVE ! YOU CAN'T !

Polsky: I HAVE TO GO !

Polsky: LET ME GO !

Lucas: DON'T OPEN IT , POLSKY . STOP !

Polsky: I HAVE TO GO !
Polsky: EDITH . THE KIDS ....

Favalli: CLOSE THE DOOR , LUCAS ! NOW !

THE SLAM SHOOK THE WHOLE HOUSE .

IT HAPPENED SO FAST , AND I WAS SO SHOCKED , THAT I COULDN'T INTER VENE . THEN AGAIN , I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN TIME TO STOP HIM .

IT WAS ELENA WHO SAW WHAT HAPPENED ....

Elena: LOOK , JUAN ! POLSKY LEFT !

Polsky: I HAVE TO GET HOME ...

Polsky: I HAVE TO GET HOME ...
THERE LAY MY FRIEND POLSKY , STILL , ONE MORE BODY AMONG ALL WHO'D FALLEN IN THAT FATAL SNOWFALL . NOT EVEN TEN MINUTES AGO WE WERE PLAYING TRUCO ...

Juan: CMON . THERE'S NO POINT IN STANDING AND LOOKING . LET'S GO DOWN TO THE OTHERS .

Favalli: DID YOU SEE POLSKY ?

Juan: YES . HE'S LYING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET .

Favalli: TO THINK I DIDN'T STOP HIM .. SHOULD HAVE HIT HIM , BEFORE HE HIT ME .

Juan: NO POINT IN BLAMING YOURSELF NOW , FAVA . WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT OURSELVES .

Favalli: YOU'RE RIGHT . IT'S A MINOR MIRACLE THAT WE'RE ALIVE .

Favalli: EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON NOT LETTING IN ONE PARTICLE OF THAT RADIOACTIVE DUST . THE ONLY REASON NOTHING CAME IN WHEN POLSKY LEFT WAS BECAUSE WE CLOSED THE DOOR SO FAST , BUT WE CAN'T OPEN IT AGAIN .

Lucas: BUT WE CAN'T STAY CLOSED IN FOREVER ! LIVING ON JUST WHAT'S IN THE HOUSE !

Favalli: IF WE DON'T LOSE OUR HEADS , AND DON'T MAKE MISTAKES , WE'LL BE OK , LUCAS ,

Favalli: AT MOST , IT'LL BE A DAY OR TWO UNTIL OTHER COUNTRIES SEND HELP ... UNTIL THEN , WE'RE ROBINSON CRUSOES WHO , INSTEAD OF AN ISLAND , ARE STRANDED IN A HOUSE ...

THERE WAS NO BETTER COMPARISON . WE WERE ROBINSONS , STRANDED IN MY OWN HOUSE . ONLY THE SEA THAT SURROUNDED US WAS A SEA OF DEATH . AND THE HELP FAVALLI SPOKE OF NEVER ARRIVED ...
THE ETERNONAUT , TRAVELER THROUGH ETERNITY , CONTINUED HIS STORY : THE TRAGEDY OF BECOMING LOST IN TIME , LIKE A SHIPWRECKED SAILOR , ABANDONED IN THE MIDDLE THE SEA .

WE WERE ROBINSONS WHO , INSTEAD OF ON AN ISLAND , WERE TRAPPED IN MY OWN HOUSE . IT WASN'T THE SEA BUT DEATH THAT SURROUNDED US .

DEATH , COUNTINUOUSLY FALLING IN TINY , LUMINOUS FLAKES . THE NIGHTMARE SNOW FALL THAT HAD ERASED ALMOST ALL LIFE ...

... IN THE CITY . WE WERE LUCKY THE PROBLEM OF SURVIVING WAS PRESSING ; OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE GONE MAD WITH THE INSTANTANEOUS LOSS OF SO MANY FRIENDS , RELATIVES , THE WHOLE WORLD WE'D GROWN UP IN .

Favalli: WE HAVE TO SEAL EVERY CRACK . NO MATTER HOW SMALL...

Lucas: STILL , FAVA , I DON'T THINK THOSE FLAKES ARE RADIOACTIVE .

Lucas: IF THEY WERE , THE RADIATION WOULD PENETRATE THE GLASS . AND THE GEIGER - COUNTER ISN'T PICKING UP ANYTHING .

Favalli: I'M NOT SO SURE THEY'RE STILL DEADLY .

Lucas: I KNOW . WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT IT MUST BE SOME KIND OF NEW RADIATION , UNKNOWN BEFORE NOW .

