Born in Mexico City in 1973, Luis Gantus is a researcher of comic books in all their aspects. He started working in the medium when he was 17 years-old, working as an assistant in the children’s division at Editorial Vid and joining the Hermandad de Historietistas (Comic Book Creators Brotherhood) when he turned 18.
He organized and founded the CONQUE, the Mexico City Comic Book Convention in 1994, and kept organizing it until 2001, where he hosted some great national and international artists such as Stan Lee, Sergio Aragones, Will Eisner, Humberto Ramos, Bachan, Jerry Robinson, Rius, Fontanarrosa, and many others. The CONQUE averaged 25,000 paying guests every year.
He worked as an Assistant Editor in Grupo Editorial Vid, in charge of the special editions; later he joined Editorial Toukan as an Editor and he worked both with “Hellboy” and “Magic Knight Ray Earth.” From there, he moved on to Shibalba Press, where he edited “El Bulbo” by Bachan, and Tinieblas, the wrestler’s comic book.
He taught the graphic narrative workshop at the Monterrey’s Institute of Higher Education Campus Mexico’s State. He wrote articles and worked as a translator for Marvel Comics when Editorial Televisa published them. He has also written articles for magazines such as Cinemania, Generacion, Mad, and Big Bang.
He wrote the blog “Esto es Ferpecto” where he touched upon subjects around the comic book publishing industry in Mexico and the historic moments that have gone by. This blog has become the most important research tool for Mexican Historieta, especially around modern authors and information on subjects and titles less known by the general public.
He coordinated the comic book adaptation of “The Aeneid” by Virgil, and “Don Juan Tenorio”. He has coordinated the comic book activities both in the Zocalo Book Fair in Mexico City, and the International Book Fair of Guadalajara inside the activities of the International Encounter of Cartoonists and Comic Book Authors.
He has also given panels about comic books and their influence in the main cultural centers in Mexico City, and represented Mexico, with some other authors, in the “Colors of the World” festival in Amiens, France.
He has coordinated and promoted different exhibits in Mexico and different countries, such as the Jean Giraud Moebius visit to Mexico, where the famous French author gave different workshops, and conferences, and an exhibit of his most important work was shown in the Popular Arts Museum.
He coordinated the exhibit “Les Colours du Mexique” in the Picardie College in Amiens, France. He also coordinated the art in the books “Un Mexicano en cada hijo te dio” published by Editorial Altea, and “Sensacional de heroes” by Grupo Norma.
His work has been published in books such as “8×8” and “8×8 GDL” by Caligrama Editorial, “Apache VS. Revolver” and “Aztecas VS Romanos” in Producciones Balazo.
He curated the exhibit “Del Paquin al Webcomic, Los Caminos de la Historieta Mexicana” in 2010 at the Centro Cultural España.
He curated the exhibit “Aragones al margen” celebrating the author’s 75th birthday, as part of the Book Fair for Children and Young Readers in Mexico City (FILIJ)
He curated the exhibit “50 años with Memin” celebrating the 50th anniversary of Memin Pinguin, also as part of the Book Fair for Children and Young Readers in Mexico City (FILIJ)
He curated the exhibit “Un Memin y dos con sal”, honoring the work and life of Sixto Valencia, inside the Hidalgo Radio and Television Broadcast system.
He is the author of the book “La Increible y triste historia de la candida historieta y la industria desalmada” published in 2014
He co-wrote with Melina Gato the biography “Sixto Valencia: Una Vida entre viñetas.”
He organized FESTO-Comic, the comic book event for authors in Mexico City, an event unique in the country, which reunited the main comic book authors working in the country at the time.
He has edited more than 50 books or comic books for different publishing houses.
He has written six books:
Apuntes Chamanicos
La Increible y triste historia de la candida historieta y la industria desalmada
Sixto Valencia: Una Vida entre viñetas
Los Supersabios: 80 años
Sergio Antes De Aragones
Los Supersabios: Aventuras deportivas.
He currently works as the general director at CONQUE and is considered one of the biggest authorities in the History of Mexican Comic books around the world.