Alicante’s Bullfighting Museum hosts a commemorative program on the 75th anniversary of Manolete’s death, featuring a lecture on the Cordovan bullfighter. The speech, to be delivered by historian Fernando González Viñas, will explore the symbolism and the concrete realities of Manolete’s legacy. The event is scheduled for this Wednesday at 20:30, offering attendees a deeper look at a figure who left a lasting imprint on bullfighting culture.
Mari Carmen, a councilor from the Plaza de Toros, explains that Alicante, with Manolete as a reference point, bears responsibility to reflect on its historical, social, and bullfighting significance. The city recognizes the way Manolete helped shape local identity and the broader cultural fabric surrounding the sport.
The museum will also host a temporary exhibition titled From Arena to Comics, which closes on Wednesday. The show, curated by Fernando González Viñas, examines the relationship between bulls, toreros, and the world of popular comics. Since its July 19 opening, more than 300 graphic works from across the globe have been showcased, highlighting the enduring presence of bullfighting motifs in publications from Spain, the United States, France, and Japan. The curator notes that bullfights have deep roots in everyday popular culture, making the sport more than just a spectacle.
Visitors encountered a range of historical comic formats, including some of the earliest publications that illustrate bullfighting as a recurring narrative thread. The collection spans classic juvenile comics to contemporary graphic novels, featuring scenes where bulls roam through panels, provoking excitement and danger alike. The stories often follow a hero through Mexico or Spain, with the plot inevitably leading to a bullfight, a trope that remains a staple in many superhero worlds, whether Mexican or Spanish.
Those attending were offered a complimentary catalog of texts that place the exhibition in its proper historical context, with explanations provided by the curator. The exhibition is organized by the Alicante City Council, reflecting the city’s commitment to preserving and celebrating its bullfighting heritage while linking it to broader popular culture. The aim is to invite visitors to view these narratives as part of a shared cultural conversation, where history, art, and entertainment intersect in meaningful ways.