Francisco Guerrero (comics) - Fictional Character History

Fictional Character History

In El Gato Negro’s first appearance in El Gato Negro #1, he is already an established crime-fighter. According to his origin story, Francisco was raised by his grandfather, Agustin Guerrero, his parents having died in a traffic collision. Francisco studied diligently in school, eventually graduating from South Texas College with a major in sociology, a minor in psychology and earned a Master's Degree in political science. After completing his education, Francisco decided to look after his grandfather and became a prominent social worker in Edinburg, Texas. Francisco adopted the moniker of El Gato Negro shortly after the death of his childhood friend Mario Bustamonte, a border patrol officer who was overpowered and murdered by several drug-runners. During the months Francisco operated as El Gato Negro, he instantly became popular with the citizens of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. However, the media began vilifying his vigilante activities and to make matters worse El Gato Negro is constantly pursued by police Captain Miguel Bustamone, Francisco's friend and Mario's older brother.

In the first El Gato Negro storyline "Unknown Passing, Unforgettable Return" #1-3, Francisco encountered Armando Ochoa, better known in the criminal underworld as "El Graduado". Being the son of the successful businessman and drug lord Ignacio Ochoa, El Graduado planned to take his father's place amongst a criminal organization known as The Annulus, which makes a yearly summit in South America. In order to impress the Annulus, El Graduado was to make a large drug-trafficking deal in Texas.

After being consistently thwarted by the hero, El Graduado kidnapped his former girlfriend Narcilina Montoya and Francisco's grandfather. Holding both of them at Guerrero’s Produce, El Graduado offered Agustin him the position as a silent partner in his drug trade. After refusing to help him, Agustin is taken outside to be executed. Francisco frantically rushes to the Guerrero's Produce building and is surprised to find his grandfather in his old El Gato Negro costume. With their efforts along with the aid of the Texas rangers, they are able to subdue the villain El Graduado. El Gato Negro finally earned the respect of Miguel Bustamonte, but he continues to hunt the hero regardless, believing his purposes to be noble, but his methods dangerous.

In 1997’s "Enter: The Dogs of War!" storyline from El Gato Negro #4 Francisco suffered his greatest defeat at the hands of the Briones Brothers. As El Gato Negro, Francisco is shown to have become overconfident in his abilities and spending more sleepless nights watching over the valley. In revenge for the incarceration of El Graduado, Boss Ochoa enlisted the aid of his nephews, known as The Dogs of War to assassinate the Nocturnal Warrior. Francisco's overwhelming fatigue slowed him in their battle and he was nearly beaten to death. Despite suffering from near inter-cranial injury, he managed to drag himself home, where he collapsed in the arms of his grandfather.

In the ongoing "Legacy" storyline from "El Gato Negro: Nocturnal Warrior" #1-4, El Graduado has been released from police custody and is enlisting rival mob bosses and street gangs to join his crime family in order to become the main drug supplier for the Annulus. Those who disagree are slaughtered by the blind mercenary and assassin El Observador, who is currently under the payroll of the Ochoa crime family.