As a comic enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the vibrant worlds of North American comics and Manga, I can confidently say that “This Land Is Our Land: A Blue Beetle Story” is shaping up to be an exceptional addition to my collection. The creators, Jacoby and Anta, have a knack for weaving grounded stories with a subtle supernatural twist, which resonates deeply with me, given my extensive background in the Young Adult (YA) space and the book market.
In DC’s latest graphic novel, “This Land is Your Land: A Blue Beetle Story,” the beloved character continues to resonate with readers as one of DC’s most relatable heroes. This new release, available for pre-order, is penned by the talented duo, writer Julio Anta and artist Jacoby Salcedo, collectively known as the Frontera team. The graphic novel offers a fresh take on Jaime’s origin story, seamlessly blending the grandeur of superhero lore with the real-life struggles of racial tensions and politics. The outcome is a down-to-earth narrative that follows a group of friends discovering their identities while navigating the challenges the world presents them – a tale distinctively Blue Beetle. ComicBook was fortunate enough to interview Anta and Salcedo about their interpretation of the character, his universe, and integrating real-world issues into their work.
Dream Scenario
In Anta’s own words, crafting a fresh Blue Beetle narrative was an exciting opportunity he couldn’t wait to delve into, and once he got the ball rolling, he had clear ideas about the aspects he wished to emphasize in the graphic novel. He expressed that Jaime, the Blue Beetle character, is one of his cherished DC heroes, and being chosen for this project was an enormous honor after completing the Milestone Initiative program. His editor then asked him about his unique perspective on Blue Beetle, which set his thoughts racing in various directions.
As a devoted fan, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of attachment to the fact that they were transferring him to a different city. However, it mattered greatly to me that he remained in El Paso, and that his historical roots stayed intact. The essence of this beloved character, with all the local charm I wanted to express, is deeply intertwined with the place itself, almost as if El Paso was another character in the story.
Setting the narrative in El Paso provides a grounded context, reflecting the unique experiences of living in a border city and its political implications. Throughout the story, Jaime’s apolitical nature emerges frequently as he engages with others, adding depth to his character. Additionally, his fascination with the stars serves as a metaphor for his optimistic outlook on life, offering an insight into his aspirations.
In this setting, there’s a character who is shaped by the historical context yet remains a teenager. He may be aware of his family’s heritage as Mexican-American and their history with border towns, but he’s essentially a kid who hasn’t fully engaged with the complex political climate surrounding him. Instead, he has an interest in activities like stargazing, which is a new aspect we introduced for this character. My main intention was to portray him as someone living within a significant historical context, but simultaneously, he’s just a typical kid trying to enjoy life and not necessarily get involved with the turmoil around him. This forms the central theme of his journey throughout the rest of the story.
Grounded but High Tech
In the origin tale, fans are treated to Anta and Salcedo’s design for the Blue Beetle suit and its associated powers, along with their distinctive portrayal of The Reach. Salcedo aimed to infuse a sense of danger into them while simultaneously showcasing the vigor and capabilities of Beetle, as well as what Jaime is capable of with his enhanced skills.
“Salcedo explained that he aimed to maintain a sense of fear and make viewers feel as though the characters were insect-like, while still making Jamie’s suit distinct from previous versions. He drew inspiration from the ongoing run by Josh Trujillo and Adrián Gutiérrez, but wanted to ensure his design was unique. Additionally, he wanted the suit to be grounded yet advanced, a challenging combination. Lastly, Salcedo emphasized that he wanted the suit to fit tightly and not include Jamie’s piercings.”
The origin of this situation stems from Julio and Salcedo’s initial Blue Beetle tale in the primary DC comic series. “When Julio and I worked on a brief Blue Beetle story for the main DC line, I recall illustrating those scenes, and I felt so strongly that I despised these elements,” Salcedo explained. “They seem visually obstructive and simply don’t gel well. However, I wanted to create a resemblance between the Reach and Blue Beetle suit while still maintaining distinct identities: Blue Beetle portrays a heroic image, whereas the Reach exudes a more sinister ambiance.”
