Why It Matters!

A reflection on immigration and making comics.

Oct 08, 2024

Hello everyone!

Today, I wanted to share a reflection that links to my latest anthology, Let Us In, which is launching NEXT WEEK! As with all my projects, this is a comic book full of passion, heart, and humanity, so if you enjoyed my previous work, this anthology will entertain you plus make you think about important stuff.

You can sign up here. It takes less than 30 seconds and, because of algorithms and stuff, helps me a lot!

When seeing projects so specific, so niche, such as this one and a couple more that have risen in recent weeks, there’s always a rising question:

Why is There a Need for this Project?

First, I don’t think we make comics or any art because someone needs them other than those creating them. We do them because that’s what we want to pick up from the shelves, the stories we are more passionate about. And I’ve found that when you put your passion and sincerity into a story, people will like it because they can tell you have been honest and open and have done it with love. So, I don’t believe in “the need” for a comic, movie, or song. In fact, I think that surprising the audience with something they didn’t know they needed works best because it’s unexpected.

More importantly, we can benefit from stories about themes that don’t usually make the shelves. This has happened in the past few years with books about mental health, for example, and about underrepresented communities. Everyone has a story to tell, and when we discover these stories from people from diverse backgrounds, countries, cultures, hobbies, etc., we find a whole new world that can surprise us for the best.

The Comic Book Industry and the State of the World

I love comic books. I’m devoting my full time to making a career in comic books, and I'm a proud member of the comic book community, so when I point out some stuff, it’s not from a place of hate but rather a desire to make it better for those who come after me.

With that said, the reality is that if you want to make comics for a living and have the best chance to pay your bills, your options are the United States, France or Belgium, and Japan. Because of language, most of us are restricted to the first option. Therefore, for many creators, the American comic book industry is our best choice for triumphing in comics, which entails that we become immigrants to some extent.

Nowadays, that’s such a loaded word, with negative connotations and a societal stigma that gets everyone in a defensive mood. Society focuses on finding different people and, rather than helping their integration, placing walls between “us” and “them.” This is one of the main problems in the world right now, and it ultimately impacts every space: whether you want a career in finance, making comics, or pursuing a better future for your family, there’s a challenge ahead. A challenge those who were born in the place you are going didn’t have to face.

Why Does This Happen?

I want to believe the rejection of the immigrant comes from a place of ignorance rather than hate. As you see the other as different and are fed with content telling you every problem is the stranger’s fault, you are taught to reject them. For humans, the best way to hate someone is to dehumanize them. Take everything from them that makes them relatable, vulnerable, and human, and instead replace it with stereotypes, statistics, and prejudice, as if they were the enemy, threatening your peace, and you are just fighting back.

If rejection comes from ignorance, embrace comes from knowledge. From knowing the foreigner, their culture, motives, suffering, and hope for a better future. Once we understand what someone is going through and how they are similar to us in the sense that we are all people looking to be happy and navigate this fucked up world the best we can, we stop seeing them as different and realize we are all on the same boat called Earth.

Do you know the best way to share these feelings and connect with each other? Art. So, when we create a project that talks about the struggle of international creators, our goal is for you to know about all of this and to show others like us that they are not alone and they, too, deserve a chance to tell their stories. This is why this project matters, and I’m so passionate about it. It’s not about sending a message; it’s not about openly complaining; it’s not about creating differences between “local” and “international,” but rather showing another view of the world, the challenges we face, and invite to a reflection about how we treat each other.

Quality and Talent

This project doesn’t work if it’s not published in the US because, ultimately, that’s where everyone in the book wants to end up working. Therefore, we have put our souls into making quality stories in script and art that match the quality of every indie book out there. It wouldn’t make sense for us to be so confident in our message if we were planning on delivering a half-assed job. Therefore, everyone on the team has experience creating comic books and will provide their best work. With an important message and a beautiful vehicle for delivery, we hope this book will make the impact we desire.

Regardless, I’ve learned not to take anything personally in comics, so I understand when someone doesn’t want to pick up the work I’m putting out there. Also, I do not believe it’s your responsibility to support this book or similar projects; that’s each person’s decision.

Final Thoughts

I’m excited to have shared this reflection, and I hope it has given you a better insight into this project and its importance to us. It’s all about sharing our voice and passion!

If you want to check out another project that embodies different backgrounds, perspectives, and navigating the world, please check out this anthology!

SUPPORT!