While nearly everyone knows about the incredible strength of Superman and the vigilante-style crime fighting of Batman, they may not be as familiar with other heroes like Weapon Tex-Mex, who defends immigrants crossing the border from those who would do them harm or Sonambulo, a Mexican wrestler who fights werewolves in the night. If those names don’t ring a bell, than you just may want to check out the Latino Comics Expo – the first event of it’s kind – this weekend, May 7 and 8, at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco.
Visitors will get a chance to meet and interact with some of the top Latino artists and writers around. Co-founders Ricardo Padilla and Javier Hernandez – a comic book artist himself – have put their heads together and reached out to Latino comic book creators to start what they hope will become an annual event that provides an intimacy that’s been lost with the commercialized growth of comic book and sci-fi conventions.
“It’s been a dream come true,” said Padilla, who was at the Cartoon Museum preparing for this weekend’s event. “It’s been kind of frustrating the last few years at places like WonderCon and ComicCon where there would be a thousand artists [and] maybe one, two or three Latino Artists and everybody is rushing out to see Iron Man or whatever. So it’s nice having somewhere where their talent can shine and their work be seen by those who really have an interest in Latino comics or comics in general.”
The guest list includes an impressive roster of twelve artists and writers who have a wide range of styles and points of views. Some included are: Mario Hernandez, who started the legendary “Love And Rockets” series in the ‘80s along with his brothers Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez; Hector Cantu, co-creator of the nationally syndicate “Baldo” comic strip; Rhode Montijo, who’s created numerous children’s books and “Pablo’s Inferno,” an indie-comic series; and Grasiela Rodriguez, author of “Lunatic Fringe.”
Latinos, of course, are no strangers to the comic book and superhero world. In the early ‘80s, comic artist George Pérez, whose parents came from Puerto Rico, helped successfully re-invent and re-invigorate “The New Teen Titans” for DC Comics.
Padilla, a life-long comic book fan, is constantly amazed and delighted by the emerging talent and the evolving styles and genres. One genre, called lucha noir, uses the elements of masked-Mexican wrestlers, dark urban landscapes and film noir style plots. Rafael Navarro, who will be at the expo, is the creator of “Sonambulo,” which is a good example of the genre.
The Latino Comics Expo, Padilla and Hernandez said, is really a labor of love and they are taking a do-it-yourself and “down home” approach.
“We thought we could get a little more sponsorship, but we know it’s hard to get funding for the first one. They want to see how you produce,” Padilla said. “We call it a raza-style expo. My mom is making burritos for the artists and the artists are coming for free.”
The after-school programs from 826 Valencia and Precita Eyes will also be on hand to support the expo. To involve the community, Padilla said, is a priority.
“A lot of our kids are getting programs cut at schools and there are kids that are into graffiti art or comic book art,” said Padilla. “Let’s support that, let’s support our own endeavors.”
Hernandez, who is also the creator of “Weapon Tex-Mex” and “El Muerto: The Aztec Zombie,” hopes that this is just the beginning.
“To take the show to New York, Texas, Los Angeles and across the country – that is my dream,” he said.
The Latino Comics Expo will be held May 7 & 8, 2011 from 11am to 5pm at the world famous Cartoon Art Museum, located at 655 Mission St. in San Francisco. Admission to the museum grants you access to the Expo.