A Unique Partnership
In their relationship, there are fresh complications involving Jaime and Khaji Da. Initially, when Jaime encounters Khaji, he is not defying his mission from The Reach. However, as time passes and their interaction deepens, Khaji’s perspective shifts and alters, causing a transformation in their living arrangement that differs from what we’ve observed before.
Anta explained, “Indeed, I found writing the Khaji part particularly effortless. From the outset of this book, I had envisioned it as a blend of a superhero origin story, a young adult coming-of-age narrative, and a sci-fi adventure. At the same time, it was meant to reflect the contrasts that Jacoby discussed slightly, yet it also served as a tribute to Latino culture and a warning against extreme ideologies and radicalization. To my mind, the Reach and Khaji played the role of influencing Jaime in ways that made him perform actions he didn’t desire or tried to dissuade him from acts he didn’t want to do.”
In his character Khaji, Anta aimed to maintain a balance where he wasn’t solely depicted as an altruistic refugee, but had a mission. However, as the story progressed, you could see audience sympathies shifting towards him. He would subtly guide others towards their goals while being present, but not overpowering. Anta wanted to keep the narrative grounded in reality, yet infused with sci-fi elements, using Khaji and The Reach as key components for these elements.
Real World Issues
In simple terms, “This Land Is Your Land” explores the journey of self-discovery for its protagonist, Jamie, emphasizing themes such as finding one’s voice and identifying personal values. It also delves into how Jamie navigates prejudice and fear in the world and where these feelings can unexpectedly surface from. The narrative further showcases a compassionate aspect through Jamie’s interactions with a former friend named Riley, who gets involved with harmful groups. Readers will gain insights not only about Jamie but also about Riley as their encounters unfold.
Anta shared that both Jacoby and himself have a background in reading North American comics, Manga, and young adult literature. As creators, they’ve also delved into the book market, and their last work, Frontera, explored themes of grounded stories with a supernatural twist to help readers empathize with characters.
Anta stated, “I feel that losing 16-year-old kids to isolation and falling into racist traps isn’t acceptable. It’s crucial to help them comprehend their mistakes, seek amends, and find reconciliation. This is a complex issue we aimed to address in our work. And so, the character does realize how he was deceived, understands the dangerous impact of his words, and now yearns to correct his actions. However, we’re trying to handle several themes at once while still maintaining the essence of a thrilling, hopeful superhero tale with plenty of action and grand scenes. It’s challenging but having an artist like Jacoby, who excels in both emotion and action, makes it more manageable.”
In this graphic novel, there’s a dedicated sequence of illustrations that delves deeply into Riley’s tale. Salcedo masterfully communicates Riley’s suffering, tumult, and rage through his striking artwork. Despite Riley’s attempts to project bravery, he is genuinely terrified. Portraying his emotions vividly was essential in showcasing this throughout the book.
Salcedo expressed that he has a knack for capturing facial expressions, which he considers one of his strengths. He enjoys sketching faces and initially found Riley’s tough exterior intriguing but thoughtless. However, as the story progressed, Salcedo wanted to emphasize Riley’s fear because he had gotten himself in over his head. Salcedo found this aspect of the character particularly engaging, as it allowed him to explore different emotions, including Jaime’s obliviousness and Riley’s attempts to maintain a cool demeanor while everyone else was aware of the urgency of the situation. In short, playing with Riley’s fear added an enjoyable dimension to his work.
This Land Is Our Land: A Blue Beetle Story is up for pre-order now, and hits stores on October 1st.
Are you looking forward to “This Land Is Our Land: A Blue Beetle Story”? Feel free to chat about all things comics with me on Threads or Twitter (@mattaguilarcb)!
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2024-08-16 01:10