Rafael Auraleón

Rafael Aura León, who signed his work as Auraleón, was a Spanish comics artist born on 22 December 1939. He died on 24 June 1993. Best known for his confident, expressive linework, Auraleón contributed to a wide range of genres across several decades, with his most credited titles including *Commando*, *Vampirella*, *Creepy*, and romance comics such as *Picture Romance Library* and *Romance in Pictures*. His career spanned from 1961 to 2017, though his most active period was in the 1960s and 1970s, when he worked extensively for British and American publishers. He was a regular contributor to the horror and war comics that defined the era, often inking his own pencils with a clean, dynamic style. Auraleón’s collaborations with writers and editors on series like *Vampus* and *Creepy* helped shape the look of European genre comics in the mid-20th century. While he never achieved the household-name status of some peers, his work remains admired by collectors and historians for its consistent quality and versatility. His legacy endures through the many issues he illustrated, particularly in the romance and horror fields, where his storytelling instincts and character work stand out.