METAHULLA 1899

## Overview

Metahulla 1899 is the first graphic novel in a set of two published by Francisco Ortega and Nelson Daniel. Francisco Ortega is a Chilean author and professor at both the Catholic and Alberto Hurtado Universities. The graphic novel is a Chilean graphic novel that is one of Ortega's most popular pieces of literature as well as a best seller in Chile. The novel occurs in an alternative past where Chile becomes a superpower after the discovery of a mineral called Metahualla. Ortega calls the novel more "steampunk" in contrast to the sequel *1959* being more "atompunk". However, he notes the series as a whole is truly "metahallapunk".

## Summary

The novel starts off with the ending of the Pacific war between Chile and Peru. Chile wins the war by flying over the ships with the first flying ship powered by Metahualla and the first to be used for fighting purposes. The story then jumps forward twenty years and after a short war with Peru, Chile invades and becomes the predominant force in South America. The Chileans start a new order called "Confederacion Patagonica de Andina". Throughout the comic, the Chileans and the confederation fight the Russians and the English. The Chileans have Robots that are powered by the Metahualla. Since the Metahualla is mainly located in Chile, the Chileans have access to more power and technology than the Russians. There are also aliens that are trying to coexist with the Chileans. In the end, the alliance has to use the metahulla to power their weapons to save the Earth from the demons and extraterrestrials. Luis blows up a star for Elizabeth and that's how the comic ends.

## Analysis

Metahualla falls into the category of speculative fiction. Speculative fiction is defined as a fictional genre with elements that are not of this world. In other words, this would be an idea that the laws that govern our universe such as physics do not apply to. To further classify the work, it could be further called historical speculative There are many examples of Metahulla being a speculative fiction work. For example, the mineral Metahulla itself defies the physics that we have. The material powers everything from flying ships to robots. There may be similar materials like uranium, but metahulla is far more reaching in the novel than the use of uranium today. The metahulla also has many other powers such as attracting people from other planets and demons into our world. This same power was used to blow up the star at the end. These reasons are the main reason the powers of metahulla fall into speculative fiction instead of a representation of uranium that is realistic.

The story can also be read as an actual account of the history that is true in the world of Metahulla 1899 instead of being read as an alternative history work. It is true that the story tells a version of history that is defamiliarized to us, which is another trait of speculative fiction, but between the pages of the comic, that version holds as the real accounts of what happened. There are many reasons that the history presented in the comic can be read as history instead of an alternative, fictional history. One reason is the glossary at the end of the book that defines the history of the book and not the history that actually occurred.

The story can also be read as a criticism of the events of the late 1800's and the turn of the century. The commentary involves both the industrial revolution and the changing technology as well as the uselessness of the war of the pacific that involved the South American countries of Chile, Peru, and Bolivia.

## References

[1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12076885-1899

[2] https://www.planetadelibros.cl/autor/francisco-ortega/000043090

[3] https://www.guioteca.com/literatura-fantastica/francisco-ortega-habla-sobre-sus-novelas-graficas-1899-y-1959-asi-es-el-chile-paralelo/

[4] https://www.amazon.com/1899-Metahulla-Spanish-Francisco-Ortega-ebook/dp/B07H5T7JTP

[5] https://www.google.com/search?q=francisco+ortega+chilean+journalist&rlz=1C1CHBF\_enUS813US813&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiq5d2Ur6fmAhVQSK0KHUeIDt8Q\_AUICygC&biw=1280&bih=578&dpr=1.5#imgrc=\_