El Muerto facts for kids
El Muerto (which means "The Dead One" in English) is a cool superhero from a comic book series. A talented artist named Javier Hernandez created him. El Muerto's real name is Juan Diego de la Muerte, but most people just call him "Diego." He has amazing powers like super-strength, being almost impossible to kill, and even bringing people back to life! Diego got these powers after a scary event where he was taken by ancient Aztec gods of death and destiny. They performed an old ritual, and that's how he became El Muerto.
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When El Muerto First Appeared
El Muerto's first comic book was called "Daze of the Dead: The Numero Uno Edition." It came out in 1998 at a big event called the Alternative Press Expo in San Diego, California. Since then, El Muerto has become quite popular. He has even appeared in other ways, like a movie made in 2007.
Diego's Story and Powers
Juan Diego de la Muerte grew up in Whittier, California. He became very interested in Aztec mythology and the traditions of the Dia de los Muertos ("Day of the Dead") from Mexico. Diego was raised Catholic, and he often wondered about the Aztec beliefs. He thought about how their religion changed when Spanish explorers arrived.
A Special Birthday
On his 21st birthday, Diego was excited for an upcoming Dia de los Muertos festival. Sadly, his friends could not join him, so Diego went by himself. He borrowed a friend's car and dressed up as an undead Mariachi musician. A few days before, he got a tattoo of an Aztec skull to celebrate. He didn't know that this skull was a secret symbol of the Aztec god of death.
Becoming El Muerto
During his trip, the car crashed into a tree, and Diego died. He later woke up in the land of the dead, called Mictlan. There, two Aztec gods, Mictlantecuhtli and Tezcatlipoca, performed a ritual on him. His face paint became permanently burned onto his skin. The gods told him he had to complete an ancient prophecy. They sent him back to the living world one year after his death. When he realized he was truly dead, he also discovered he had amazing supernatural powers. Diego then decided to use these new abilities to help other people.
El Muerto on Screen
- El Muerto (film) (2007)
