Mañana: Latinx Comics from the 25th Century

by Joamette Gil (editor)

Mañana: Latinx Comics from the 25th Century is the first sci-fi comics anthology from P&M Press, featuring 27 stories by Latinx creators from across the hemisphere. Set throughout Latin America in the 2490s and beyond Mañana presents readers with a radical array of futures, ranging from post-apocalypse, to liberationist utopia, to slice-of-life magical realism.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Anthologies, Science Fiction, Comics, Fiction, Latinx, LGBT

304 pages, Hardcover

Published October 1, 2021

About the author

Joamette is a queer Afrocuban illustrator, cartoonist, curator, podcaster, and publisher from the Miami diaspora.

Reviews

[Shelley Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starships, aliens, folklore and new worlds--this comix anthology has it all. There are 27 strikingly illustrated stories from over 40 Latinx writers and artists, all pointed towards the future. The art work is fabulous, and the protagonists come in all body sizes, sexualities and genders. My only criticism: the space is too short to develop some of the many intriguing story lines.

As editor, Joamette de Regla Gil writes: "Manana presents dozens of possible futures, with one thing in common: we're still here. El futuro es nuestro." Available en espanol or English. Cover art by Mirelle Ortega.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5🌟

1. Major Thomas: This short comic was…fine. I found it a bit too fast paced and jarring, but it was okay.
2. Carnaval: This was a really sweet story about keeping your family history (aka legacy) alive. It was simple, but it made my heart feel warm
3. Puerto Roboto: As a puerto rican, I absolutely loved this! It was so sweet and hopeful. I loved the centering of my little island as a place of innovation.
4. Facade: This almost put me to sleep. I understand the sentiment trying to honor Heberto Castillo…but this was personally waaaaayyy too much dialogue per page in a comic. Might as well write a short story!
5. Sámaras: I don’t know that I fully understood this story, but I liked it. I liked its exploration of the concept of sometimes being too close to something to truly understand it. That sometimes distance helps things come into focus.
6. Crossroads of Infinity: This was a really sweet story! It also made my heart feel warm. Short but with a good punch.
7. The Alpha Decision: I’m not sure I get the ending of the story…Still, I liked it. I felt immediately grounded in the setting it created.
8. A Little Esperanza: This was absolutely beautiful 😭 It uplifted so many of the beautiful things about Puerto Rico. Absolutely ADORED how coquis were central to the story. I adore it 💖😭💖
9. Yemayá Take the Wheel: I don’t know that I fully understood what happened in this story, but I liked the art style!
10. Children of the Sea: The found family trope truly is the best trope! So sweet to read about characters who bonded as children, became estranged, and then reconnected 💖
11. Electric Tango: This was so sweet! We love to see some disability rep...and we also love to see a love of dance!
12. Pan de Bono: Another really sweet story! Just family bonding over recipes passed down through generations. I love it!
13. Belén and Nulpi: They’re hitting me back to back with the sweet stories. I’m loving it! This was a super cute comic about meeting the parents, but make it queer! It was great, and I loved the message of how it’s important to not get stuck in the pain we experience but also not forget it.
14. Sea Change: I wanted a little bit more from this comic. I liked this comic, and the tension between father and child, but it didn’t feel like the progression of their relationship was earned by the end.
15. Emisaria: I loved this story about how our past can’t be forgotten to forge a better future. I also loved the exploration of language as a way to connect and show love and care.
16. Historia Mecha: I didn’t get this story at all 🧍🏻‍♀️
17. Mañanitas: This was a sweet story about new friendships. I enjoyed it!
18. Sandstorm: I wasn’t particularly charmed by this story, but it had a sweet message about asking for help when you need it. Overall a sweet message about how we should all help each other when we can.
19. Lake Hapunda: I liked this story 💖 I loved the aspect of protecting creatures that protect natural resources. It’s also a story about sharing resources and not hoarding them, and I also liked that ✨
20. The Cached Map: This was such an interesting story! I felt like an adventurer and investigator along with the main characters! I was fascinated and curious about what they would discover 💖
21. A Dream of a Thousand Stars: Hhhmm. I’m not entirely convinced I understood this, but it was interesting.
22. Dia de la Vida: This was such a bittersweet story about grief! It made my heart ache! 😭 But I absolutely loved it
23. Espiral: Hhhmm. I’m not fully convinced about this story. I don’t really feel like it went anywhere. The art was pretty though!
24. Miami Story: I absolutely LOVED the artwork in this comic. It carried such emotion and detail! I also loved the appreciation of the sea.
25. Bats and Fish: This was cute and flirty. I found the artwork interesting to look at!
26. Worldbuilders: I definitely think this comic had way too much dialogue, but it did feel purposeful. I did gain valuable worldbuilding information from it that made sense. Overall, it’s one of the stories I most liked from the collection. I liked its message of trying to build a world centered on caring for one another and our surroundings.
27. Woven: A cute story to end the collection, but too short for my tastes.

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful concept: trying to envision what life would look like 500 years from now. Some of the tales were more serious and heavy in the messages they were trying to convey while others were more light and just a glimpse into what life may be like that far away from present day. I felt like a lot of the stories could be built into longer comics outside of this anthology just because they were so wonderfully built and crafted. The art was absolutely fantastic. It makes me wonder what it would have looked like in full color. A couple of the tales had a bit of a rough start in that it was hard to determine what was going on; I had to read a few of them a couple of times to really understand what was being shown. Not a negative, since many other sci-fi narratives just drop you right into the story with little context, but just something to keep in mind when moving from one story to the next.

[Alicia Guzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Science Fiction is one of my favorite genres to read if not my favorite. I love reading about the possibilities of the future. It is a genre where Latinx writers, authors and illustrators are severely underrepresented.

Now I normally do not read graphic novels or comics but when I saw this anthology I knew I had to pick it up. This is a collection of 27 illustrated stories. The stories have range and variety. Some are as long as 2-3 pages long to some about 20-25 pages long. There is also diversity in the characters and themes that are portaryed.

I really enjoyed this collection. I will add it's not a usual format I read in so some stories felt like they were missing length and depth for me however the illustrations are amazingggg !

[Patrick Lombardi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed all of the comics in this collection. Each writer—as well as each artist—has their own style; they incorporate experiences and influences from their upbringings, families, cultures, etc. So even though these are comics created by Latinx writers and artists, it still is diverse. Everyone lives separate lives, and their connections are vital, but their individuality shines in these pieces. Many had sci-fi elements but were grounded in genuine emotions and aspirations. It was hard to put this book down when you had to go focus on your adult responsibilities. It’s a large anthology—definitely for the better.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I really loved the Worldbuilders story the most. The other stories were good but many seemed somehow unfinished or as if I was missing something. The art was generally really good, the cast of characters diverse and the stories imaginative. I guess some stories would have benefitted from stronger or more world building, but this being an anthology, there are always going to be stories that are more or less my thing.

[Natalie Weizenbaum · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate to say it, but Mañana was not great. There were a couple jewels tucked away, but also some real stinkers, and the average quality was low. Some stories were difficult to follow or understanding, leaving so much about the setting implicit that basic narrative beats became obscure. Others made egregiously simplistic moral points without any characterization to hang it on. It's a bummer, because I really loved the first Power & Magic anthology, but since then I feel a bit let down.

[Kathryn Hemmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Along with its gorgeous artwork, intriguing characters, and nuanced meditations on identity and diaspora, what I love about this comic anthology is that it treats the reality of drastic climate change seriously. What will rising sea levels mean to people who live in cultural centers like Havana, Miami, and Rio de Janeiro, for example? Many of the stories in this anthology focus on the ties between cultural heritage and ecological heritage, and they're all beautiful and brilliant.

[Esther O. Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fave: Terry Blas and Andres Rosales’ Emisaria

[Opal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had a nice time rereading this today.

[Matthew Royal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, though many are fragments of something I'd want to see more of.

Lots of similar themes: "we've made it" storylines rather than what I think of when I think of sci-fi plots and characters.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed bag of cute, boring, intriguing and heartwarming. Some felt too short to connect with and others too much dialogue. I wish it was in color!

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mañana: Latinx Comics from the 25th Century is a fun sci-fi anthology! This book features 27 comics by Latinx creators who acknowledge the past and imagine the future for Latin America and the world. This book has something for everyone and a lot of themes are covered. Some comics focus on conservation and environmentalism, while others focus on space exploration and scientific advancements, and a few stories incorporate folklore and traditions. Many stories are rooted in love, family, and dreams, and overall the anthology presents a lot of hope for the future. It’s full of heart, and there’s a good balance between comics that are fun vs. comics that are more serious or emotional.

My favourite stories were: Puerto Roboto by Victor Santiago & Rodrigo Reyes Rico, The Alpha Decision by Hernán Guarderas & Rosa Colón Guerra , A Little Esperanza by Jamila Rowser & Maddi Gonzalez, Children of the Sea by H. Pueyo & Dante Luiz, Belén and Nulpi by Paloma Hernando & Gabriela Gutiérrez, Emisaria by Terry Blas & Andres Rosales, Lake Hapunda by A. Cole & Fawn Prince, A Dream of a Thousand Stars by Alberta Rayo & Sebastian Carrillo, and Día de la Vida by John J. Pérez & Beli de la Torre.

I enjoyed this anthology and you should check it out for some great comics that highlight Latinx creators and characters!

[Lex Ophiuchus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Major Thomas: 1/5
Carnaval: 2/5
Puerto Roberto: 4/5
Facade: 3/5
Sámaras: 4/5
Crossroads of Infinity: 4/5
The Alpha Decision: 5/5
A Little Esperanza: 5/5
Yemayá Take the Wheel: 3/5
Children of the Sea: 4/5
Electric Tango: 3/5
Pan de Bono: 4/5
Belén and Nulpi: 4/5
A Sea Change: 4/5
Emisaria: 4/5
Historia Mecha: 2/5
Mañanitas: 3/5
Sandstorm: 2/5
Lake Hapunda: 5/5
The Cached Map: 4/5
A Dream of a Thousand Stars: 4/5
Día de la Vida: 5/5
Espiral: 5/5
Miami Story: 3/5
Bats and Fish: 4/5
Worldbuilders: 5/5
Woven: 5/5