Relatos Salvajes #44
"El vals de la condena" is a haunting tale from Relatos Salvajes #44 (1977), a standout issue from Ediciones Vértice that delivers a chilling twist on fate and sacrifice. Written by Salvador Dulcet and brought to life by the dynamic art team of Harry Anderson and John Forte—whose inks add depth to the story’s eerie atmosphere—this story follows Hugh Carter, a man whose fragile health masks a deeper burden: the desperate need to save his ailing wife. As the elevator ascends to the 13th floor, he confronts a figure who claims to be Death, setting in motion a moment that will redefine his understanding of love and destiny. The cover, a striking collaboration by Bob Larkin and López Espí, captures the story’s tension in shadow and silhouette.
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Hugh Carter has a weak heart but his wife is also sickly and he works hard in order to send her to a better climate. In his office building the elevator takes him to the 13th floor where he encounters a figure who says he is Death. Hugh protests that he must return to earth and care for his wife. Death explains that he was brought here for a special reason but agrees to send him back if he accepts living another 30 years. Riding the elevator down he sees his wife riding up to the 13th floor and realizes she was destined to die this evening and Death was trying to keep them together.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).