Label Me Latina/o 2024 Special Issue Volume 14: Latinx Graphic Novels
Filed under: Special Issue: 21ST CENTURY APPROACHES TO LATINX COMICS
Edited by Frederick Luis Aldama, Guest Editor and Lorna L. Pérez, Special Issues Editor
by Frederick Luis Aldama
Latinx Comics to Move Students Beyond “Authenticity” Judgments
by Kathryn Frank
Kathryn M. Frank is Assistant Professor of Film and Media Studies at Whitman College. Her current research examines media industry practices and processes in comic book to live-action adaptation, the role of race/ethnicity in decision making and inter-industry relationships, and how these decisions impact representations of race in film, television, and comics. Her work can be found in The Routledge Companion to Latina/o Popular Culture (Routledge, 2016), Graphic Borders: Latino Comic Books Past, Present, and Future (University of Texas Press, 2016), and Journal of Cinema and Media Studies: In Focus (Fall 2020; Winter 2017).
Tales from the Classroom: Teaching Latinx Auto-Bio Through Amber Padilla’s Comics
by Katlin Marisol Sweeney Romero
Katlin Marisol Sweeney-Romero (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Cinema and Digital Media at UC Davis. She received her PhD in English from The Ohio State University. Her dissertation, Social Mediated Latinas: Creating and Contouring Digital Latina Looks in the Twenty-First Century, examines how Latinas utilize their social media presence to act as both cultural producers of original content and participants in intracultural discourse related to ethnoracial identity. Her work can be found in TikTok Cultures in the United States, Latinx TV in the Twenty-First Century, and The Routledge Companion to Gender and Sexuality in Comic Book Studies.
My America is Brown, Latina, Queer, & Powerful: Teaching America Chavez
by Natalia Colón Alvarez
Natalia Colón Alvarez is a PhD candidate in the English Department at the Ohio State University specializing in American Literature, Popular Culture, and Comics Studies. Her recent research interrogates the intertwining history and meaning-making practices of comics and maps. She has written and presented on the construction of identities through space in graphic memoirs, the participatory culture forged by comics and pop culture fans, and how comics construct Puerto Rican identity in the wake of natural disaster and national trauma.
Giants, Bats, and Beetles: An Autoethnographic Look at Fandom Using Parasocial Theory
by Anthony Ramirez
Anthony Ramirez, an Assistant Professor of Communication, and the Assistant Director of the Center for Latino Studies at the University of Houston-Downtown. His research focuses on Latinx representation in popular culture and media, as well as media portrayals of immigration and U.S./Mexico border issues. Ramirez’s commitment to education and community engagement has earned him recognition, including a national award in excellence in teaching and mentorship.
by Elvira Carrizal-Dukes
Elvira Carrizal-Dukes, Ph.D., M.F.A., is Xicana and a native New Mexican. She is the CEO of DUKEScomics, a graphic novelist, and independent scholar. Dr. Carrizal-Dukes earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Rhetoric and Composition from the University of Texas at El Paso, a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film from Columbia University in the City of New York, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in Journalism and Chicano Studies and a minor in Theatre Arts. DUKEScomics was given the Outstanding Emerging BIPOC Creator Award 2024. Her husband Ronnie Dukes is the artist and Dr. Carrizal-Dukes is the author of the graphic novels A.W.O.L.: Cruz Ochoa and Daizee & the Dukes of Chuco: Chuco- Juárez World Rally available in multiple languages at DUKEScomics.com, as well as the play Father’s Shadow/Sombra del Padre published by Dramatic Publishing. Dr. Carrizal-Dukes is the Senior Copyeditor of the Community Literacy Journal and a member of the National Consortium of Environmental Rhetoric and Writing. Her academic publication Cholx Counterstory will be widely available at Intermezzo.
