Let’s Go! Latinx Creators Reimagine Comics for a New Generation

In early 2024, Kids Comics Unite (KCU)—a global virtual community of artists and writers focused on children’s comics and illustrated books—launched the Let’s Go! Anthology (see the Kickstarter and Press Release). I’ve been part of KCU since 2021, but this marked my first published work in a printed book. For many of us in the group, it was a creative milestone—one that felt long overdue.

The premise was bold in its simplicity: tell a short story centered on a child or childlike character experiencing a transformative event. The moment the call went out, I jumped in. I’ve long dreamed of creating comics for kids—stories that connect, resonate, and spark imaginations.

Because KCU is a global, internet-connected collective, several members (myself included) identify with Latinx roots. I was invited to reflect on how our backgrounds shaped our stories. It’s not always easy to pin down what makes a comic “Latinx” or "Latino." Our work steered clear of clichés and instead introduced offbeat characters and unconventional plots—semi-realistic bugs, magical creatures, sentient water droplets, and owls dreaming of flight.

Panel of  "A Late Nite Bite" by Alondra Araujo  / Kids Comics Unite 

My story, Biscuit Birdies, stars a Girl Scout—a nod more to U.S. than Latin American culture. This choice was intentional. I wanted a proactive female lead and a story that would resonate with the anthology’s largely American audience.

Panel of "Biscuit Birdies" by Alberto González  / Kids Comics Unite

That said, I’m already thinking about how to weave more of my Costa Rican roots into future work. KCU peers have encouraged me to dig deeper into that cultural well. I’m currently developing a graphic novel script that blends my original characters with stories drawn from Costa Rica’s Indigenous heritage. I believe there's a vast archive of legends waiting to be reimagined—and shared with the world.

Panels of "Drop" by  Patrick Lugo / Kids Comics Unite

We Create from the Worlds That Raised Us

So why did I, a Costa Rican comic creator raised outside the U.S. comics scene, join a group like KCU? The answer lies in my childhood.

As a Gen Xer, I grew up with a steady diet of 1970s and ’80s pop culture: DC and Marvel superheroes, Transformers, The Smurfs, Woody Woodpecker, Garfield, and after-school cartoons. My mother occasionally brought home U.S. newspapers from her job at an international tire company. I always made a beeline for the comics section—where I first met Calvin & Hobbes and FoxTrot, strips that would forever shape my creative lens.

Those early influences stayed with me. When I began making comics myself, I visited the U.S. often—attending comic cons, hunting for new titles at indie bookstores, immersing myself in the creative energy of a robust and diverse comics market.

That dream—to publish in that space—only grew stronger. Yet, I’d be lying if I said today’s political climate in the U.S. hasn’t given me pause. Recent policies have fostered fear and uncertainty for many in the Latino community. Like others, I’m hoping for a shift—a more welcoming future that allows our stories to thrive.

Drawing New Futures

Costa Rica’s comics scene has always existed on the margins—underground, niche. Children’s graphic narratives still resemble storybooks more than comics. The graphic novel format for kids remains widely misunderstood and underused in our national literary circles.

But change is brewing. New genres and creators are popping up at book fairs and fan conventions. There’s promise here—real promise—if nurtured with care and quality. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll even see institutional support down the line. Dreaming big is part of the job.

Today’s younger Latinx creators grow up online, shaped by a different media diet: anime, manga, the CalArts aesthetic, and the pressures of an increasingly interconnected and unequal world. Their stories reflect these complex realities. But one thing hasn’t changed: the need to keep moving forward—with patience, persistence, and passion.

We don’t create in a vacuum. We’re shaped by our past, influenced by the world around us, and driven by the stories we wish we’d had growing up. The Let’s Go! Anthology reminds us that Latinx voices in comics don’t have to fit a mold—they just have to speak from the heart.