This series is a hit on Netflix! The author of the original comic book disappeared, his daughters abducted, raped and killed

« Eternaut » (Spanish: El Eternauta), Argentine scientific-fantastic comic book by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solan López’s cartoonist, has been a symbol of resistance and cultural treasure of Latin America. His adaptation on Netflix She re -attracted the world attention to this poignant story of invasion, survival and humanity, but also of the tragic fate of her creator, whose life became inseparable from the struggle he so strongly described.

It is about adaptation of 1957 works, which became a symbol of resistance to the Argentine dictatorship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqt4fdqqqcc

The story of invasion and resistance

First published in 1957 in the weekly « Hora Cero Semmanal », « Eternaut » begins with an idyllic scene in Buenos Aires. Juan Salvo, a protagonist, plays cards with friends when suddenly deadly, phosphorescent snow starts to fall. Each contact with him means current death. Salvo and his friends are isolating themselves in his house, trying to figure out what’s going on and how to survive. It soon becomes clear that snow is only the first wave of sophisticated alien invasion. Through the comic book, a small group of survivors, led by Salva, fights various forms of alien threats-from giant insects (« cascarudos ») to people turned into ascendi robots (« Hombres-Robot ») managed by invisible masters, known only as « Ellos » (they).

Although on the surface of a scientific fiction adventure, the « eternaut » was deeply rooted in Argentine political and social reality from the very beginning. It was created at a time of political instability after Juan Perón’s 1955 overthrow and the establishment of a military authority known as « Revolution of Libertador », the comic became a strong allegory of resistance against authoritarian regions and imperialism.

Oesterheld explored the topics of solidarity, heroism and despair through the story of the collective struggle of the little man against the superior enemy. The paranoia that pervades the pages of the comic book reflected the atmosphere of fear and repression that ruled in Argentina. Juan Salvo is not a typical superhero; He is an ordinary man, a family man, who becomes a leader from an emergency, and his strength lies in communion with others.

From geologists to revolutionary comic book

Born in Buenos Aires on July 2, 1919, Héctor Germán Oesterheld (also known as HGO) was a geologist by profession. His scientific education will later enrich the realistic of his scientific fiction stories. He began his journalistic career in the early 1940s, and soon went on to write a script for comics. It becomes the key figure of « The Golden Age of Argentine Comics », working with legendary cartoons like Hugo Pratt, with which the popular Western series « SGT. Kirk » creates.

In 1957, Oesterheld and his brother Jorge founded the publishing house Editorial Front, where the « eternaut » would see the light of day. Oesterheld was known for his meticulousness and complexity in work, insisting on the accuracy of the details, which sometimes led to tension with associates, but resulted in high quality works. As political circumstances in Argentina worsened, with changes to fragile democracies and brutal military dictatorships, Oesterheld’s work became more and more politically engaged. His cowboys become villains who oppress brave Indians, and war stories emphasize moral ambiguity instead of heroic features. After the execution of Che Guevara in 1967, Oesterheld in 1968 writes the biographical comic « Vida del Ca », which the military Hunt immediately banned and destroyed.

This act only deepened his radicalization. Together with his four daughters – Diana, Beatriz, Estel and Marin – joined the leftist guerrilla group of Montoneros, who armed itself with military dictatorship.

Oesterheld disappeared, four daughters swollen, raped and killed

In 1976, the military blow introduced Argentina to the darkest period of her history, known as the « Dirty War ». General Jorge’s regime has systematically conducted the abductions, torture and murder of tens of thousands of suspects for left -wing activities or any form of opposition. These people became known as « Los Desaparecidos » – disappeared.

The Oesterheld family paid a terrible price for their activism. In 1976 and 1977, all four Oesterheld daughters, two of whom were pregnant, were abducted and killed. Héctor Germán Oesterheld Sam was abducted on April 27, 1977. He was last seen alive on Christmas Eve in 1977. At the secret captive center, the Ironically called « Sheraton ».

Eduardo Arias, a psychologist detained with him, testified that the guards allowed them to take off their eyes and smoke a cigarette. Oesterheld, then a sixty -year -old in a very poor physical condition, shook hands with all the prisoners present.

It is assumed that he was killed during 1978. His wife, Elsa Sánchez de Oesterheld, was the only survivor of the immediate family and later became an activist of mothers from Mayo Square, fighting for the truth about the fate of the missing.

He hid after his daughter’s abduction and wrote a sequel to the eaternaut

Even as he hid after his daughter’s abduction, Oesterheld continued to write. The sequel to « El Eternauta II, » drawing Francisco Solano López, and was published in Skorio.

This sequel was even more politically and more personal; Oesterheld inserted himself as a character fighting along Juan Salva.

In prison, according to survivors’ testimony, he spent days writing comics that no one intended to publish.

93% of positive reactions to Netflix’s adaptation

Netflix’s « The Eternaut » seriescreated by Bruno Stagnaro, with Ricardo Darín in the role of Juan Salva, places the shop in contemporary Buenos Aires. Visually impressive, the series tries to convey the atmosphere of the isolation and terror of the original comic book. At IMDB, he has a grade 7.8 on IMDB and 93 percent of the positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Many praise the visual component, acting Ricarda Darín And a tense atmosphere. Fidelity is emphasized by certain elements of comics and dealing with topics of resistance and solidarity. On the other hand, some critics resent the slower pace and believe that the series failed to fully convey the depth and complexity of the Oesterheld work. Still, the series was able to meet a new global audience with « Eternaut » and encourage interest in his background.

Despite attempts to regime to silence it, Oesterheld’s The voice and work outlived him. « Eternaut » has become a lasting symbol of resistance in Argentina and beyond. The character of Juan Salva, with his improvised protective equipment, appeared at protests and even on masks during the covid-19 pandemic. Politician Néstor Kirchner was portrayed as « El Nestornauta. » Oesterheld has been posthumously received numerous accolades, and his work, especially later, which is often published in suppressed forms, is the subject of permanent research and re -issue, such as the English edition of the « Evita » comic book published Fantagraphics. According to comic book historian Maurica Horn, the comic book medium rarely had his martyrs, which makes Héctor Oesterheld a unique figure.

It was announced the second season of El Eternauta which will have eight episodes, and we will watch it in 2026.