https://www.dukescomics.com/graphic-novels
Beyond Traditional Writing: Insights and Reflections for Teaching/Creating Latinx Comics
by Ezikio López, Evelyn Cohn, Guillermo Rubio Beltran, Victor Gomez, Adriana Uribe, and Nirvana Rodriguez
Ezikio López (they/them) is an Assistant Professor in the English Department and the Co-Coordinator for the Puente program at Mt. San Jacinto College. López has thirteen years of teaching-related work experience and they have taught college composition, creative nonfiction, Latinx/Chicanx Literature, and various other composition courses. Ezkio is also a Composition and Cultural Rhetoric Ph.D. candidate at Syracuse University and their research interests are in Trans Rhetorics, trans archives and trans-inclusive pedagogy. They most recently contributed to the 23-24 Innovation Lab: AI in Education for the Puente Project where they worked on a project called “Ethical AI Integration in College Writing Courses” where they attempt to alleviate concerns around “ethical” AI use and to promote its usage amongst students. In sharing their integration of AI tools in their college writing classrooms, they try to foster a culture of transparency about the shared responsibility of using AI as a valuable educational resource. In their free time, Ezikio loves to hang out with their partner Monica, their two cats, Kahlo and Kirby, and watch WNBA.
Evelyn Cohn is a nineteen-year-old college student currently attending Mt. San Jacinto College. Evelyn is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and plans to transfer to Loma Linda pharmacy school after graduating to become a pharmacist. But with further help to get there, Evelyn joined the Puente Program to pursue her dreams and have a community there for her. In Evelyn’s free time, she enjoys drinking soda and playing soccer recreationally, and indoor soccer.
Guillermo Rubio Beltran is a student at MSJC looking to transfer to a four-year institution to pursue a degree in Mathematics or Mechanical/Electrical Engineering. He also is part of the Puente Program at MSJC and has enjoyed being able to find his own community within Puente. He enjoys video games and knows most of Yakko’s World.
Nirvana Rodriguez is a college student attending MSJC, currently majoring in Business Administration to get a bachelor’s degree, but is also hoping to later attend a writing or art college to pursue her dream of becoming a book author or to start her own business in art. Thanks to the Puente Program, she just might make that dream into a reality. It’s always been Nirvana’s passion to write stories and design characters for them. During her free time, she would often draw, read fantasy and horror books as well as work on her writing. She loves cartoons and fantasy works, and her favorite mythical creatures are unicorns.
Victor Gomez is a Chicano male living in the Inland Empire aspiring to become an English professor. He is part of the Puente Program and enjoys participating and supporting clubs and other groups within the MSJC community. His goal is to graduate with his AA and transfer within the UC system with hopes of eventually acquiring his PHD. He enjoys meeting new people and hopes to one day reward the kindness felt from those who supported him in his educational career.
Adriana Uribe-Plateros (she/her) was a homestay wife and mother before graduating from Mt. San Jacinto College as a first-generation, undocumented student. She is raising four incredible children under the age of ten. She is transferring to a university to complete her major in diagnostic medical sonography. She is a co-founder and vice president of the Eagle Dreamers Club, an advocacy group for undocumented students. She participates in several programs and clubs at her college, including the Puente Program. No matter what social issues arise, she wants to put her granito de arena by advocating for students’ pursuit of higher education.
