A review by pastelwriter
Mañana: Latinx Comics from the 25th Century by Joamette Gil

adventurous emotional fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

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.