Staff Picks: Latinx Meets Fantasy

It’s tough being a knight when you’re a kid, and no one believes you! Lucia is trying to uncover the truth about the mysterious arch the mayor is building, but her parents worry she is following in the footsteps of her abuelo, whom they believe abandoned her instead of fulfilling his knightly duties.

With a dynamic main character and colorful illustrations, this Don Quixote-inspired tale is a delight. Readers who enjoy lighthearted fantasy adventures will want to pick this up.

Megan Rupe

We follow Mateo as he sets out to return to the United States, though we don't know why at first. The first few steps go as planned, but when things go sideways, he decides to keep going alone. After a close call with Border Patrol and some trouble with getting lost and dehydration, Mateo tries to rationalize the help he got from the mysterious Guillermo as a hallucination. But eventually he has to learn to trust this ghost and his story if he wants to make it back home.

In some ways, a story of belonging or identity like Lunar Boy or The Hills of Estrella Roja, Frontera is also very much a discussion of the state of things at the US-Mexico border and the treatment of Dreamers. This comic is an excellent choice for readers who want a slightly magical journey and for those looking for more perspectives on border crossing, its dangers, and why people attempt it.

Shannan Prukop

When siblings Olive, Darwin, and newly adopted Charlotte are sent to stay with their grandmother for the summer in the old run-down hotel she calls home, they expect to spend most of their summer helping her fix the place up. One day they find an old Aztec mask and brooches and are accidentally transported to 3 different strange realms. When Charlotte decides to stay with the space pirates she finds on the other side of the portal, her new family does everything they can to get her back and uncover family secrets along the way.

Fans of "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" and other plane-hopping stories will enjoy this dimensional romp with family at its heart.

Tayla Cardillo

Costa’s Life of Melody is a fun queer romcom that explores the meaning of family. Bon, a beast man, and Razzmatazz, a fairy godfather, find an abandoned human baby in the woods, which entangles their lives forever. Initially, the two are enemies, but raising the daughter they name Melody builds mutual trust and appreciation. In addition to managing their new family dynamics, Bon and Razzmatazz also grapple with finding work and figuring out how to fit into their new human town. Throughout, Costa uses rich colors and highly expressive faces to keep you engaged. The mix of an unlikely love story, a fish-out-of-water scenario, and found family all in a fantasy setting makes for a delightful and unexpected read.

Teens and adults will find a lot to enjoy in Life of Melody. With a fantasy lens and lighthearted storytelling, Costa has crafted a beautiful reflection of mixed-race, queer, and adoptive families.

Teresa Slobuski

With a sketchbook-like art style and a limited color palette, Lowriders in Space blends lowrider culture with the wonders of outer space. Three friends: Lupe Impala, Elirio Malaria, and Flapjack Octopus plan to rebuild a junk car to enter a car competition so they can use the winnings to open their own car shop. When they rebuild the engine with rocket parts, the car shoots them into space, where they decorate it with the beauty of the universe. Will the stellar details of their car be enough to win the competition?

Fans of Raul the Third's other work for younger readers will love this look into his earlier work.

Tayla Cardilo

Manu lives at a magical school for girls, where she gets into trouble with her best friend Josefina. Though Manu is friendly and cheerful, the Sisters who run the school think she's cursed; in their defense, Manu's powerful magic kind of runs amok. When Josefina wishes for Manu's powers to disappear because one of Manu's pranks doesn't go well, Manu resorts to increasingly desperate tactics to get them back.

One of the great things about Manu is that it shows readers that mistakes can be made on all sides of a situation, from the adults to her peers to Manu herself, who had things to learn and acknowledge in this story. It's a good choice for readers who like adventure with a touch of darkness and a lot of heart.

Discussion of black magic, depiction of demonic possession

Shannan Prukop

Pacheco's dad may be a fisherman, but Pacheco doesn't dream of fishing; he dreams of magic. There's just one small problem with this dream and it's that commoners, and especially boys, can't practice magic. This doesn't stop him, though, and Pacheco starts camping outside the witch Doris' home, demanding to become her apprentice. No one could have expected the journey Pacheco ends up taking as he learns more about magic, magical society, and how he fits into it all.

Pacheco and the Witch of the Mountain might appeal to readers of comics like How to Talk to Your Succulent or Kindred Dragons, where the stories have fantastical elements without being high fantasy, and the focus is on the main character's growth and expanded understanding of the world. Older readers might appreciate that this comic criticizes strict gender roles in society and how they harm everyone.

Shannan Prukop

Skip is the kind of comic you want to hand someone without exploration, as Mendoza’s lush, expressive, detailed art largely speaks for itself, but that won’t cut it for a review website. Set in a sparsely populated post-apocalyptic world, the protagonist Bloom finds themself alone and searching for answers. Meanwhile, in another dimension, Gloopy struggles with their friends as they try to assert their own voice in the community. Through seemingly magical happenstance, Bloom and Gloopy meet and go on a series of psychedelic adventures as Bloom tries to find a way home. Referencing multiple art styles and using a range of interesting color palettes, Skip is a visual feast you won't want to miss.

Teens and older will enjoy Skip's fantasy ride and also resonate with the idea that sometimes you need to get a little lost to find yourself.

Grief and Death

Teresa Slobuski

Mags Herrera is slowly being crushed by her many responsibilities, including the monster in her basement that she must feed regularly, all while never discussing it. When Nessa, an old friend, returns to town, Mags feels a connection she hasn't felt in a long time. Mags now has an opportunity to free herself if she would just take the chance.

Ostertag’s trademark wonderful art, compelling story, and character work are present in The Deep Dark, so fans of Ostertag’s work will want to pick this one up if they haven't already. The blend of pain and love will appeal to fans of queer fantasy stories such as Melanie Gillman’s Other Ever Afters and Sas Milledge’s Momo.

Some blood and violence; abusive partner; depression

Megan Rupe

When a cat steals Amparo’s name and life, they are cast into Bright World. Gregarious and cunning, they struggle to find a way to leave the cruel, weird world without letting it change them too much.

With a delicious blend of horror and humor, The Hazards of Love would be a treat for fans of horror fantasy, extra-creepy fairy tales, and scary yet deeply emotionally rooted stories like Hello, Sunshine.

There is some violence and gore (although it doesn't linger too much) including some dismemberment and discussions of captivity and abuse.

Megan Rupe

These two beautifully illustrated graphic novels explore creativity and curiosity through a child's eyes. In the first installment, Nightlights, a young girl learns the importance of creating art because she loves it, not for the external validation it may bring. The second installment, Hicotea, has an environmental message when our protagonist finds a turtle shell with a secret world inside it.

Fans of Spirited Away will enjoy how thin and dreamlike the line between reality and this fantastic space is.

Tayla Cardillo