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Tales from la Vida: A Latinx Comics Anthology
In the Latinx comics community, there is much to celebrate today, with more Latinx comic book artists than ever before. The resplendent visual-verbal storyworlds of these artists reach into and radically transform so many visual and storytelling genres. Tales from la Vida celebrates this space by bringing together more than eighty contributions by extraordinary Latinx creators. Their short visual-verbal narratives spring from autobiographical experience as situated within the language, culture, and history that inform Latinx identity and life. Tales from la Vida showcases the huge variety of styles and worldviews of today’s Latinx comic book and visual creators. Whether it’s detailing the complexities of growing up—mono- or multilingual, bicultural, straight, queer, or feminist Latinx—or focusing on aspects of pop culture, these graphic vignettes demonstrate the expansive complexity of Latinx identities. Taken individually and together, these creators—including such legendary artists as Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez, Roberta Gregory, and Kat Fajardo, to name a few—and their works show the world that when it comes to Latinx comics, there are no limits to matters of content and form. As we travel from one story to the next and experience the unique ways that each creator chooses to craft his or her story, our hearts and minds wake to the complex ways that Latinxs live within and actively transform the world.
184 pages, Paperback
First published September 14, 2018
7 people are currently reading
346 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 24, 2019
Even when the topic is of great interest, graphic anthologies like this one tend to be a mixed bag, with the quality of the art and writing varying wildly from page to page. With stories between 1 and 4 pages, most of the creators barely have enough space to clear their throat, much less delve deeply into the Latinx experience. Still, there are enough tantalizing tidbits here to offset the less polished and nonsensical pieces.
October 25, 2018
I really enjoyed this anthology! Dozens of Latinx writers and cartoonists were brought together to answer one question: "What is the most significant moment in your life as a latinx person?" Being an anthology, the book features a lot of different styles, from manga-influenced art to realism to experimental weirdness, and with most of the comics only being two pages long, each one is easily digestible and you'll never find yourself skipping an entry. The stories are divided into a few different sections (my favorite was the one that focused on folklore and mythology) all while exploring each creator's latinidad. As a latino who has never felt entirely latino, I identified deeply with a lot of stories in this collection--it was comforting that so many of these creators had/have experiences similar to mine, from not being able to speak Spanish to having relatives who insist that our family is from Spain, not Mexico. I only recognized the names of a few of the creators (Los Bros Hernandez, Stephanie Rodriguez) but was happy to be exposed to a bunch of new favorites (Dave Ortega, Alejandro Juvera, Kelly Fernandez and Jaime Crespo, to name a few). I really enjoyed this book and hope that it inspires more comic collections featuring latinx creators.
August 6, 2020
I logged this in my "currently reading" folder a while ago, but did not actually start until today, when I also finished it.
It was interesting, there were lots of contributors and it provided many different perspectives.
It is said at the beginning that they asked the contributors to "reflect upon the most significant moments in their lives" and I'll admit, while those who came up with actual moments were interesting, the most powerful messages to me were the ones where the contributor said "there is no defining moment that made me latinx".
I found the artwork interesting and I definitely had those I preferred.
It was an interesting read though and I think I would be likely to recommend it in the right situation or by suggesting it be included in a fitting display.
It was interesting, there were lots of contributors and it provided many different perspectives.
It is said at the beginning that they asked the contributors to "reflect upon the most significant moments in their lives" and I'll admit, while those who came up with actual moments were interesting, the most powerful messages to me were the ones where the contributor said "there is no defining moment that made me latinx".
I found the artwork interesting and I definitely had those I preferred.
It was an interesting read though and I think I would be likely to recommend it in the right situation or by suggesting it be included in a fitting display.
February 3, 2019
Quite a diverse collection - my feelings about individual comics were mixed since style, content, art, etc varied so widely, but overall an interesting collection.
March 8, 2025
I enjoyed this collection. I think some chapters were definitely stronger than others but as a whole a diverse array of voices and perspectives showcasing different Latinx experiences, which was very captivating, but I wish some of the comics were longer. The different art styles were beautiful though.
July 6, 2020
In this lively collection, dozens of Latina/o comic book artists share short, visually creative, intensely personal responses to the question, What is the most significant moment of my life? The diversity of stories and backgrounds included in this book is striking. But a sense of liminality, in-betweenness, is everywhere here. One contributor says: “Living between worlds is what makes me, me.” In the words of another: “We have to be more Mexican than the Mexicans and more American than the Americans! It’s exhausting!”
