"Pensive Vampi" - "The Art of Jose Gonzalez"

Although mainly an illustrator, José (Pepe) González also had an important career as a comic artist. He was introduced into the comics business by Josep Toutain, the manager of Selecciones Ilustradas, in 1956. Toutain asked him to join this agency after seeing two portraits by González which were decorating the showcase of a tailor's shop. The first assignment he got was to draw a western. Since westerns didn't suit him well, González specialized in romantic comics showing beautiful girls and elegant ambiances. First he did romances in Spanish Toray collections Rosas Blancas, Susana and Serenata. Throughout the 1960s he also stood out in British publications on the same subject like Valentine, Marylin and Mirabelle. In addition he did an adaptation of the 1960s British TV series 'The Avengers'. José González' natural talent for drawing girls made erotism pervade many of the comics he did. This could be noticed in his long-time contribution to the US horror series 'Vampirella' (1969), which he took over soon after its beginning. González is still, in many people's minds, the definitive artist of 'Vampirella'. González provided many full-page for the inside cover and contents pages. Gonzalez remained the leading artist of the title until 1977, but he also worked in alternation with Leopoldo Sanchez, Jose Ortiz and Gonzalo Mayo. Text (c) Lambiek