Mortadelo and Filemón are a true institution in Spain. We have all grown up with their comic books, making them an essential part of the popular culture of our country. Ironically, they haven’t had much presence outside of comics. Apart from their animated series and two movies, they haven’t had much more impact in that sense. Or it’s not usually remembered. Because Mortadelo and Filemón had a handful of graphic adventures that, very soon, we will be able to play again.
Erbe Software has announced that it will release on Steam the six graphic adventures of Mortadelo and Filemón developed by Alcachofa Soft. Being released progressively between December 21st and January 25th, they will start with Mortadelo y Filemón: El escarabajo de Cleopatra, concluding with Mortadelo y Filemón: Mamelucos a la Romana. The list of titles will be completed with Mortadelo y Filemón: La Sexta Secta, Mortadelo y Filemón: Dos vaqueros Chapuceros, Mortadelo y Filemón: Terror, Espanto y Pavor, Mortadelo y Filemón: Balones y Patadones. All priced at 4.99€, except for Mortadelo y Filemón: Operación Moscú, which will cost 9.99€.
But that’s not the end of it. On February 1st, they will release for free “Paco El Hare vs. Los Marcianos Siderales,” an unpublished graphic adventure by Alcachofa Soft, which served as the basis for the subsequent Mortadelo y Filemón games. These can be purchased with a 15% discount during their first week.
However, what should be excellent news has been tainted by the practical reality of these releases. According to comments on social media by Miguel Vallés, a cartoonist and expert in Mortadelo y Filemón video games, all of this is actually a shoddy attempt to exploit the unsuspecting for money. As Vallés points out, several of these games are already on Steam, at a lower price, and moreover, they are not six separate games. In reality, they are three games split in two, which when played together allow you to achieve the true ending. In fact, as Vallés notes, the intention is to sell both the games separately and as a bundle, so many nostalgic fans who are not well-informed may end up buying the same games twice.
Therefore, while it is great news that Mortadelo and Filemón are back in the spotlight and can be legally acquired, the way they are being put up for sale is, at the very least, questionable. This saddens us a lot and is, by no means, what such important figures in our folklore like Mortadelo and Filemón deserve.
