The Sea Will Remember Our Names

This journey will remain one of the most memorable in the annals of history.

In 1803, nine men, one woman, and 22 children set sail from the port of La Coruña with a mission: to deliver the smallpox vaccine from Spain to every corner of Spanish America and the Philippines. Never before had a public health campaign of such scale been undertaken—philanthropic in nature and with a global reach.

The expedition remained active for nearly nine years, covering tens of thousands of kilometers, vaccinating hundreds of thousands of people against one of humanity’s deadliest diseases, and laying the groundwork for early public health systems. However, its members met different fates, ranging from the highest recognition to death and oblivion.

The story that Javier de Isusi tells us here (National Comic Award 2020, Euskadi Literature Award in the Illustration category 2021) is the epic tale of that handful of almost anonymous heroes.