Tintin, Flash Gordon, Corto Maltese, The Mercenary, Captain America, Popeye, Asterix… These are more than just characters: they are contemporary myths that have shaped generations. Their adventures, traced in unforgettable cartoons, are part of the collective imagination and can now be rediscovered in “Comic. Dreams and History”, the exhibition that CaixaForum Palma is dedicating to the history of Western comic art. Open until the 24th of August 2025, it brings together 195 iconic works by authors such as Hergé, Moebius, Jack Kirby, Hugo Pratt, Will Eisner, Robert Crumb, and Goscinny and Uderzo, among others, in a journey that celebrates the talent, imagination and narrative power of the ninth art.
Comic panels on display in a room at CaixaForum Palma. Photos: CaixaForum Palma.
The exhibition offers a unique immersion into this fascinating universe—a journey that highlights both the key moments in its development and its remarkable ability to anticipate futures and construct parallel worlds. Among the most recognisable pieces are iconic titles such as The Yellow Kid by Richard Felton Outcault, Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay, Terry and the Pirates by Milton Caniff, Secret Agent X-9 by Alex Raymond, A Contract with God by Will Eisner, and many more.
Organised into eight thematic sections, the display traces the medium’s expansion through mass printing, the golden age of American comics, the rise of Franco-Belgian bandes dessinées, and the adult turn after May ’68. It also places particular emphasis on the evolution of comics in Spain, from 19th-century pioneers to contemporary figures such as Francisco Ibáñez, Max, and Juanjo Guarnido, whose work has been instrumental in the resurgence of Spanish comics and their reach beyond national borders.
A visitor admires some of the works in the exhibition.
As is customary, CaixaForum Palma offers guided tours in various formats as part of the exhibition, along with a range of innovative and participatory activities designed to engage all audiences and provide different perspectives on the art of comics.
Photo gallery
-
- Ilustración: Rescate nocturno, de Vicente Segrelles, 1979.
-
- El paraíso perdido, de Pablo Auladell. Ed. Sexto Piso, 2015.
-
- Calvin & Hobbes, de Bill Watterson. Tira de prensa diaria, 1986.
-
- Almanaque TBO 1919, de Ricard Opisso. Ed. Buigas, 1918.
Zuloaga y Anglada-Camarasa: Two visions of modernity
From 4th June 2025 to 16th August 2026. CaixaForum Palma.
An in-depth look at the life, work and friendship of two key figures of Modernism: Ignacio Zuloaga and Hermen Anglada-Camarasa, whose relationship was consolidated through meetings and letters in which they exchanged ideas about art and their personal and sentimental concerns. Through twenty-four works -twelve by each painter- the exhibition highlights the differences in their artistic languages and creative approaches, while also offering a rich reflection on their complementary visions of the art world.
Leave A Comment