Valencian illustrator and graphic novelist Paco Roca will unveil his new graphic novel ‘Los surcos del azar’ in Valencia this Thursday. Winner of the 2008 National Comic Award, Roca has based his new novel on the liberation of Paris on 25 August 1944, narrating the story of the small detachment of 160 soldiers from the French 2nd Armoured Division under the command of General Leclerc including 148 Spanish exiles who, led by Captain Dronne, entered Paris after German troops retreated.
In his longest novel yet, the Valencian illustrator narrates the turn of events through the character of Miguel Ruiz; one of the division’s Spanish soldiers. After three years of extensive research by Roca, the completed novel boasts 328 pages and was published by Astiberri. The unveiling of the graphic novel in Valencia will be attended by some of Roca’s famous friends including graphic designers MacDiego and Modesto Granados.
The career of Paco Roca, one of the most internationally-renowned Spanish comic writers of all time, was the driving force behind the most successful exhibition that Valencia’s MuVIM museum has ever displayed. Before ‘Los surcos del azar’ with its title based on verses written by poet Antonio Machado, Roca’s two most recent works, ‘El invierno del dibujante’ and ‘Arrugas’ both received numerous awards including various Goya Awards, thanks to the film adaptation of ‘Arrugas’.
