Opening the door to the history of Xàbia in a fun way was the objective, almost 25 years ago, of the Comissió de Festes de la Mare de Déu de Loreto de Duanes de la Mar. From the hand of the well-known Belgian comic illustrator and resident of Xàbia, Franz Drapper, 30.000 years of xabiera history were recreated in a comic.
The vignettes of 'Las Aventuras de Xàbia' narrated, in three albums, the most outstanding events of those times. From the Paleolithic settlement of the Cova Foradada to the diaspora suffered by the Muslims, expelled from Xàbia in 1463, in the first installment, to the closest past, passing through the end of the Middle Ages and the dawn of the XNUMXth century in later editions .
From there, and with about 24 pages and about 150 vignettes, Drappier tried to reflect, with his style western, part of the history of Xàbia under the guidelines of the municipal archaeologist and director of the Soler Blasco Museum, Ximo Bolufer.
Without a doubt, the release of the first comic about The Adventures of Xàbia fulfilled the objective of the Commission, to spread culture. The publication of the first issue aroused great interest and curiosity among young people and neighbors, since it was an unusual way of getting to know the ancestor.
The 2.500 published copies of the first notebook, both in Valencian and Spanish, with the collaboration of the Javea Town Hall They will be reissued shortly. The following numbers of this history of Xàbia, 2 and 3, together with the folder that grouped the three notebooks, can still be purchased through the Mare de Déu de Loreto Festival Commission. Those interested can contact through this email (comissioloreto@gmail.com) to obtain it.
Franz Drappier and his link to Xàbia
About the author of the comic, Franz Drappier, who knew him, assures that it was not very normal for him to undertake a job of this type; a local history, that of Xàbia and edited by the City Council itself. But his connection with the town and the great friendship that united him with the neighbor Francisco Pastor Español, known as Kiko Ball, led him to carry out this cultural initiative.
Drappier was a horse lover. He lived in the historic center of Xàbia and this was one of his last works. Drappier passed away in 2003, having been edited the comics of 'Les Aventures de Xàbia' in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
You can download album 1 of 'Les Aventures de Xàbia' here: The adventures of Xàbia I
Good news ! Do you know that you have to notify the heirs? If you want I can contact Franz's daughter.
Very interesting.