Puerto Rico Strong (Comic Book)

My thoughts:

As someone who lives on an island, as someone who is Indigenous to a nation that has been colonized and illegally overthrown by the United States, I know a little bit about the struggles of living and thriving on an island. I know that when times get tough, we rally together because if not us, who? If not now, when?

That island survival mentality is what makes Puerto Rico Strong so powerful. This is comics at its most political and most powerful. The authors/artists saw that help for their people was not coming from the US, and they were left with the questions if not me, who; if not now, when? The introductions tell a moving story of why them and why now.

These 21 pieces in this anthology are different in voice, style, coloring. However, what they all have in common is the immense pride and love they have for Puerto Rico. These stories educate, entertain and imagine a future for Puerto Rico that carries forward culture, values and sovereignty. These stories privilege what we Hawaiians call aloha ʻāina, in simplistic terms not just a love for land but a political connection to the land, her people, her culture. 

This is a book worth owning and all profits go to the disaster relief and recovery programs.

Description:

Puerto Rico Strong is a comics anthology that explores what it means to be Puerto Rican and the diversity that exists within that concept, from today's most exciting Puerto Rican comics creators. All profits will go to towards disaster relief and recovery programs to support Puerto Rico. Despite being a US territory, Puerto Rico is often thought of as a foreign land, if it's even a thought in the mind of the average American at all. Its people exist in all corners of America; some of them have parents who immigrated from the home island, others are a part of families that have been on the mainland for generations. Then there are those who have come to the states in search of a dream but struggle to integrate into an unfamiliar culture, while there are those who have lived in the United States all of their lives but still have the same struggle because of the color of their skin or their sexual identity. These stories follow individuals from diverse walks of life but are all part of the culture that is Puerto Rico.Puerto Rico Strong features art and writing by Rosa Colon, Vita Ayala, Naomi Franquiz, Javier Cruz Winnik, Sabrina Cintron, Ronnie Garcia, Fabian Nicieza, Joamette Gil, and many more!

I received an advanced digital copy from Net Galley and the publisher for an honest review.