Favalli: WELL , NOW THE WHOLE HOUSE IS HERMETICALLY SEALED .

Juan: WE'LL DIE OF AS PHYXIATION .

Favalli: WE WON'T SUFFOCATE , JUAN . THE AIR IN THE HOUSE WILL LAST AT LEAST A FEW DAYS ... AND HELP WILL REACH US LONG BEFORE THAT .

Juan: SUPPOSE THAT THE AIR WILL LAST . WHAT ABOUT WATER ? I DON'T THINK THE PLUMBING'S WORKING .

Favalli: NO LOSS , ANYWAY . I'M PRETTY SURE ANY RUNNING WATER IS CONTAMINATED
Favalli: DO YOU HAVE SODA , JUAN ?

Juan: YES , FAVA . THERE'S A BOX OF SODA . IF WE RATION IT , IT WILL LAST US FOR DAYS .

I WAS REASSURED TO HAVE A PRACTICAL MAN AT MY SIDE . FAVALLI'S TRAINING HELPED HIM SIMPLIFY THE PROBLEM OF OUR SURVIVAL TO A SERIES OF TECHNICAL ISSUES .

Lucas: AND FOOD ? WE HAVE FIVE STOMACHS TO FILL ...

Juan: THERE MUST BE FOOD IN THE KITCHEN , LUCAS ; DON'T WORRY

WE WENT DOWNSTAIRS AND FOUND ELENA , WITH MARTITA'S HELP , ALREADY TAKING INVENTORY .

Elena: THERE'S RICE , NEARLY TWO KILOS ; SUGAR ; A BOX OF ROLLS ; THREE CANS OF PEAS ...

Elena: FOUR SMALL CANS OF PATÉ , TWO CANS OF PEPPERS ...

Martita: I SHOULD WRITE DOWN THE QUICHE IN THE FREEZER ...

MY ELENA AND MARTITA ... EVERYTHING THEY'VE SEEN , EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED , AND THEY'RE LISTING FOOD , EVEN THE SPICES , THE QUICHE IN THE FREEZER ... WHAT'LL HAPPEN TO THEM ? CAN I PROTECT THEM ? WHEN THEY FINALLY STOP TO THINK , AND FULLY REALIZE WHAT'S HAPPENED , WHAT CAN I DO TO STOP THEIR PAIN ?

Martita: I'M SURE SUSANITA IS IN HER HOUSE DOING THE SAME THING AS ME . RIGHT , PAPA ?

Juan: I'M SURE , MARTITA , IM SURE...

THOUGH I WAS SURE THAT SUSANITA , AND HER LITTLE BROTHERS WHO LIVED JUST AROUND THE CORNER AND CAME OVER ALMOST EVERY DAY TO PLAY , WERE ALL DEAD , KILLED BY THOSE INSIDIOUS FLAKES OF CERTAIN DEATH ...

I RETURNED TO THE ATTIC .

Juan: THERE'S FOOD ENOUGH FOR FOUR OR FIVE DAYS . WHAT'RE YOU DOING ?

Favalli: WE'RE ADAPTING THE RADIO TO USE BATTERIES ...

Favalli: ... THAT WAY WELL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED , AND FIND OUT WHAT KIND OF HELP IS COMING .

IT WAS GREAT LUCK THAT MY HOUSE WAS THE CENTER FOR OUR HOBBIES . IN THAT ATTIC - WORKSHOP WE HAD THE TOOLS AND MATERIALS TO MAKE EVERYTHING WE NEEDED .

FIXING THE RADIO TO RUN ON BATTERIES WAS A SIMPLE TASK FOR TWO ENGINEERS LIKE FAVALLI AND LUCAS .

Favalli: THERE IT IS ... TURNED ON PERFECTLY .
Lucas: YES , BUT I DON'T HEAR ANYTHING ... ONLY STATIC .

Juan: TURN IT UP ..

Favalli: OF COURSE WE DON'T HEAR ANYTHING : ALL THE TRANSMITTERS AROUND US ARE DOWN . TRY THE SHORTWAVE , LUCAS .

Lucas: MORE STATIC ....

Favalli: THERE MUST BE SHORTWAVE STATIONS ...

Favalli: MAYBE WE HAVE A BAD CONNEC TION . LET'S TRY THE DIAL .

Lucas: THERE !

Lucas: DO YOU HEAR IT ? AN ENGLISH STATION . THE BBC ...

FOR A MOMENT , WORDS IN ENGLISH , VERY FAINT ...

