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Latina Superheroes: Jalisco & Santa
Meet Jalisco and Jalisco is looking for her beloved mother, who disappeared mysteriously. Santa is faced with taking down the corrupt politicians in her hometown. Latina Superheroes illuminates the struggles and triumphs of Latina women, weaving together themes of identity, resilience, and unity. Join these extraordinary heroines as they defy the odds, harnessing their inner strength to forge a brighter tomorrow in this new young adult graphic novel series.
Jalisco, a spirited girl from the outskirts of Guadalajara, finds her life shattered when her mother mysteriously disappears. Brushed off by authorities, Jalisco's quest for truth leads her to the Adelitas, a clandestine group fighting against the sinister forces behind the femicides plaguing their community. Determined to uncover the fate of her beloved mother, Jalisco embarks on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, guided by the unwavering strength of sisterhood.
Santa is from Wexo, a town on the Texan/Mexican border. The upcoming elections are threatening to put a corrupt politician in Ilena Chavez-Estevez AKA ICE. Santa joins the other candidate's campaign and fights. Racial tensions begin to rise within the town. And when citizens of Wexo begin to disappear one by one, Santa must raid the detention camps and take down ICE.
Join Jalisco and Santa on their riveting journeys of courage, resilience, and justice in these two stories from Latina Superheroes, the groundbreaking new young adult full-color graphic novel series.
Jalisco, a spirited girl from the outskirts of Guadalajara, finds her life shattered when her mother mysteriously disappears. Brushed off by authorities, Jalisco's quest for truth leads her to the Adelitas, a clandestine group fighting against the sinister forces behind the femicides plaguing their community. Determined to uncover the fate of her beloved mother, Jalisco embarks on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment, guided by the unwavering strength of sisterhood.
Santa is from Wexo, a town on the Texan/Mexican border. The upcoming elections are threatening to put a corrupt politician in Ilena Chavez-Estevez AKA ICE. Santa joins the other candidate's campaign and fights. Racial tensions begin to rise within the town. And when citizens of Wexo begin to disappear one by one, Santa must raid the detention camps and take down ICE.
Join Jalisco and Santa on their riveting journeys of courage, resilience, and justice in these two stories from Latina Superheroes, the groundbreaking new young adult full-color graphic novel series.
128 pages, Paperback
Published June 10, 2025
4 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Kayden Phoenix
16 books23 followersKayden Phoenix is a trailblazing lesbian Chicana writer and director hailing from Boyle Heights, California. With a fearless approach to storytelling, her films have made a powerful impact on the festival circuit, with her latest work earning accolades at Cinequest and Outfest, and being acquired by Gunpowder & Sky’s horror platform, Alter, which boasts over 3 million subscribers.
Kayden's journey is marked by groundbreaking achievements and recognition in the industry. She is a proud recipient of Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program, a semi-finalist in the prestigious Universal Animation Writer's Program, a Film Fatales Fellowship Finalist for Stowe Story Lab, a 2024 Stowe Narrative Lab Alumni, and a quarter-finalist for Final Draft's Big Break Screenwriting Contest.
In 2024, Kayden made history by creating the first-ever Latina superhero team in comic book history with her graphic novels, A LA BRAVA, now under the McMeel Publishing banner. Not stopping there, she launched Princess Academia, a modern-day princess series that redefines the genre, and partnered with Ghezal Omar through Artillery Network to bring action-packed stories to life. Her latest comic, Lipstick Cliqa, a gripping three-part series about a Chicana vampire gang, was snapped up by Sony Music Entertainment.
Beyond her creative projects, Kayden is deeply committed to empowering Latina voices in the film industry. She founded the Chicana Directors Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and elevating Latina directors and cinematographers, ensuring that diverse perspectives are not just included but celebrated in the industry.
"My mission is to amplify stories that reflect the complexity, vibrancy, and diversity of the real world," Kayden says. Her work is not just about breaking barriers—it's about setting new standards for what’s possible in independent cinema and graphic novels. As a visionary storyteller, Kayden Phoenix is reshaping the landscape of entertainment, one groundbreaking project at a time.
Kayden's journey is marked by groundbreaking achievements and recognition in the industry. She is a proud recipient of Panavision’s New Filmmaker Program, a semi-finalist in the prestigious Universal Animation Writer's Program, a Film Fatales Fellowship Finalist for Stowe Story Lab, a 2024 Stowe Narrative Lab Alumni, and a quarter-finalist for Final Draft's Big Break Screenwriting Contest.
In 2024, Kayden made history by creating the first-ever Latina superhero team in comic book history with her graphic novels, A LA BRAVA, now under the McMeel Publishing banner. Not stopping there, she launched Princess Academia, a modern-day princess series that redefines the genre, and partnered with Ghezal Omar through Artillery Network to bring action-packed stories to life. Her latest comic, Lipstick Cliqa, a gripping three-part series about a Chicana vampire gang, was snapped up by Sony Music Entertainment.
