By: Anthony Otero
Heritage: Puerto Rican + Ecuadorian
Profession in U.S.: Author + Student Affairs Professional
As we all begin to get familiar with America Chavez and her possible impact on the Marvel Universe, I want to focus on an Afro Latina Superhero. If you haven't been paying attention to independent comic books, you may have missed the debut of La Borinqueña this past fall.
La Borinqueña #1 is written and created by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez who does a masterful job of telling the story of a new age superhero while educating readers on history and culture of Puerto Rico.
I've always longed to see, as a child raised in New York City, a Nuyorican Superhero. Marisol Rios De La Luz is a Brooklyn native and an Afro-Puerto Rican woman that is a budding scientist studying at Columbia University. Her story spans from NYC to the island of Puerto Rico where she eventually gains her powers to defend the island.
That art is stunning and amazing realistic. The colors seem to practically pop off the page as the story hits on so many topics ranging from the subtle racism within the Latino community to Puerto Rico's unregulated landfills. Make no mistake, this is an original story that is filled with humor and insight. La Borinqueña's costume design is indicative of the love and pride that Puerto Ricans have, and that is something missing in comic books.
As we move toward a comic book industry that is trying to placate it's diverse readership and pander to issues that concern us, it becomes important to support the work of independent comics and it's creators. While it's okay that characters like Miles Morales or Jessica Cruz exist in mainstream comics, Marisol Rios De La Luz is pure creation with a purpose and not a recreation for readers to tolerate.
I was recently lucky enough to bump in to Edgardo in lower Manhattan at the CitiCien Exhibit. This was a celebration of the featured 100 Puerto Rican Artists on the 100th Anniversary of the Jones Act. For those who don't know, the Jones Act, signed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1917, gave U.S. Citizenship to all native-born Puerto Ricans. This was a fitting introduction to an artist who has broken ground by creating a hero whose sole purpose is to defend the island of Puerto Rico from the outside forces looking to destroy it.
In our brief conversation, in which we got to know each other a little bit (truth be told, we knew each through small encounters on Twitter), he asked me what I thought about his creation of an Afro-Boriqua Superhero. My answer was so fan-boyish, of course. Having a dark skinned Puerto Rican in the pages of an actual comic book is everything that I ever dreamed of.
I've grown up reading books like Superman and Spiderman, which is told from a perspective of white men. And the majority of the characters from Marvel and DC Comics have been created through that same lens. So it is fair to say that I never thought I would see anything like this. The best way I can appreciate this creation is to write about it.
Currently this book is on its second printing and on the verge of being sold out. Make sure you get your copy ASAP.
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- Anthony Otero is a Bronx native who has aspired to be a published author for most of his life. His blog, 'Volume 2,' captures his journey through the self-publishing of two novels. His first, 'Hanging Upside Down,' is a fictional novel that explores the pressures of what a man faces after divorce. 'The Book of Isabel' is a follow up novel that explores questions about friendships and lost loves. He currently resides in Harlem, New York and is currently working on his third novel.
- Follow Anthony on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @latinegro