THEN , STATIC AGAIN . LUCAS ADJUSTED THE DIAL SLIGHTLY , AND THE VOICE CAME ON AGAIN , CLEAR , THIS TIME , LOUD . WITH THE DELIBERATELY CALM TONE OF BROADCASTERS WHO ANNOUNCE A DECLARATION OF WAR , OR A CATASTROPHE .

Radio Broadcast: ... THE LAST REPORT FROM THE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE : " I'M ENTERING A STRANGE SNOW STORM NORTH OF PUNTA DEL ESTE . THE ENGINE'S FAILING ... I'M LOSING ALTITUDE ... "

Radio Broadcast: MORE INFORMATION FROM WASHINGTON : ALL AT TEMPTS TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION WITH THE HUGE PART OF SOUTH AMERICA AFFECTED BY THIS PHENOMENON HAVE FAILED .

Radio Broadcast: FROM PARIS : THERE IS INCREASING DIFFICULTY WITH RADIO TRANSMISSIONS . EXPERTS AT THE SORBONNE AFFIRM THAT THE SNOW HAS ABSOLUTELY NO RELATION TO THE ATOMIC EXPLOSIONS IN THE ..

Lucas: AGAIN , JUST NOISE ,

Favalli: LEAVE IT , DON'T CHANGE THE DIAL . IT MUST BE THE INTERFERENCE THE FRENCH WERE TALKING ABOUT . THE BROADCAST COULD RETURN .
FAVALLI WAS RIGHT : THE BROAD CASTER'S VOICE RETURNED .

Radio Broadcast: RAPIDLY INCREASING DIFFICULTY WITH RADIO TRANSMISSIONS . AS THOUGH THERE WERE A DELIBERATE EFFORT TO LOCK DOWN ...

THE VOICE WASN'T AS SERENE AS BEFORE .

THERE WAS A NOTE OF PANIC IN IT WHEN IT WAS INTERRUPTED , CUT OFF TOTALLY BY THE INTERFERENCE , WHICH WAS MUCH STRONGER THAN BEFORE .

Favalli: DOUBT WE'LL HEAR MORE ..

Lucas: DO YOU UNDERSTAND ? A DISASTER MUCH LARGER THAN WE IMAGINED !

Favalli: YES ... IT SEEMS THAT IT'S AFFECT ING THE WHOLE WORLD ... THIS MAKES THINGS WORSE...

STUNNED , NO ONE SAID ANYTHING MORE . THE NOISE OF THE INTERFERENCE CONTINUED , STRONGER , HALLUCINATORY .

Favalli: I DOUBT NOW WHETHER HELP WILL ARRIVE IN A FEW DAYS ... WHO KNOWS HOW LONG IT'LL TAKE !

Lucas: WE'RE GOING TO DIE LIKE RATS ! FOOD , AIR , EVERYTHING WILL RUN OUT ! WE'LL DIE LIKE RATS !

NOTHING CATCHES LIKE PANIC ...

Juan: ELENA ! MARTITA !

Favalli: CALM DOWN ! CALM YOURSELVES , IDIOTS ! WE'LL DIE ONLY IF WE LET OURSELVES !

Favalli: WE'LL DIE IF WE DON'T KEEP IT TOGETHER ! WHY WAIT FOR OUTSIDE HELP ? WHY CAN'T WE HELP OURSELVES ?
Favalli: IF WE DON'T LOSE OUR HEADS WE CAN SURVIVE FOR WEEKS , MONTHS , EVEN YEARS !
Lucas:
BUT HOW ? AIR , WATER , FOOD THEY'LL ALL RUN OUT IN A FEW DAYS !

Favalli: WE'LL RUN OUT IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING . BUT WE HAVE THE MATERIALS HERE TO BUILD A SEALED SUIT , LIKE A WETSUIT ...

Favalli: THAT'LL ALLOW US TO GO OUTSIDE AND LOOK FOR EVERYTHING WE NEED : WATER , FOOD , CLOTHES ... EVEN BOOKS SO WE DON'T GET BORED TO DEATH !

Juan: YOU'RE A GENIUS , FAVA ! OF COURSE WE CAN MAKE ONE ! AND AS FOR THE AIR , IT WOULDN'T BE TOO HARD TO MAKE A FILTER .

Favalli: WE'LL MAKE A LIST OF THE ESSENTIALS LATER ... THE MOST IMPORTANT THING NOW IS TO BEGIN WORK ON THE SUIT .

