The character El loco Chávez, a journalist created by Horacio Altuna and writer Carlos Trillo, debuted in the newspaper Clarín in July 1975 and quickly became one of the most popular comic strips in Argentina. This collaboration marked a high point in a career spanning several decades, international publishing houses, and multiple artistic disciplines including painting.
Early Career and Initial Characters
Born in Córdoba, Argentina, in 1941, Altuna started his professional life in the comics industry in 1965. His initial output for the publisher Editorial Columba featured diverse archetypes, such as the superhero Titan, Kabul de Bengala in 1971, Big Norman, and Hilario Corvalán. The scripts for these early works were written by various collaborators, including Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Armando Fernández.
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Between 1973 and 1976, Altuna expanded his reach by working with global entities such as Fleetway, Ediciones Record, Charlton Comics, Playboy, and Les Humanoïdes Associés. During this period, he deepened his partnership with Carlos Trillo. Beyond the success of El loco Chávez, which ran until 1987, the duo produced notable series including Charlie Moon, Las puertitas del señor López, Merdichesky, El último recreo, and Tragaperras.
Relocation to Spain and Later Works
Altuna moved to Sitges, Spain, in 1982. This transition led to projects for Editorial Toutain and continued contributions of erotic short stories to Playboy. His portfolio evolved to include strips such as Ficcionario in 1983, Chances in 1985, Time/Out in 1986, and Imaginario between 1987 and 1988. Later, he produced El Nene Montanaro from 1994 to 2002, Hot L.A. in 1992 and 2000, and since February 2005, he has designed the strip Familia Tipo for the newspaper El Periódico. He continues to work on the strip Es lo que Hay, which began in 2010.
Fast facts
- Born: 1941, Córdoba, Argentina
- Citizenship: Argentina and Spain
- Occupations: Comics artist, painter, artist
- Notable strips: El loco Chávez, Familia Tipo, El Nene Montanaro
- Awards: Yellow Kid Award (1986, 2005); Saló del Còmic great award (2004)
- Languages: Spanish
Questions readers ask
What is Horacio Altuna's primary profession?
He is an artist, painter, and comics artist.
Where does Horacio Altuna reside?
He moved to Sitges, Spain, in 1982.