by Rolando Rubalcava
Rolando Rubalcava holds a PhD from Ohio State University, with an emphasis on Graphic Medicine, the intersection between Comics Studies and Medical Humanities. His dissertation focused on the role and presence of comics written during the early waves COVID-19 pandemic. Outside of his studies, Rolando has also served as Editor to QuePasa Magazine, a student-run magazine dedicated to the voices of the Latinx Student Body at Ohio State. Academic accolades include becoming a Global Arts and Humanities Scholar as well as a Humanities Without Walls Fellow. To learn more about his career, check out his blog! Seeking Infinite Jest: My Road to the PhD (www.seekinginfinitejest.com)
Graphic Panel: Dr. Frederick Luis Aldama: Auto-Speculative Comic Odyssey
Artist: Miguel Ángel Hernández
Miguel Ángel Hernández is a cartoonist and comic book artist/illustrator whose work has been published in Canada, Spain, Mexico, and the U.S. His work has been appeared in numerous venues, including Portal de Sueños, Pulpo Cómics, Smog, Meteorix, Tierra Adentro, Astronautas Mexicanos, Monstruos de vapor, Koy’Ut, Niño Terror, Gallito Cómics, Cenizas, Antes del Ragnarök, RBD, Comikaze, Poe and Phillips, Heavy Metal Magazine, Bound for Hell, Texas Horror, Humor Artificial, Cypress Hill. His graphic novels include The Unwanted as well as the forthcoming comic book series, The Steampunkera Chronicles with Frederick Luis Aldama. He hosts the comics podcast, Tonight Podcast and is represented by the prestigious Radebu Agency. https://www.instagram.com/miguelangelhdzart/
Authors/Creators mentioned in this edition:
DUKEScomics: https://www.dukescomics.com/graphic-novels
Amber Padilla: https://www.amberpadilla.com/
Gabby Rivera: https://gabbyrivera.com/
Jaime Cortez: https://jaimecortez.org/home.html
Professor Latinx: www.frederickluisaldama.com
About the Editors
Frederick Luis Aldama, aka Professor Latinx, is the Jacob & Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas, Austin, where he is founder and director of the Latinx Pop Lab and its initiative, including the annual BIPOC PoP: Comics, Gaming & Animation Arts Expo & Symposium and the Latinx Pop Magazine. He is an award-winning author, co-author, editor, and co-editor of dozens of books and the editor of numerous book series, including Latinographix and Brown Ink, which publish Latinx graphic fiction and nonfiction. He is the producer and co-creator of the first documentary on Latinx comic book superheroes. He is the author of several children’s books, including The Adventures of Chupacabra Charlie (published in English and Spanish) and the award-winning Con Papá/With Papá as well as producer and co-creator of the animation short Carlitos Chupacabra (Cannes Film Festival 2023). Recently published works include his novel The Absolutely (Almost) True Adventures of Max Rodriguez, graphic novels Labyrinths Borne and Through Fences as well as the comic books Pyroclast and The Steampunkera Chronicles (forthcoming). He has been inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters, National Cartoonist Society, and the Ohio State University’s Office of Diversity & Inclusion Hall of Fame. He sits on several boards, including Ad Astra Media, BreakBread Literacy Project, American Library Association Graphic Novel & Comics, The American Academy of Poets and consults for Ubisoft, PBS Austin, and Tubi, among others. He is also host of “Into the COLAverse“—a podcast that features conversations with UT faculty from across UT Austin’s College of Liberal Arts.
Lorna L. Perez is an Associate Professor of English at Buffalo State University, teaching courses in Latina/o literature, US ethnic minority literatures, women’s literature, contemporary literature, 20th century American literature, and popular culture/cultural studies. She specializes in Latinx literature, though her research interests also include ethnic literatures of the United States, postcolonialism, diaspora, feminism, borderland theory, cultural studies and the literatures of the global south. Her critical work has appeared in numerous encyclopedias, and journals including Chicana/Latina Studies, Ethnic Studies Review, Centro Journal and others. Her work “Out of Time: Resisting the Nation in One Hundred Years of Solitude” appears in the newly published Palgrave Handbook of Magical Realism in the Twenty-First Century. Her creative work has been published in elimae, The Mississippi Review, Label Me Latina, BlazeVox18, and The Buffalo News. In addition to her work in the English Department, Dr. Perez is core faculty in the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies unit, is affiliate faculty in Africana Studies, and Core Faculty for the Honors Program (where she served as a faculty fellow from 2018-2019). In the summer of 2014, she was elected interim Chair of the English Department for academic year 2014-2015. Beyond the campus, Dr. Perez served as the guest editor for the Label Me Latina/o Special Summer 2020 issue (Un)Natural Disasters: Sites of Resistance. In Fall of 2020, she was appointed the permanent Special Issues Editor for the journal. She is currently serving as a SUNY Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice Fellow.