IT WAS REAL LUCK TO HAVE A MAN LIKE FAVALLI AT MY SIDE . WITH HIM WE COULD EASILY TACKLE ANY OBSTACLE . BUT HE COOLED MY ENTHUSIASM ...

Favalli: WITH THE FIRST THING ON THE LIST OF ESSENTIALS IS NOT WATER , OR FOOD , OR MEDICINE ... IT'S WEAPONS !

Juan: WEAPONS ? WHAT DO WE NEED WEAPONS FOR ?

Favalli: I DON'T THINK WE'RE THE ONLY SURVIVORS OF THIS DISASTER ... THERE MUST BE OTHERS : SOME MAY BE PEACEFUL , HARMLESS LIKE US , BUT OTHERS ...

Favalli: WHO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE , THEIR APPETITES AND AMBITIONS , IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS , WHEN THERE ARE NO POLICE , NO AUTHORITIES TO STOP THEM ?

Favalli: SOON WE'LL BE COMPETING FOR FOOD , FOR MEDICINE , FOR EVERYTHING ... SOON IT'LL BE THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE ... EVERYONE FOR HIMSELF ... KILL OR BE KILLED

The Eternonaut is a seminal work of Latin American literature. It’s been translated from Spanish into Italian and French, but never (until now) English. This section is taken from the original version written by Hector German Oesterheld, illustrated by Francisco Solano López, and published as a weekly serial in the Buenos Aires newspaper Hora Cero from 1957–59. Despite its original episodic publication, The Eternonaut is a carefully mapped single narrative, framed with the insertion of Oesterheld himself as the comic writer at the beginning and end of the story. Its literariness is part of what has made this a lasting story, capturing the imagination of readers, writers, and artists for over fifty years.

Oesterheld, writing about the development of these characters, talks about the idea of heroism: “The true hero of The Eternonaut is the collective hero, humanity. Considering it now, though it was not my original intention, I feel strongly that the only real hero is the hero ‘en masse,’ never the individual hero, the hero alone.” The Eternonaut does what science fiction can do so well, asks hard questions about the world, and wonders what we can do to change things. At the end, the comic writer wonders, is telling the story enough? Perhaps not, but then again, it might be. Oesterheld uses the vehicle of the story to engage with many of the pressing global political issues of the time, but from a distinctly Argentinian point of view. There are references, overt and implicit, to the Cold War. But the perspective is unfamiliar to readers in the U.S. It isn’t the red-scare propaganda; neither is it anti-capitalism propaganda. Rather, it’s written from the point of view of the everyday person in a country indirectly threatened by the escalation of nuclear weaponry and the constant specter of world war. In the opening card-playing scene, after hearing about a cloud of radioactive dust moving south after U.S. nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific, the characters only briefly comment on the danger posed by U.S. militarism. They ironically call it a “hobby” and wonder when the U.S. will stop, then return to their card game. It’s a shockingly dismissive moment. As the story develops, the U.S. looms unseen in the north as a beacon of hope. At points, the protagonists hope for rescue from the U.S., first because they believe the country to be unaffected, and much later because they believe the U.S. to have more advanced technology.

As the story moves from bad to worse to catastrophic, the characters fight, and win, correspondingly escalating battles. The contrast between the oppressive hopelessness of the situation and the near-miraculous survival and triumph of the protagonists is pointed and political. That the worst brings out the best in humanity is perhaps trite, but it is an observation worth making over and over. When faced with unspeakable disaster, human ingenuity is our greatest asset. And, beyond all of that, treasuring the living Earth, our own diverse cultures, the complexity and beauty of life is only possible when faced with the alternative. In the vein of classic science fiction, this story posits an enemy so terribly unimaginably other in order to force the realization that we have much in common.

Osterheld’s political activities would eventually draw the attention of another, horrifyingly familiar opponent. Argentina in 1976 was at the beginning of the Dirty War, a period of especially cruel repressive measures taken by the military government in Argentina against its own people. Violent oppression, torture, and “disappearances” of left-wing activists and those who opposed the military government were common. In fact, Francisco Solano López fled Argentina for Spain for fear of being targeted by the government. In a series of events that seems too tragic to be believable, all four of Hector and Elsa Oesterheld’s daughters were assassinated or disappeared in 1976 and 1977. Two of them were pregnant. In late 1976 Oesterheld was also taken by the government, held and tortured for a period of months, before finally becoming one of the more than 30,000 disappeared. Oesterheld by this time was well-known throughout the country, and the Spanish-speaking world, as the creator of The Eternonaut.