October 16, 2018
Tales From La Vida: A Latinx Anthology is a graphic novel filled with some of the most talented Latinx artists and writers in the country and edited by distinguished Ohio State University professor Frederick Luis Aldama. This is the type of book you read in one sitting. The vast variety of styles in cartooning and intimate storytelling make it impossible to put down. Artists like Crystal Gonzalez and Jamie Crespo explore their struggle with identifying as Latinx. Artists like Breena Nuñez Peralta and Carlos “Loso” Pérez explore the complicated experience of being labeled and identifying as Afro-Latinx. Artists like Ivan Velez Jr. and Kelly Fernandez explore family traditions and folklore. The stories are a beautiful expression of what it means to be Latinx for each individual artist and writer involved. Through their experiences, they show us how they are viewed in the United States by the non-Latinx community as well as within their own families. The unapologetic authenticity of the stories made this one of my favorite graphic novels to date. I highly recommend this book!
July 2, 2020
XO's for Latinos and Latinx...
Inspirational to see so many artists, as soon as I read this I wanted my kids to read it as well; but it doubles a cautionary tale as well since there are soooo many artists, that is so many unknown (and unpaid, or at least underpaid) artists. For my boys, and I'm sure the many who contributed here, it's a labor of love....in a way even more impressive are the artists who have one (or three) other "day" jobs and find the energia to create on top of that. That always amazes me in all forms of art and music.
While most of the entries here are two pages tops, they often are quite deep and personal. Too hard to pinpoint any thread, although the collection does have chapters based on how they assembled the various works. Most importantly to quote John and Carlos Gonzalez from the Pop Cultura Is Nosotros section and their Borax Boys : "Half of the fun is discovering the new and weird."
Always!
Much thanks to - https://english.osu.edu/people/aldama.1 (makes me wonder if my kids might consider Ohio State U - those who teach with exuberance are gold!)
Looked for a collection of links to the artists, no luck so far but there is
https://cartoons.osu.edu/events/tales...
and
embedded in that is a youtube presentation which at its very end has a scrolling of contributors (so you cannot click on links, but pause and type 'em in by hand, the way the comics themselves were made). Direct youtube link appears to be here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efAQC...
Inspirational to see so many artists, as soon as I read this I wanted my kids to read it as well; but it doubles a cautionary tale as well since there are soooo many artists, that is so many unknown (and unpaid, or at least underpaid) artists. For my boys, and I'm sure the many who contributed here, it's a labor of love....in a way even more impressive are the artists who have one (or three) other "day" jobs and find the energia to create on top of that. That always amazes me in all forms of art and music.
While most of the entries here are two pages tops, they often are quite deep and personal. Too hard to pinpoint any thread, although the collection does have chapters based on how they assembled the various works. Most importantly to quote John and Carlos Gonzalez from the Pop Cultura Is Nosotros section and their Borax Boys : "Half of the fun is discovering the new and weird."
Always!
Much thanks to - https://english.osu.edu/people/aldama.1 (makes me wonder if my kids might consider Ohio State U - those who teach with exuberance are gold!)
Looked for a collection of links to the artists, no luck so far but there is
https://cartoons.osu.edu/events/tales...
and
embedded in that is a youtube presentation which at its very end has a scrolling of contributors (so you cannot click on links, but pause and type 'em in by hand, the way the comics themselves were made). Direct youtube link appears to be here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efAQC...
December 23, 2025
3.5
I enjoyed the various stories, but it felt very limited in Latinx experiences. Majority of the stories appeared to come from the Mexican American experience, which deserves to be acknowledged, but it ultimately excluded the various voices/ perspectives from others within the Latino world. Where were more Caribbean Latinos (Cubans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, etc)? Where were more South American Latinos (Peruvians, Chilean, etc)?
Based on my memory— Only two story briefly addressed Afro-Latinos and its complexities within Latinx spaces, which felt like erasure. The omission is the problem, just like there’s purposeful omission within Latino main stream media. I grew up on Univision, thinking the only proper Latinos were like Thalia— and it’s harmful to limit our cultural representation.
There were also very few stories regarding Latinos who trace their indigenous backgrounds. I appreciated the couple that stood out, where they honored their ancestral roots— it was beautiful. A couple stories read as self-hating in being Latinx, and although I understand that’s part of the experience, I question if that’s a detriment to the community as we constantly try to assimilate into white spaces that will forever see us as “never white enough”— never worthy of equal rights or respect.
At this point and time where we must be proud and united, such messages just aren’t something I can feel comfortable spreading.
I enjoyed the various stories, but it felt very limited in Latinx experiences. Majority of the stories appeared to come from the Mexican American experience, which deserves to be acknowledged, but it ultimately excluded the various voices/ perspectives from others within the Latino world. Where were more Caribbean Latinos (Cubans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, etc)? Where were more South American Latinos (Peruvians, Chilean, etc)?
Based on my memory— Only two story briefly addressed Afro-Latinos and its complexities within Latinx spaces, which felt like erasure. The omission is the problem, just like there’s purposeful omission within Latino main stream media. I grew up on Univision, thinking the only proper Latinos were like Thalia— and it’s harmful to limit our cultural representation.
There were also very few stories regarding Latinos who trace their indigenous backgrounds. I appreciated the couple that stood out, where they honored their ancestral roots— it was beautiful. A couple stories read as self-hating in being Latinx, and although I understand that’s part of the experience, I question if that’s a detriment to the community as we constantly try to assimilate into white spaces that will forever see us as “never white enough”— never worthy of equal rights or respect.
At this point and time where we must be proud and united, such messages just aren’t something I can feel comfortable spreading.
January 16, 2023
What is the most significant moment in your life as a Latino?
This is the question that Aldama (also known as Professor Latinix) posed to illustrators and comic writers in the industry. In these pages you'll find a plethora of art styles and narratives answering this question.
My parents came to America when they were young and mainly spoke Spanish with their parents and friends. Growing up, my parents spoke predominantly in English with my brother and I to make sure we picked up on the language. Meaning that as I grew up and got older, my knowledge of Spanish withered and I never really perfected it because of that. When it was time for me to go to high school, I went to an all white school where Latinos were less than 3%. Ashamed because of my "otherness", I put my latino identity in the background and never spoke Spanish ashamed to be stereotyped or become the token Mexican kid.
It wasn't until that I started college and started taking classes in Latino literature that I started to realize my identity wasn't something I should ever be ashamed about. I was able to take classes with people that I never would've thought imaginable and they make me proud to be Mexican.
I don't speak perfect spanish (yet) and when I do, people laugh sometimes because they say I speak like a guerro. When I share my last name and my ethnicity, people are surprised because they thought because of the way I act or speak, I couldn't have possibly been Mexican.
I actually was smiling pretty big in the first half of this. It was nice to know and see that others have struggled with this identity and feeling of being split between the two. Then, wondering how we fit into that mold. A pretty damn validating anthology that I loved.
review-to-come:
4 out of 5 stars
This is the question that Aldama (also known as Professor Latinix) posed to illustrators and comic writers in the industry. In these pages you'll find a plethora of art styles and narratives answering this question.
My parents came to America when they were young and mainly spoke Spanish with their parents and friends. Growing up, my parents spoke predominantly in English with my brother and I to make sure we picked up on the language. Meaning that as I grew up and got older, my knowledge of Spanish withered and I never really perfected it because of that. When it was time for me to go to high school, I went to an all white school where Latinos were less than 3%. Ashamed because of my "otherness", I put my latino identity in the background and never spoke Spanish ashamed to be stereotyped or become the token Mexican kid.
It wasn't until that I started college and started taking classes in Latino literature that I started to realize my identity wasn't something I should ever be ashamed about. I was able to take classes with people that I never would've thought imaginable and they make me proud to be Mexican.
I don't speak perfect spanish (yet) and when I do, people laugh sometimes because they say I speak like a guerro. When I share my last name and my ethnicity, people are surprised because they thought because of the way I act or speak, I couldn't have possibly been Mexican.
I actually was smiling pretty big in the first half of this. It was nice to know and see that others have struggled with this identity and feeling of being split between the two. Then, wondering how we fit into that mold. A pretty damn validating anthology that I loved.
review-to-come:
4 out of 5 stars
October 25, 2020
This is anthology of short comics that asks a number of established and new creators to reflect on the most important moment in their life as Latina, Latino, Latinx person. Although, as is often the case with anthologies, a few duds, most of these are compelling, and the collection as a whole is an excellent resource for instructors who want to infuse their course with Latinx content. The Latinx experience here is heterogeneous, representing Latinxs who are indigenous, the experiences of those who are not fluent in English, the relations of Latinx artists to the larger comic book industry, Afro-Latinx experiences, and the ways in which different artists/ writers related to their families, communities, and schools. There are some real gems here, and the collection is definitely worth your time.
January 2, 2021
This is an anthology I think every Latino/a/x should read. It encompasses so many different aspects of being Latinx through an illustration of our similarities and differences as a community and assists in humanizing us beyond just being part of a minority group.
There is no one way to be Latinx; we share the love for our culture and the desire to promote this love and that’s what this anthology is about. It’s about validating us all whether we’re first-generation born, immigrants, or those who the border crossed.
There is no one way to be Latinx; we share the love for our culture and the desire to promote this love and that’s what this anthology is about. It’s about validating us all whether we’re first-generation born, immigrants, or those who the border crossed.
June 15, 2019
I loved many of the contributions but most of then were so short (1-2 pages) that I didn't feel like I really got a sense of each creator's work of voice, which was a shame. I also thought the editorial decision to ask each artist to reflect on their most important moment as a Latino left the scope of pieces more constrained than it otherwise would be. Like, it would be awesome to have an anthology from Latino creators that includes fiction and legend and nonfiction and more.
November 13, 2018
What a great collection of stories! I have been a lifelong reader of comics. Yet living in the northeast of the USA; I have never really been exposed to the wealth of Latino comic writers and artists more prominent in the west coast and the southwest. This collection has made me want to seek out and experience these voices previously unknown to me. A great compendium!
December 11, 2018
favorite section, "new mythos," ... favorite storeis new citizen conqueror by raul gonzalez, el chupasoymilk by eric esquivel, my life as a poncho by j. gonzo, mixed by samuel teer, and the artwork in una historia de guero by juan argil swooon. so eclectic and varied. some of the art i'm not into, but the stories are all pretty amazing...
June 28, 2020
70 short comics from different LatinX artists. Many of them were beautiful and/or interesting. It was just hard to get into 70 different comics, most of which were one or two pages long. It felt like reading the opening chapter of 70 books. It's a really interesting project, though. I just wouldn't recommend trying to read it all within a few weeks.
February 5, 2021
While there were many great entries, many stories felt limited by the constraints of only having 1-4 pages. I wish that this had been done with less stories but more in depth stories. That being said there were some that were able to capture their story wonderfully even in such a small space and those were fantastic. It is always hard to rate an anthology.
July 22, 2022
Some interesting and cool individual comics but kind of meh overall - could have benefitted from being more choosy about what made the cut to allow more space for longer pieces, and I think the prompt for the artists was a bit overly specific and didactic so didn't allow for a ton of creativity and exploration. I was hoping for a lot more variety in stories and approaches here than I got.
October 2, 2022
A mixed bag in terms of quality as all anthologies are, but there are some really excellent strips in here.
I was especially a fan of Jaime Crespo’s “White Shoulders,” Dustin Garcia’s “Saved,” Eric Esquivel’s “El ChupaSoyMilk,” J. Gonzo’s “My Life as a Poncho,” Crystal Gonzalez’s “Latina in the Middle,” Jaime Cortez’s “El Border Xing,” and Victor Avila’s “One Time, One Night.”
I was especially a fan of Jaime Crespo’s “White Shoulders,” Dustin Garcia’s “Saved,” Eric Esquivel’s “El ChupaSoyMilk,” J. Gonzo’s “My Life as a Poncho,” Crystal Gonzalez’s “Latina in the Middle,” Jaime Cortez’s “El Border Xing,” and Victor Avila’s “One Time, One Night.”
July 13, 2023
A series of 80 different writers/artists discussing their most significant moments as a Latino. So many moments I could relate to! Loved it and consequently this book is part of a series Latinographix of Mad Creek Books an imprint of The Ohio University Press, which might be a perfect home for my memoir in verse. I am working on the submission now!
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August 21, 2025This title is available at McCain Library in the Graphic Novels Section. Call number: PN6725 .T35 2018
Follow the link to check availability and more information: https://agnesscott.on.worldcat.org/oc...
If you need help locating it or requesting it for pickup, just ask a librarian or visit the Circulation Desk!
Follow the link to check availability and more information: https://agnesscott.on.worldcat.org/oc...
If you need help locating it or requesting it for pickup, just ask a librarian or visit the Circulation Desk!
March 12, 2019
This was an interesting concept where comics artists shared a pivotal moment in their lives. The art, design, and stories are incredibly diverse, and some could have benefitted from a little more space for exposition. Here's hoping this prompt leads to many more comics and graphic novels to come!
November 9, 2019
It includes the many different perspectives of the obstacles, challenges and situations the Latinix community faces while growing up and how they feel about themselves now. I enjoyed variety of comic drawing styles and stories.
February 2, 2025
🌟 4.5/5
I loved this anthology of Latinx comics! There were a ton of stories that I really connected with and art styles that made the Mexican in me so happy. I just got so much whiplash from the drastic change he in art styles between pages, but still such an amazing anthology!
I loved this anthology of Latinx comics! There were a ton of stories that I really connected with and art styles that made the Mexican in me so happy. I just got so much whiplash from the drastic change he in art styles between pages, but still such an amazing anthology!
November 5, 2018
Semi-incoherently organized, overly full comix anthologies what would the world be without youuuuuu.
November 10, 2018
Beautiful anthology of what it "means" to be Latinx through short, witty comics. And the author is pretty cool, too.
November 29, 2018
Great introduction to the wide world of comics, especial Latinx comics. Will follow-up on several of these creators for my library's collection.
March 16, 2020
I was sad when it ended. It is my favorite comic book anthology now; frankly my favorite comic book period.
May 22, 2020
Immensely enjoyed this anthology presenting the life experiences of a range of Latinx comics authors and illustrators!
March 10, 2021
This is the perfect anthology for the classroom. I will be incorporating it into my Latinx Studies courses
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews