Welcome to 13, Rue del Percebe

It has inspired television series and even some Spanish streets bear its name. Now, the most famous neighbours of Bruguera are moving and settling in the neighbourhood of the equally popular Manuel García Moreno. Now Don Hurón and the concierge can gossip about the adventures of their new neighbourhood resident: Manolito Gafotas. From this Saturday, 13 Rue del Percebe is located at number 46 of the Madrid street General Ricardos.

The Colmado Senén, the mad scientist, Manolo 'the defaulter', the veterinarian, and the thief Ceferino have a new block of flats to celebrate the Official Day of Francisco Ibáñez, which is being held for the first time this year and has been set for every 15th of March in commemoration of his birth.

The inauguration of this mural, signed by the artist from NSN997, marks the starting point for a series of initiatives that will take place with the first edition of this commemorative day. In Barcelona, the artist's hometown, the Gabriel García Márquez Library, located in the author's neighbourhood, Sant Martí de Provençals, will celebrate this day with school visits and a book club.

With the establishment of this day, the promoters aim to bring Ibáñez's works closer to the younger generations, who are less accustomed to reading comics. In addition to transforming and revitalising public spaces through urban art as a form of expression, explain the event organisers.

The tenants and owners of 13, Rue del Percebe are a small part of the creations of the Barcelonan. A representative sample of his seven decades of work, which is summarised in more than 200 comic strips.

Ibáñez elevated botched jobs to an art form with Pepe Gotera and Otilio, changed the history of investigators with Mortadelo and Filemón, added charm to the antics of bellboys with Sacarino, and many know of the chaos unleashed by the little Rompetechos, the Catalan's favourite character.

Francisco Ibáñez Talavera was born in Barcelona on 15 March 1936. He was very young when he demonstrated his drawing skills and began working with Editorial Bruguera at just 21 years old. There, he created the most successful series in Spanish comics, Mortadelo y Filemón, the story of two detectives in a Spanish information agency. His extensive work continues to bring laughter to readers and earned him a place in history as one of the best Spanish comic artists, as well as being the creator of the Bruguera School movement, which embraced all his works.

Ibáñez passed away on 15 July 2023, at the age of 87. It was a year after winning the Gold Medal of the city of Barcelona and two years after being awarded the Cross of Sant Jordi.