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El Gato Negro (comic book)
Encyclopedia
El Gato Negro was an independent comic book series featuring the eponymous character
created by Richard Dominguez
and published by Azteca Productions
. The series began in October 1993 with critical acclaim, the first edition actually selling all 5,000 copies within two months, but was placed on a seven year hiatus after the fourth issue was published. Dominguez later returned in 2005 with the new series El Gato Negro: Nocturnal Warrior
.
, specifically within the Lower Rio Grande Valley area, where social worker Francisco "Pancho" Guerrero
is motivated by the gruesome murder of his best friend by drug-traffickers, to fight crime under the guise of El Gato Negro. He is assisted in his goals by his grandfather Agustin Guerrero and several other supporting characters.
. The identity El Gato Negro is in fact Francisco Guerrero, grandson of the original El Gato Negro, and heir to his legacy. Francisco adopted the identity of the El Gato Negro shortly after the murder of his friend Mario Bustamonte. Despite being popular with the citizens of his community, El Gato Negro is constantly being hunted by police Captain Miguel Bustamonte, Francisco's best friend and Mario's older brother. Miguel believes El Gato Negro is in league with the drug-smugglers that plague South Texas
and was probably involved in the murder of his younger brother. While out on patrol one night as El Gato Negro, Francisco discovers two escaped convicts. Incapacitating the criminals, El Gato Negro has unknowingly stumbled across a drug-running conspiracy formed by the drug-smuggler known only as El Graduado
and a mysterious South American crime organization known as The Annulus
. El Gato Negro is later lured in to a trap set by El Graduado personally in an abandoned warehouse.
.
. Nearly killing the costumed-crimefighter, El Gato Negro manages to escape from the two, only to collapse in the arms of his grandfather, Agustin Guerrero, suffering from extreme fatigue and near-intracranial injury.
. El Gato Negro later returned in 2005 in the new on-going series El Gato Negro: Nocturnal Warrior #1. There are currently plans to release a graphic novel
compilation of the series, including the unpublished fifth issue.
Francisco Guerrero (comics)
Francisco "Pancho" Guerrero, Jr., also known as El Gato Negro, is a fictional character and comic book superhero created by Richard Dominguez and published by Azteca Productions...
created by Richard Dominguez
Richard Dominguez
Richard Dominguez is an American comic book artist and freelance storyboard illustrator. Best known for creating the popular series El Gato Negro, Dominguez publishes his comics through his imprint and art studio, Azteca Productions...
and published by Azteca Productions
Azteca Productions
Azteca Productions is an American independent comic book publisher and imprint founded by artist-creator Richard Dominguez in 1993. The company's first publication was El Gato Negro #1 showcasing the debut of the eponymous character, in what is now considered the company's flagship series...
. The series began in October 1993 with critical acclaim, the first edition actually selling all 5,000 copies within two months, but was placed on a seven year hiatus after the fourth issue was published. Dominguez later returned in 2005 with the new series El Gato Negro: Nocturnal Warrior
El Gato Negro: Nocturnal Warrior
El Gato Negro, Nocturnal Warrior is an ongoing independent comic book series featuring the adventures of the superhero, El Gato Negro. Created by Richard Dominguez and published under his own Azteca Productions imprint, the series began in November 2005...
.
Premise
The events in "El Gato Negro" occur in South TexasSouth Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
, specifically within the Lower Rio Grande Valley area, where social worker Francisco "Pancho" Guerrero
Francisco Guerrero (comics)
Francisco "Pancho" Guerrero, Jr., also known as El Gato Negro, is a fictional character and comic book superhero created by Richard Dominguez and published by Azteca Productions...
is motivated by the gruesome murder of his best friend by drug-traffickers, to fight crime under the guise of El Gato Negro. He is assisted in his goals by his grandfather Agustin Guerrero and several other supporting characters.
Unknown Passing, Unforgettable Return
The first of the self-titled series published in 1993 under Dominguez's own Azteca Productions imprintImprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
. The identity El Gato Negro is in fact Francisco Guerrero, grandson of the original El Gato Negro, and heir to his legacy. Francisco adopted the identity of the El Gato Negro shortly after the murder of his friend Mario Bustamonte. Despite being popular with the citizens of his community, El Gato Negro is constantly being hunted by police Captain Miguel Bustamonte, Francisco's best friend and Mario's older brother. Miguel believes El Gato Negro is in league with the drug-smugglers that plague South Texas
South Texas
South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...
and was probably involved in the murder of his younger brother. While out on patrol one night as El Gato Negro, Francisco discovers two escaped convicts. Incapacitating the criminals, El Gato Negro has unknowingly stumbled across a drug-running conspiracy formed by the drug-smuggler known only as El Graduado
El Graduado
Armando Ochoa, also known as El Graduado, is a fictional character and comic book supervillain created by Richard Dominguez and published by Azteca Productions...
and a mysterious South American crime organization known as The Annulus
The Annulus
The Annulus is a fictional criminal organization featured in the Azteca Productions' Universe created by Richard Dominguez. The Annulus is a South American-based secret cabal of businessmen, each a notorious drug lord from a different part of the world...
. El Gato Negro is later lured in to a trap set by El Graduado personally in an abandoned warehouse.
The Burning
(Also known as "Unknown Passing, Unforgettable Return part two") Continues immediately after the events in the first issue. In the ensuing struggle with El Graduado, El Gato Negro manages to destroy the abandoned warehouse containing large quantities of narcotics. Later Francisco discovers the identity of El Graduado to be that of Armando Ochoa, son of Ignacio Ochoa the undisputed drug lord of South Texas, a position Armando desires to take over in order to earn a seat with The AnnulusThe Annulus
The Annulus is a fictional criminal organization featured in the Azteca Productions' Universe created by Richard Dominguez. The Annulus is a South American-based secret cabal of businessmen, each a notorious drug lord from a different part of the world...
.
Mexican Standoff
(Also known as "Unknown Passing, Unforgettable Return part three") The finale of the original three-part story arc. In a final confrontation with El Graduado, the villain had the upper-hand until the arrival of the original El Gato Negro and the Texas Rangers. While fleeing the scene, Armando inadvertently runs into Captain Bustamonte. Recognizing him to be the brother of the border patrolman his henchmen had murdered several months earlier, Ochoa resolves to kill the Miguel as well. Francisco manages to intervene, saving Miguel, and allows El Graduado to be taken in by the authorities. Afterward, Sheriff Bustamonte's opinion of El Gato Negro changes for the better but he continues to hunt for the hero regardless, believing his methods to be dangerous.Enter: The Dogs of War
In retaliation, the Annulus enlists the aid of Boss Ochoa's nephews, two ruthless mercenaries from Corpus Christi, TexasCorpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
. Nearly killing the costumed-crimefighter, El Gato Negro manages to escape from the two, only to collapse in the arms of his grandfather, Agustin Guerrero, suffering from extreme fatigue and near-intracranial injury.
Graphic Novel
Shortly after the publishing the fourth issue of El Gato Negro, the series went on hiatus for seven years, ending the series with a cliffhangerCliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
. El Gato Negro later returned in 2005 in the new on-going series El Gato Negro: Nocturnal Warrior #1. There are currently plans to release a graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
compilation of the series, including the unpublished fifth issue.