The film is based on four novels by Colombian author Mario Mendoza such as "Lady Masacre (Lady Massacre)", "La Melancolía de los Feos (The Melancholy of the Ugly)", "Akelarre (Koven)" and "Diario del Fin del Mundo (Diary of the End of the World)" in which Frank Molina (a bipolar/alcoholic underdog journalist) is the main character.