Cities and Comic Books. Berlin in Alberto Madrigal’s Graphic Novels

The present work is organised in three parts. The first one deals with the analysis of the relationship between architecture and comics, which originated at the beginning of the last century; the second one examines a fundamental aspect of this relationship, namely the representation of cities in comic books and, above all, how this aspect has evolved over the last century from the utopias linked to the great urban metropolis to their fall at the end of the century. Finally, in the third part, the works of Madrigal are analysed. The common trait that forges the graphic production of this young Spanish author is represented by the constant presence of the city of Berlin, which, despite being portrayed in a language that is always coherent, takes on specific connotations with the stories that are told within the author’s different graphic novels. The relationship between the city and comic books in the work of Madrigal translates into the essentiality of its design. The simplification of the stroke-work and the absence of over-structures correspond to an immediacy of the message that the author tries to convey, allowing him to more easily reach out to the emotions of the reader.