A Scoundrel in the New World is a graphic novel written by Alain Ayroles and illustrated by Juanjo Guarnido, the artist known to many readers for Blacksad. This is not a Blacksad story: its central character is Don Pablos, the roguish protagonist connected to Francisco de Quevedo’s picaresque novel El Buscón. The adventure sends Pablos from Spain toward the legend of El Dorado.
What is A Scoundrel in the New World about?
Don Pablos of Segovia is a low-born, resourceful rogue who leaves Spain for the New World in search of fortune and the legendary El Dorado. The US publisher frames the story as an interrogation by colonial authorities in Cusco: Pablos recounts his past as the narrative carries him from Spain through the Andes and Amazon. Penguin Random House’s catalog describes the book as an adventure shaped by his attempt to escape a miserable past and make his fortune.
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The journey’s geography is part of its premise, not just a destination. Publisher descriptions place Pablos among Andean heights and Amazonian waterways as he pursues the promise of a lost city of gold.
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Only through Guarnido’s involvement as illustrator. He draws A Scoundrel in the New World, but the story is not a Blacksad installment and does not center on that series’ detective. Here, the protagonist is Don Pablos, and the book’s literary point of reference is Quevedo’s El Buscón.
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How does it relate to El Buscón?
The publishers present the book as a continuation of the world of Quevedo’s picaresque novel, La vida del Buscón. The US publisher calls it an “unofficial sequel” to The Swindler, the English title it uses for El Buscón. Spanish publisher Norma Editorial likewise describes El Buscón en las Indias as a continuation. That framing establishes the literary connection; it does not mean the new graphic novel is a scene-by-scene retelling of Quevedo’s book.
Ayroles writes the adventure, with Guarnido providing the illustrations. The combination brings a new episode for Pablos into graphic-novel form while drawing on the picaresque tradition of a socially marginal survivor navigating a world of power, risk, and opportunity.
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English-language US edition and release date
Penguin Random House lists the English-language US edition from Magnetic Press as a 160-page hardcover, ISBN 9798894884486, with a current announced publication date of March 2, 2027. That is the catalog’s listed date, not a guarantee that every retailer will have it available that day.
Norma Editorial publishes the Spanish original as El Buscón en las Indias. Readers comparing editions should check each listing for its language, format, ISBN, translation, and any edition-specific extras rather than assuming those details are identical.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to know about the Kickstarter
Magnetic Press’s official page reported the project live on Kickstarter, with the campaign scheduled to end Friday, October 23 at 5 p.m. PST. Campaign status and deadlines can change; check Magnetic Press’s official page for the current details.
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