As a child growing up with families who were deeply rooted in witchcraft and communicating with the otherworldly, it was quite ordinary for me. Yet stepping outside of that culture, I found it surprising when others didn’t share the same experiences. It was an exciting thought to bring our personal stories and family anecdotes to this comic series and share our unique Latina experience with the world. Just like how “Coco” opened the door for a kids movie to spark the opener of a “James Bond” movie, we aimed to show something new and beautiful to our readers.
A collaboration between AJ Mendez and Aimee Garcia has resulted in the debut of their independent comic, produced by Scrappy Heart Productions. This dynamic duo, known for their exceptional storytelling, have previously worked on “Dungeons & Dragons: At the Spine of the World” and a comic adaptation of Netflix’s popular series “GLOW”. Now they delve into the realm of horror with a distinctive tale rooted in their personal experiences as Latinas.
What Inspired Day of the Dead Girl
For the first time, these pair have embarked on an independent comic production venture through their own company, having previously collaborated on numerous projects like “Blade of the 47 Ronin” for Netflix. They discussed what sparked this project and why “Day of the Dead Girl” seemed ideal as a starting point for potentially many more tales in the future.
Aimee: It meets a lot of our requirements. To be clear, although we both have an interest in death for distinct reasons, mine is particularly personal as I experienced clinical death when I was four years old (or possibly three weeks). The girl next to me didn’t survive, which made my encounter with death incredibly real. So, in a sense, I have had a close brush with death and returned from it.
AL: I’m quite intrigued by the darker aspects of life, especially horror and true crime. I find myself drawn to these subjects, despite some reluctance. It’s fascinating how something as universal as death can affect everyone equally. In contrast to many cultures, Aimee’s Mexican background emphasizes celebrating life rather than mourning death. Our goal was to find a balance between these two perspectives.
Aimee: Absolutely. AJ has a particular fondness for horror, and we share a somewhat eerie, ghoulish sense of humor. We enjoy themes like witches, Brujas, the supernatural, serial killers, magic, and death. So, we thought it would be fun to combine all these elements into one project since we’re passionate about each of these genres.
Pulling Inspiration From Their Ancestry and Backgrounds
The realm of popular culture hasn’t delved deeply into Latin culture yet, which is why Mendez and Garcia established their production company – they yearned for representations of little girls and women who resembled them in comic books and literature. Since such characters were scarce, they decided to seize the opportunity and create these characters themselves. Their production, “Day of the Dead Girl”, emphasizes heritage, particularly supernatural aspects, given that the occult has a rich history linked to Latin culture. This focus enabled both creators to delve into their own roots, with Mendez drawing inspiration from Brujas within her family.
AJ: I’m incredibly proud that there are numerous branches of Bruja in our family tree. For a long time, the practice has been kept secret, often referred to as the “broom closet.” Many members of my family have hidden this aspect of their lives. As we established a production company to share these stories, I found this tradition to be incredibly rich and have immersed myself in studying it with an open mind, without judging it as good or evil.
Through studying it, I really fell in love with it. I have an entire shelf in my office that’s all just like occult books and just connecting to how the basis of innocent healing and in connecting to worlds that are not just our own and spirits that are not just our own. We’re not alone in this world is the thought behind it. You can connect to certain divine energy to get some shit done. You can’t go dark with it. And I think that that’s fun, but it’s a choice. There’s always a balance paid for whatever you are communicating with or taking from there. It will find a way to balance those scales. So that’s always been this kind of runner and stuff that we’re interested in, stories we’re interested in telling. It’s kind of a Mulder and Scully situation for this mother and daughter character.”
Aimee: We too rely on our personal, genuine roots, using candles for prayers and communicating with angels at specific times like 11:11. This was a significant moment when angels were most audible. Moreover, whenever we mourned the loss of a loved one, they would reach out to us in the form of hummingbirds or butterflies. Given our Mexican ancestry, we honor their memory by preparing their favorite dishes and beverages, displaying photos of their joyous moments during Dia de los Muertos celebration.
For many Latinas like us, our upbringing was filled with candlelight and conversations with spirits, not fearing ghosts but sometimes engaging with them assertively to ensure an early rise. Even at odd hours like 2:30 a.m., they might pull some mischief. Growing up, we were often surrounded by families who, whether they identified as good witches or simply lit candles and communicated with the other side, it was so ordinary that it felt unusual when stepping outside this cultural context.
Instead of everyone having the same experience, we considered it fascinating to contribute our individual stories and family experiences, enriching our unique Latina perspective and potentially educating others, similar to how “Coco” did. It’s wonderful that a children’s film is now inspiring such diverse adaptations, like being featured in the opening of a James Bond movie.
Storybook-Like Art in Day of the Dead Girl
It’s evident just by looking at the covers that a lot of attention was given to the visual aesthetics of this comic series. They seem so realistic that one might think they were snapped from a movie set or studio, due to Derbla Kelly’s skillful blending of Bel?n Culebras and Yasmin Flores Montanez’s art styles into a vibrant palette of magic. When asked about their involvement in the artwork or creative freedom, both Mendez and Aimee spoke highly of the artists, commending them for successfully translating their ideas onto the pages.
AJ: I’d like to give a brief shout-out to Derbla Kelly, our talented colorist. Yesterday we were discussing this very topic. Although we pride ourselves on being hands-on and controlling, there’s a certain magic to this medium that requires collaboration with incredibly skilled individuals. We may write the scripts, but we can neither draw nor color. Therefore, it’s essential to place our trust in these artists to not only understand our vision but also bring something unique and exceptional to the project.
Belen [Snakes] was an extraordinary blessing from above. It seems as if she attended medical school to master the art of dissecting these autopsies. Her skill lies in illustrating the intricate details of human bodies, organs, and even gruesome crime scenes. In our story, there’s a serial killer, yet she manages to transform those dark scenes into something beautiful and eerie. We had clear ideas for our story, but Belen surpassed our expectations by elevating her work to new heights, leaving us in awe.
Aimee: Yes, she’s amazing! She hails from Spain, which was great since Spanish is her native language too. We incorporated some Spanish into our work, creating an unexpected yet natural blend of cultures. Belen not only grasps the true crime and science aspects of our story, but also the cultural significance of sugar skulls in Day of the Dead. Her relatable characters resonate with you as you see yourself in them. The supernatural elements make it fantastical, and her depictions of ghosts are outstanding, managing to tick all the boxes. As AJ mentioned, she was a godsend, and we’re thrilled because comics are such a visual art form; her artwork will leave you speechless as images leap off the pages.
On October 9th, “Day of the Dead Girl” from Magma Comix and Scrappy Heart Productions will hit the shelves and can now be pre-ordered. The extra variant cover, illustrated by Puerto Rican artist Yasmin Flores Montanez (known for her work on R.L Stine’s Secrets of the Swamp), is also up for grabs through various comic book stores, including Magma’s official website.
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2024-10-04 22:40