Original Issues of Foundational Argentine Science Fiction Comic "El Eternauta", Scarce Original First Printings in Hora Cero, 1950s

El Eternauta Héctor Germán Oesterheld

Comic books

[Comics][Political Activism][Latin America] Archive of five issues of Argentine anti-authoritarian sci-fi comic El Eternauta by Héctor Germán Oesterheld, printed in Hora Cero anthologies, 1957-59. El Eternauta is widely regarded as one of the most important works in Latin American comics, combining speculative science fiction with social commentary and a distinctly Argentine setting. The story follows a small group of survivors navigating a mysterious extraterrestrial invasion that devastates Buenos Aires. Its narrative of collective resistance, survival, and moral responsibility became foundational to Argentine graphic storytelling and later assumed additional historical resonance through Oesterheld’s political activism during Argentina's military dictatorship. The author was kidnapped and “disappeared” along with his daughters for his anti authoritarian activities under the late 1970s military junta.

The December 1957 installment opens with five bombers over a city devastated by the deadly snowfall, while the 1958 and 1959 installments move through Plaza del Congreso, Calle Callao, and the invaders’ command structure under the running banner “Una cita con el futuro.” . This scarce archive includes:

[1] Oesterheld, Héctor G.; Solano López, Francisco. Hora Cero. Suplemento Semanal. No. 17. Buenos Aires: Editorial Frontera, 25 de diciembre de 1957. A lethal transparent snowfall has annihilated life in Buenos Aires and that Juan and the surviving group witness five bombers after losing their truck and Pablo.

[2] Oesterheld, Héctor G.; Solano López, Francisco. Hora Cero. Suplemento Semanal. No. 68. Buenos Aires: Editorial Frontera, 17 de diciembre de 1958. Orange and black cover with soldiers advancing through smoke. Juan, Favalli, and Franco meet a young woman who says the invading force is concentrated in Plaza Congreso and that it can be destroyed if they reach it.

[3] Oesterheld, Héctor G.; Solano López, Francisco. Hora Cero. Suplemento Semanal. No. 71. Buenos Aires: Editorial Frontera, 7 de enero de 1959. Blue and black cover with helmeted troops approaching a bunker line. After witnessing the invaders’ shock forces along Calle Callao and nearing Plaza del Congreso, Franco halts Juan and Favalli and leads them through the interior of nearby houses.

[4] Oesterheld, Héctor G.; Solano López, Francisco. Hora Cero. Suplemento Semanal. No. 74. Buenos Aires: Editorial Frontera, 28 de enero de 1959. Pink and black cover with silhouetted soldiers and a large close profile of a sweating combatant. Bombers from other latitudes attack Plaza del Congreso to destroy the invaders’ general headquarters, bringing down many aircraft but also blasting the “manos,” robots, and gurbos below.

[5] Oesterheld, Héctor G.; Solano López, Francisco. Hora Cero. Suplemento Semanal. No. 103. Buenos Aires: Editorial Frontera, 19 de agosto de 1959. Lacking cover; the surviving issue retains the imprint panel “Hora Cero / Año III / Numero 103.” The survivors find a way to strike decisively, following a dark-eyed young woman toward the invasion’s command post while counting on grenades and the panic of the “manos” once their internal terror gland is triggered.

Oesterheld’s narrative departs from traditional adventure comics by emphasizing collective action rather than a single heroic protagonist, portraying ordinary civilians organizing survival and resistance. The later political charge attached to the serial after Oesterheld’s kidnapping and disappearance under the last Argentine dictatorship gives added weight to these original printings, but the story itself was already rooted in anti-Authoritarianism, presenting military pressure and a collective struggle against greater power. Moderate toning and handling wear throughout; scattered creasing, edge wear, and small losses to covers; issue no. 103 lacking cover; several covers with penciled or inked prices and markings. Overall good condition.

Item #23258

Price: $2,500.00