This translation of the original version of The Eternonaut is only one version of this story. There are two other versions that Oesterheld worked on, a sequel with Solano López (1976) and a retelling, illustrated by Alberto Breccia (1969). The progeny of The Eternonaut don’t stop there. After Oesterheld’s disappearance in 1977, a series of other artists and writers worked on continuing the story over four more versions. Such is the lasting power of the characters introduced in The Eternonaut, and such are the expansive possibilities introduced in the original version.

Read Part II here

El Eternauta © Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano López. By arrangement with the estates of the authors. Translation © 2012 by Erica Mena. All rights reserved.

English

The Eternonaut is a seminal work of Latin American literature. It’s been translated from Spanish into Italian and French, but never (until now) English. This section is taken from the original version written by Hector German Oesterheld, illustrated by Francisco Solano López, and published as a weekly serial in the Buenos Aires newspaper Hora Cero from 1957–59. Despite its original episodic publication, The Eternonaut is a carefully mapped single narrative, framed with the insertion of Oesterheld himself as the comic writer at the beginning and end of the story. Its literariness is part of what has made this a lasting story, capturing the imagination of readers, writers, and artists for over fifty years.

Oesterheld, writing about the development of these characters, talks about the idea of heroism: “The true hero of The Eternonaut is the collective hero, humanity. Considering it now, though it was not my original intention, I feel strongly that the only real hero is the hero ‘en masse,’ never the individual hero, the hero alone.” The Eternonaut does what science fiction can do so well, asks hard questions about the world, and wonders what we can do to change things. At the end, the comic writer wonders, is telling the story enough? Perhaps not, but then again, it might be. Oesterheld uses the vehicle of the story to engage with many of the pressing global political issues of the time, but from a distinctly Argentinian point of view. There are references, overt and implicit, to the Cold War. But the perspective is unfamiliar to readers in the U.S. It isn’t the red-scare propaganda; neither is it anti-capitalism propaganda. Rather, it’s written from the point of view of the everyday person in a country indirectly threatened by the escalation of nuclear weaponry and the constant specter of world war. In the opening card-playing scene, after hearing about a cloud of radioactive dust moving south after U.S. nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific, the characters only briefly comment on the danger posed by U.S. militarism. They ironically call it a “hobby” and wonder when the U.S. will stop, then return to their card game. It’s a shockingly dismissive moment. As the story develops, the U.S. looms unseen in the north as a beacon of hope. At points, the protagonists hope for rescue from the U.S., first because they believe the country to be unaffected, and much later because they believe the U.S. to have more advanced technology.

As the story moves from bad to worse to catastrophic, the characters fight, and win, correspondingly escalating battles. The contrast between the oppressive hopelessness of the situation and the near-miraculous survival and triumph of the protagonists is pointed and political. That the worst brings out the best in humanity is perhaps trite, but it is an observation worth making over and over. When faced with unspeakable disaster, human ingenuity is our greatest asset. And, beyond all of that, treasuring the living Earth, our own diverse cultures, the complexity and beauty of life is only possible when faced with the alternative. In the vein of classic science fiction, this story posits an enemy so terribly unimaginably other in order to force the realization that we have much in common.

Osterheld’s political activities would eventually draw the attention of another, horrifyingly familiar opponent. Argentina in 1976 was at the beginning of the Dirty War, a period of especially cruel repressive measures taken by the military government in Argentina against its own people. Violent oppression, torture, and “disappearances” of left-wing activists and those who opposed the military government were common. In fact, Francisco Solano López fled Argentina for Spain for fear of being targeted by the government. In a series of events that seems too tragic to be believable, all four of Hector and Elsa Oesterheld’s daughters were assassinated or disappeared in 1976 and 1977. Two of them were pregnant. In late 1976 Oesterheld was also taken by the government, held and tortured for a period of months, before finally becoming one of the more than 30,000 disappeared. Oesterheld by this time was well-known throughout the country, and the Spanish-speaking world, as the creator of The Eternonaut.

This translation of the original version of The Eternonaut is only one version of this story. There are two other versions that Oesterheld worked on, a sequel with Solano López (1976) and a retelling, illustrated by Alberto Breccia (1969). The progeny of The Eternonaut don’t stop there. After Oesterheld’s disappearance in 1977, a series of other artists and writers worked on continuing the story over four more versions. Such is the lasting power of the characters introduced in The Eternonaut, and such are the expansive possibilities introduced in the original version.

Read Part II here

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