Beyond her creative projects, Kayden is deeply committed to empowering Latina voices in the film industry. She founded the Chicana Directors Initiative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and elevating Latina directors and cinematographers, ensuring that diverse perspectives are not just included but celebrated in the industry.
"My mission is to amplify stories that reflect the complexity, vibrancy, and diversity of the real world," Kayden says. Her work is not just about breaking barriers—it's about setting new standards for what’s possible in independent cinema and graphic novels. As a visionary storyteller, Kayden Phoenix is reshaping the landscape of entertainment, one groundbreaking project at a time.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 18, 2025
I love the representation and the fact that the author is centering issues that are relevant. But I found the execution lacking… the storylines were way more convoluted than they needed to be.
September 18, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Latina Superheroes: Jalisco & Santa is a refreshing and much-needed addition to the superhero landscape. These stories don’t just showcase powerful Latina heroines—they weave in cultural identity, resilience, and heart in a way that feels authentic and inspiring. Jalisco’s folkloric flair and Santa’s grounded, everyday heroism balance each other beautifully, offering two very different but equally compelling visions of what it means to be a superhero.
The artwork is bold and dynamic, with a style that brings both action and emotion to life. I especially appreciated how the creators celebrated Latina heritage without relying on clichés, letting these characters stand as fully realized heroes in their own right.
If I had one critique, it’s that I wanted more room for the stories to breathe—both characters are so rich that their arcs sometimes felt a bit compressed. Still, that’s more a testament to how engaging they are; I could easily spend a whole series with each of them.
Overall, this is a vibrant, empowering read that broadens the superhero genre and gives voice to heroines we don’t see often enough.
Latina Superheroes: Jalisco & Santa is a refreshing and much-needed addition to the superhero landscape. These stories don’t just showcase powerful Latina heroines—they weave in cultural identity, resilience, and heart in a way that feels authentic and inspiring. Jalisco’s folkloric flair and Santa’s grounded, everyday heroism balance each other beautifully, offering two very different but equally compelling visions of what it means to be a superhero.
The artwork is bold and dynamic, with a style that brings both action and emotion to life. I especially appreciated how the creators celebrated Latina heritage without relying on clichés, letting these characters stand as fully realized heroes in their own right.
If I had one critique, it’s that I wanted more room for the stories to breathe—both characters are so rich that their arcs sometimes felt a bit compressed. Still, that’s more a testament to how engaging they are; I could easily spend a whole series with each of them.
Overall, this is a vibrant, empowering read that broadens the superhero genre and gives voice to heroines we don’t see often enough.
February 24, 2025
I found the first story about Jalisco to be much better than the 2nd story about Santa (not to be confused with Santa Claus). Jalisco's story is about women in this town going missing. Jalisco meets some other women who help her train to fight back against the people that took her mother.
I didn't know what was going on in the 2nd story. It was about a border town and an election. There were a bunch of people who wore luchador masks and they were some kind of stand in for white people I guess? They thought they were superior and those who didn't wear them were some kind of mongrels. None of it really made any kind of sense and I was completely lost. Kudos though for making diverse comics about women with an all female creative team.
I didn't know what was going on in the 2nd story. It was about a border town and an election. There were a bunch of people who wore luchador masks and they were some kind of stand in for white people I guess? They thought they were superior and those who didn't wear them were some kind of mongrels. None of it really made any kind of sense and I was completely lost. Kudos though for making diverse comics about women with an all female creative team.
August 18, 2025
teenage me would have LOVED reading latina superheroes growing up. it's got fast-paced storytelling and art styles akin to the saturday morning cartoons that i used to watch. the artists did an absolutely stunning job! santa's story especially resonated with me and is an excellent conversation starter to teach children about usa's ice terrorism against black and brown families, specifically in latine communities. i love how it illustrates how fascist bigots fight to take things away from people they hate while communities fight to protect their neighbors. it's full of indigenous empathy and resistance against white supremacy and imperialism. i love it and we need more stories like this.
August 19, 2025
This one was not for me. I liked the idea. But it didn't come together for me. I think the big thing was it felt like there missing panels; scenes would change, new characters appeared, world lore dropped, etc. and I felt like I missed too much info.
September 16, 2025
Beautiful illustrations, but I found the narrative hard to follow at times, especially Santa's story. Still gonna get it for my library.
February 9, 2026
Beautiful story about two people who fought to save people. And ice! Highly recommend reading this
February 21, 2026
Loved the artwork and the representation, but the stories felt kind of rushed. There were a lot of gaps.
October 9, 2025
Jalisco and Santa are Latina superheroes. They are working to right the wrongs of the world they live in. These two women fight for their families and communities. The art style in these stories was beautiful and I want to see more Latina superheroes.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews