Popular comic book characters for children

There are many characters that appear in historical comics, but only a few are really indispensable. In TBO en clase we present a list of 25 historical comic characters that everyone should know; and whose works should be read at least once in a lifetime. There are Spanish, American and European characters. Current and past characters. Known and unknown. But they all have something in common, the historical context in which they develop. Without a doubt, these 25 historical comic characters are a magnificent window through which we can look at ancient Rome , classical Greece , samurai Japan , the great world wars or the medieval crusades .

The 25 historical comic book characters you should know

Asterix

Who doesn't know the most famous Gallic hero in history? There is certainly no character who deserves this first place on our list of 25 historical comic book characters. Created by the scriptwriter Renè Goscinny and the cartoonist Albert Uderzo, Asterix stands out for his intelligence and cunning . Always accompanied by his inseparable friend Obelix, they will prevent the Romans from conquering all of Gaul. His town of Armorica will resist time and again the conquest stratagems of the Roman legionaries. Although Asterix is not especially strong, thanks to Getafix's magic potion he receives the strength that allows him to overcome any situation. Asterix has become a myth; a symbol of resistance against those who try to impose their will on others. If you want to read more about Asterix, be sure to visit this link .

Why is it on our list? The Adventures of Asterix is probably the most fun way to learn about Roman history.

Alix

Alix is a character created by Jacques Martin in 1948 , and who develops his adventures at the end of the Roman Republic. This young blond boy, with his red toga, of Gallic descent, but adopted by a Roman governor, will travel with his Egyptian friend Enak throughout the ancient world. From Egypt or Carthage, to India or China . A mythical series that we are still lucky enough to be able to enjoy today in its two versions. The classic one, which continues to tell us the adventures of the intrepid young Alix; and the new adventures of Alix Senator , which tell us about Alix at fifty years old, already converted into a renowned senator. In both series Alix will show off an unusual intelligence and be very intrepid.

Why is it on our list? Possibly because Alix's adventures are the most complete comic that addresses the classical world.

Spirou

Spirou is the main character of the series Spirou and Fantasio , one of the great classics of the Bande Desinée. He is a bellboy turned reporter who, together with his friend Fantasio, travels around the world solving mysteries and living adventures. And although his creator is not Franquin, the best stories really came with him. Spirou always wears his characteristic red suit with yellow buttons, and he is never separated from his pet, the cynical squirrel Spip . A mix between Spirou and Gaston Lagaffe (another Franquin character) will result in the Bellboy Sacarino de Ibáñez.

Why is it on our list? Through their tireless travels, the adventures of Spirou and Fantasio allow us to gain a broad overview of many societies across the globe, addressing numerous social issues.

Valiant

Valiant is the dethroned prince of Thule, and protagonist of Harold Foster's Prince Valiant series . Set in the universe of Camelot, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The series begins with the young prince, barely five years old, leaving his kingdom: and over the years we will see him grow, develop and mature, until he becomes one of the most famous knights of the round table.

Why is he on our list? Without a doubt, Valiant had to be on this list of 25 historical comic book characters. Through his comics we are shown major historical events of the High Middle Ages such as the arrival of the Huns or the fall of Rome. Although the series is full of anachronisms.

Thorgal

Thorgal Aegirsson is an imperfect and pacifist hero with a dark past. He gets his name from having been found in the sea by a Viking people; which makes him suppose to be the son of the Norse god Aegir. Thorgal actually comes from beyond the stars, and although he has no special powers, his descendants will have them. His wife is Aaricia, and his main qualities are loyalty, bravery and courage. He stops at nothing, not even death itself; especially when it comes to saving his family.

Why is he on our list? Through Thorgal we will learn about Viking customs. We will be able to see how they lived, how they spent the winters, their expeditions, beliefs as well as their relationship with the environment.

Tintin

Obviously, our list of 25 historical comic book characters could not include the intrepid reporter Tintin . Possibly the most charismatic reporter in the history of comics. Always accompanied by his dog Snowy; and a whole cast of secondary characters almost as important as Tintin himself: Captain Haddock, Professor Calculus, or Dupond and Dupont (Hernández and Fernández) . Tintin is a young Belgian reporter whose age is never clarified in the comics, and who will face multiple adventures throughout half the world. His blond hair and his pompadour, as well as his clothes, are his hallmark.

Why is he on our list? Tintin is history in itself. His comics, many of them relatively contemporary to the events he narrates, are a unique way of understanding how certain events were interpreted in his time.

Keep reading our list of 25 historical comic book characters

Miyamoto Usagi

In 1984, Stan Sakai created his most peculiar character, Miyamoto Usagi, the protagonist of Usagi Yojimbo; which earned its author the Eisner award on several occasions. The work is set in Tokugawa Japan. Miyamoto Usagi is an honest, strong, brave samurai rabbit with a high sense of honor . The archetypal samurai . But after the death of his lord, he decides to become a ronin, and travel throughout Japan training. It is a version of the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi, in an anthropomorphic universe . A work greatly influenced by Lone Wolf and Cub .

Why is it on our list? Usagi Yojimbo is not just another comic about the decadence of the samurai, it is a true masterpiece of the 9th art. A magnificent drawing, accompanied by very intelligent scripts. Without a doubt, it had to be on this list of 25 historical comic characters.

Philip Angus Mortimer

Edgard P. Jacobs is the creator of Blake and Mortimer , one of the best stories in Franco-Belgian comics, set in the 50s and 60s. Mortimer is a nuclear physicist, of Scottish origin and trained in India, in the British Raj. An intelligent but very impulsive guy, who is used to getting into trouble. He is the comic counterpoint of the series. His adventure partner is Francis Percy Blake ; Welsh officer and head of the British secret service MI5. Also extremely intelligent and intuitive. The great enemy of the saga is Colonel Olrik, always on the lookout, trying to make the most of the situation.

Why is it on our list? Both will live adventures around the world, many of them related to the Cold War and communism.

V

In this case we are not dealing with a historical comic book per se, in the sense that it presents a dystopian universe in which a fascist regime reigns in England. A regime in the purest style of Orwell 's 1984. We are clearly referring to V for Vendetta ; one of the most recognized works of the master Alan Moore. Its male protagonist is V; a mysterious revolutionary, with anarchist ties, and who hides his face behind the mask of Guy Fawkes . His objective is to overthrow the government at all costs, and in his plans he crosses the young Evey; who will ultimately prove to be fundamental in his plans. V is intelligent, cultured, educated, passionate about reading, and has strong revolutionary convictions. A hero or a madman? You decide. In any case, we have had no doubts in including him in our list of 25 historical comic book characters.

Why is it on our list? Reading V poses an ethical dilemma that allows us to reflect on anarchism, revolution, order and authority. An intelligently narrated comic that goes beyond simple historical facts.

Corto Maltese

Corto Maltese is an adventurous sailor created by Hugo Pratt ( Ernie Pike ) in 1967. With a Spanish mother and an English father, Corto Maltese will live all kinds of adventures around the world that will take him through the Boxer War, he will meet Stalin, he will fight in the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War , or he will fight in the First World War . He will live in Hong Kong, Siberia or Panama. And throughout his years he will develop that characteristic sense of humor, between ironic and cocky. A peculiar character, who quickly captivates the reader, and whose maxim in life is freedom. Without a doubt, any Corto Maltese comic is a great comic to give as a gift .

Why is he on our list of 25 historical comic book characters? Obviously on his own merits. Corto Maltese allows us to witness key events in contemporary history through the eyes of a unique character.

Download the presentation dossier for Hugo Pratt's collectible for free from this link .

We continue with the list of 25 historical comic book characters that you should know

Martin Mystere

Martin Mystere is an American anthropologist and archaeologist specializing in all things occult and paranormal: UFOs, monsters, lost civilizations, etc. This charismatic personality lives in New York and hosts a successful television show where he spreads his discoveries. He lives with his wife Diana, a Neanderthal he rescued from Mongolia, and a whole collection of rare objects.

Why is it on our list? Beyond the implausibility, Martin Mystere awakens our curiosity about lost civilizations and intrigues us to know that history that remains hidden.

There is an animated series aimed at a young audience, which, with certain liberties with respect to the original work, is quite entertaining.

XIII

Thanks to the work and art of Jean Van Hamme, we bring to our list of 25 historical comic book characters XII; the protagonist of the series that bears his own name. Inspired by the novel The Bourne Identity , XIII wakes up with amnesia; he doesn't remember anything about his past, not even his name. XIII comes from a tattoo he has on his arm. All he knows is that he has exceptional fighting skills, and he has a compelling need to find out who he is and what happened to him. And while he tries to find out, he will find himself involved in a web of international conspiracies.

Why is he on our list? The various plots in which XIII is involved will take him to numerous international scenarios such as revolutionary movements in Latin America, the activity of the IRA or the lack of human rights in numerous situations.

Blueberry

Mike S. Blueberry is a veteran of the Civil War, a former lieutenant in the armies of the North. An antihero whose story is told in around fifty albums, which tell us about his youth and his maturity. Before and after the American Civil War . Blueberry is a stateless person. An unusual cowboy, generous, honest, and who puts human life before his own principles; as demonstrated by his close relationship with the Indians.

Why is he on our list of 25 historical comic book characters? The work delves into the hackneyed vision of the conquest of the West, without questioning any of the pre-established myths. Of course, we are not dealing with a rigorous work in terms of the historical facts that are narrated, but the graphic and argumentative value of the work by Charlier and Giroud (Moebius) is such that we could not leave Lieutenant Blueberry out of the list. In addition, the work is used by its authors to criticize the imperialist and supremacist aspect of the white man in the West. A matter that is not trivial.

You can download chapter zero of Blueberry's work for free here .

Red Dust

Red Dust is the main protagonist of the Comanche series, one of the most famous westerns of the bande desinée , created by Greg and Hermann . Comanche is the heiress to a ranch in the American West, but everything changes when Red Dust appears, who will help her run the "666" ranch . Unlike other comics of the same theme, here there are no long trips; at most they go to the town of Greenstone Falls to buy supplies and close deals. Everything revolves around the ranch.

Why should we read Comanche? Obviously, it is impossible not to compare Red Dust and Blueberry. But why should we stick with one, when we can enjoy both? Comanche has enough quality in its scripts and drawings to not enjoy reading it.

The 25 historical comic book characters are not finished yet

Matteo

Mattéo is the son of Spanish anarchists who arrived in France at the end of the 19th century . The comic never explains why Mattéo's family was forced to leave Spain, although there are constant references to his father's political activism, as well as to his involvement in the attempted assassination of Alfonso XIII. Mattéo is Jean-Pierre Gibrat's best creation to date. A MUST-HAVE for any lover of good European comics.

Why is Mattéo on this list of 25 historical comic book characters? Because Mattéo is a direct witness to everything that has been happening in Europe in those years , from the First World War to the Spanish Civil War. And all of this with spectacular drawings.

Ogami Itto

Lone Wolf and Cub tells the story of Ogami Itto, a skilled warrior who serves as Kaishakunin of the Tokugawa clan; in charge of assisting in the seppuku of different daimyo and feudal lords, in order to reinforce the power of the shogun. Therefore, a privileged position. But one day when he returns home he discovers that his entire family has been murdered except for his one-year-old son. From then on he becomes a ronin and begins a path of revenge.

Why should we read Lone Wolf and Cub? We could argue that by reading it we will be able to learn about how the Tokugawa shogunate worked, and what the supposed Tokugawa peace consisted of, as well as understand values such as loyalty and honor. But beyond all that, suffice it to say that Frank Miller is a great admirer of this work.

Max Friedman

Max Fridman is a former Jewish secret agent who works for the French secret services in 1930s Europe and who participated in the International Brigades. He has military training, a very sharp intelligence, and a trauma with bombs, which paralyze him. To date, The Adventures of Max Fridman is made up of three independent arcs: Hungarian Rhapsody , which takes place in Budapest; The Gate of the East , in the city of Istanbul; and They Shall Not Pass!, where the chosen setting is Barcelona. Its author is the Italian Vittorio Giardino, and he has already confirmed that we will still have Max Fridman for a while.

Why is Max Fridman on this list? His adventures take place in the turbulent 1930s, across various European countries. Max Fridman, and his spectacular cast of supporting characters, give us a vibrant account of some of the most important political events of the first half of the 20th century .

Kenshin Himura

Kenshin Himura is the protagonist of the manga Ruroini Kenshin . A ronin who wanders from one place to another in Japan looking for people in need to help. But Kenshin has a tragic past. During the last years of the Tokugawa shogunate, Kenshin was a legendary assassin called hitokiri battosai . But now he has sworn never to kill anyone again; Kenshin settles in Tokyo, meets the young Kamiya Kaoru, who is having trouble managing her father's dojo, and Kenshin decides to help him. In part, this is the starting point of the series.

Why is Kenshin on this list? The character of Kenshin is inspired by the real-life character of Musashi Miyamoto, and throughout his adventures, we are told in a humorous way about the great changes that took place in the Meiji era : the abolition of social classes, the prohibition of carrying weapons, Western fashions in the way of dressing, or the prohibition of death by revenge. Without a doubt, a very fun way to learn about how the turbulent history of Japan took place in these times of change.

We finish our list of 25 historical comic book characters you should know

Lucky Luke

Lucky Luke is without a doubt the most famous parody of the Wild West novels . Luke is a cowboy faster than his shadow who is always stopping outlaws, helping widows, orphans and the homeless; together with his inseparable horse Jolly Jumper, who is able to fish, play chess or solve problems. Although to be fair, in this series the supporting characters are almost more important than the protagonist himself.

Why read Lucky Luke? In the albums, Luke meets several historical characters from the West, such as Calamity Jane, Billy the Kid, or the Jesse James gang. He also participates in historical events, such as guarding the Wells Fargo stagecoaches, or building the first transcontinental telegraph. In any case, the best stage is the one with Goscinny.

Captain Thunder

Captain Trueno is without a doubt the most legendary Spanish hero in the history of comics . Adventurous, intelligent, brave, courageous, supportive and honourable. He fights against Vikings, wizards, and even Genghis Khan. The character created by Víctor Mora in 1956 is a medieval knight from the 12th century. A true defender of human rights alongside his friends Crispín (son of the Count of Normandy) and Goliath (Trueno's faithful squire). As well as his beautiful lady Sigrid.

Why did we include Captain Thunder in our list? By reading Captain Thunder we can enter the world of the Middle Ages: Vikings, Orientals, Arabs, pirates, Jews and Christians. Even Richard the Lionheart himself appears in the series.

Young wild boar

Jabato's main attributes are strength, courage, cunning and generosity. And of course, a strong sense of justice that makes him rise up against the Roman conquest. Jabato shares the lead role with other secondary characters such as his partner, the Roman aristocrat Claudia; his loyal and strong friend Taurus; and the Greek Fideo de Mileto . His author is Víctor Mora, the same one from El Capitán Trueno. Self-competition in the same publishing house?

Why should we know about El Jabato? El Jabato is set in the 1st century AD, and uses the historical context as a background for a series of adventures, in which fantastic and legendary elements abound. A work full of anachronisms, which will increase as the series progresses.

You can legally download the presentation dossier of the collection.

And these are the last of the 25 historical comic book characters

Lester Cockney

Lester Mahoney, better known as Lester Cockney, is an Irishman who ends up enlisted in the cavalry of the British army stationed in colonial India . It is the story of a 19th century adventurer who will live numerous adventures; from Afghanistan, the Punjab, Yemen, Egypt, Spain, Albania, Hungary and ending up in the middle of the civil war in the United States. In love with wild nature, animals and freedom.

Why should we read Lester Cockney? Franz's creation is a magnificent adventure comic, very emotional, with strong moral convictions, in which we can obtain a magnificent panorama of the final years of the 19th century throughout all the continents. A little-known comic that is essential reading.

Isabel de Marnaye

She is the young rebel protagonist of Passengers of the Wind , the monumental work by François Bourgeon. Isabel is a restless spirit who, in the middle of the 18th century, disguises herself as a man to sneak aboard a French navy ship; in the context of war unleashed between Louis XVI's France and England. This will be the beginning of a story of epic, freedom and adventure, which will take her from Africa to America . With superb drawings and a perfectly crafted script, we are facing one of the great works of the bande desinée.

Why can't we stop reading Passengers of the Wind? We are faced with a series that vindicates the role of women in the adventure genre. Isabel de Marnaye, the protagonist of Passengers of the Wind , will experience the war, prisons and slave trade typical of the time.

Miyamoto Musashi

Miyamoto Musashi is a famous warrior who actually existed in 17th century Tokugawa Japan, during the Sengoku era (a period of civil wars) . He was a very particular warrior who did not participate in the samurai hierarchy of the time, but instead lived in isolation, begging, seeking his own path with the sword . His appearance was dirty and wild, and it is said that he never bathed for fear of being caught unarmed. Although in this case there is probably more reading than truth, since Musashi was a very reputable warrior at the time, who was often invited to participate in different dojos. This peculiar character is the protagonist of the manga Vagabond.

Why should we read Vagabond? Takehiko Inoue's work has spectacular drawings. We are possibly talking about one of the best cartoonists in all of Japan, and his series is among the best-selling in all of Japan, which has earned him numerous awards in his career. A work that tells us about the battle of Sekigahara that put an end to the period of civil wars in Japan, and the subsequent domination of the Tokugawa clan ; which will dominate the destiny of Japan for three hundred years.

Superlopez

And to conclude our list, a Spanish superhero: Superlópez. He is a very human and very Spanish superhero. His real identity is Juan López . Could there be a more Spanish name? A character with a dull and boring life. Full of vices and defects. He likes football, tends to waste time at work and is not a good boyfriend. But when he puts on the suit, he gains in courage and bravery, and knows no limits.

But why did we include Superlópez in our list of the 25 historical comic book characters? Beyond the cliché of parodying Superman, Jan involves Superlópez in all kinds of very current stories that range from the emergence of a fascist society, labor and union issues, colonialism and imperialism, environmental degradation, or excessive consumerism. You can see a list of some of the best works of Superlópez in the entry we dedicated to him on our website.