El Mercenario (English: The Mercenary) is a science fiction comics series by the Spanish artist Vicente Segrelles, published beginning in 1980. An unusual feature for a comic book, every panel is painted in oil, a time-consuming technique. The series is known for the great attention paid to the depiction of landscapes.
The Mercenary tells the story of a mysterious and anonymous mercenary from a hidden valley called The Country of the Clouds. In this secluded region, the human race develops a culture different from the rest of the world, all while confronting flying dragons, reptilian giants, monsters, Amazons, and other characters familiar from the world of heroic fantasy. Although the setting resembles the medieval milieu of classic fantasy tales, it is actually a science fiction story. Magic is due to advanced technology and aliens, while giants and monsters are natural fauna or the results of radiation. The only blatant magic is in a set of apochryphal stories told by the Mercenary to impress a young boy. A regular feature of The Mercenary adventures are beautiful women, almost always nude or semi-nude.
