Sergio Aragonés is a renowned Spanish-Mexican cartoonist and writer, hailing from Castellón, Spain. For decades, he was a mainstay of the iconic humor magazine "Mad", bringing his unique brand of humor and wit to the publication. Among his most beloved creations is Groo the Wanderer, a parody of Conan the Barbarian that has been delighting readers for years. Groo is a master swordsman, but his gullibility and lack of understanding of the world around him often lead to unintentional chaos and destruction.
Aragonés' other notable creation is Bat Lash, a charismatic and roguish antihero who navigates the dangers of the Wild West with ease. Despite his pacifist nature, Bat often finds himself in situations where fighting is his only option for survival. The artist has also worked on several other notable titles, including the Inferior Five and Angel and Ape, both published by DC Comics.
Born during the Spanish Civil War, Aragonés' family fled to France and later Mexico, where he developed a passion for drawing at a young age. He began selling his work to magazines as a university student, and his big break came when a classmate helped him sell his samples to a publication in 1954.
Aragonés went on to study architecture at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where he also took pantomime lessons under the direction of Alejandro Jodorowsky. After graduating, he took a teaching position at the University of Mexico before migrating to the United States in 1962 to pursue a career in cartooning.
In New York City, Aragonés applied for a job at "Mad" magazine and was eventually hired by editor Al Feldstein and publisher Bill Gaines in 1963. He went on to work for the magazine for over 50 years, producing thousands of gag cartoons and eventually becoming one of the publication's most iconic and beloved artists.
In addition to his work on "Mad", Aragonés has also written and illustrated full stories for various DC Comics titles, including the popular Groo the Wanderer series. He has won numerous awards for his work, including multiple Harvey Awards and an Eisner Award, and was inducted into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame in 2024.
