An exhibition and charity auction of original works and prints donated by fourteen artists in memory of Carlos Pacheco raised €3250 (over $3500) for the Spanish ALS Association (adELA) last weekend at the 41st edition of Comic Barcelona. The exhibition showcasing the works prior to auction was entitled Gracias Carlos! The auction took place over the festival weekend, March 31 to April 2.
On Twitter the festival issued thanks, saying (translated):
“3250 thousand thanks.
“€3,250 raised at the auction in honor of Carlos Pacheco.
“€3250 going to @AsociacionELA
“Thank you all for making it possible.
“Gracias, Carlos.”
3250 miles de gracias.
3250 € recaudados en la subasta en homenaje a Carlos Pacheco.
3250€ que se van a @AsociacionELA
Gracias a todas y todos por hacerlo posible.
Gracias, Carlos.https://t.co/knPnn14FrQ pic.twitter.com/NPJdsppgXX
— COMIC BARCELONA (@COMIC_bcn) April 2, 2023
Artists involved included Alvaro Martinez Bueno, Gabriel Hernandez Walta, Emma Rios, Àlex Santaló, Pepe Larraz, Jorge Fornés, David Lafuente, Fran Galán, Aneke, Jorge Jiménez, Luis Bustos, Daniel Acuna, Isaac Sánchez, and Fernando Dagnino.
Fan favourite Spanish artist Carlos Pacheco passed away age 60 in November 2022, only a few months after being diagnosed with ALS. Pacheco was best known in the USA for his work on major Big Two books such as X-Men, Hulk, Avengers, JLA, The Flash, and Superman, as well as for co-creating the 2003 alt-history fantasy series Arrowsmith with writer Kurt Busiek. The 2022 Arrowsmith sequel series Behind Enemy Lines, published by Image, was one of his last published works.
In Spanish newspaper Diario Área, Councillor for Young People David Ramos said [translated by DeepL]:
“[I thank] this gesture of fourteen artists, some of them of international stature. On the one hand, because it is a recognition of our much-missed Carlos Pacheco, probably the most universal San Roqueño [where Pacheco was born]. And, above all, because their gesture will serve to raise funds for adELA, and thus improve the lives of the patients of the terrible disease that caused Carlos’ death.”
Adding:
“…[T]his tribute is in addition to others that have been made by Carlos Pacheco’s colleagues, as was seen in the January issue of Dolmen magazine. From San Roque, meanwhile, we continue to feel the loss of not only a great artist, but also an exceptional person. We remember him not only in the official farewell paid to him on his death, but also every time we walk along the avenue that, for years, has borne his name or when we hold the Carlos Pacheco Comic School Competition, which this year is in its eighth edition.”
Comic Barcelona is a major comics event in the Spanish calendar. It is run by the Federation of Professional Comic Institutions (Ficomic) and last weekend – the festival’s first since the onset of pandemic and without restrictions – saw over 110,000 visitors in attendance. Major guests for the 41st edition included Aude Picault, James Tynion IV, Matteo Scalera, Florence Cestac, and Barbara Stok.
You can check out the fourteen auctioned works below:
