In the 13 issues that together build the Chispa-verse, the brain child of David Bowles and Héctor Rodriguez III, we meet various Latinx youth on the brink of discovering their “ spark,” or “la chispa”—unique powers that manifest differently in each of them. As they struggle to understand and control their extraordinary powers, they also deal with everyday issues that face Latinx communities far and wide.
Released by Scout Comics, this shared universe has so far published the first nine stories of thirteen, created by a mix of new and established comics writers and illustrators. The art styles and narrative tones vary from issue to issue, yet collectively, they weave together the origin stories of Latinx teens who grapple with the discovery of their superpowers. Whether it’s a high school valedictorian, an unhoused construction worker, the child of campesinos, or an activist fighting for trans rights, the thirteen reflect the diverse realities of today’s Latinx youth. This brings vibrancy, richness, and depth rarely seen in mainstream superhero stories.
In the issues published so far, the main characters turn eighteen, and with this transition to adulthood comes the realization that they have their own unique calling to use their powers for collective good.
Woven into the various stories, we have hints of Father Teodoro Tonal, the rector of Guadalupe University, who seems to be gathering the chispas for reasons yet unclear. Father Teodoro understands that these teens possess extraordinary potential.
In Zopilote, by Hector Rodriguez III (writer) and J. M. Cuellar (illustrator), Bruno Vega takes on the mantle of Zopilote (the buzzard), gaining the powers of flight and enhanced sight. Bruno witnesses the police gun down a man in the midst of a mental health crisis—a man Bruno had been trying to deescalate and assist, only to see him hurt by the very people meant to serve and protect.
Zopilote recounts a new type of superhero, one shaped by the lived experience of a Latinx teen who understand that the power of gun and badge is not always wielded equitably or justly.
In Pyroclast, written by Frederick Luis Aldama and illustrated by Guillermo Villareal, Pedro “Pete” Lumeras—a high school valedictorian and star quarterback—discovers that his anger triggers a fiery transformation. He begins to burn up with hot magma and his skin turns from rash to a crusty layer of rock-hard skin—a legacy passed down from a lineage of nepantlera warrior women who wield the tecpatl, a stone knife, and harness volcanic powers. With the help of his Tío George, Abuelita, and fourteen-year-old sister, Xochi, Pete tries to understand then control his newfound abilities powers.
Answering a greater calling (a fever-dream where he sees Father Tonal and the other 13 chispas), Pete decides to leave his hometown. Like many real-life teens, Pete grapples with his sexual identity, feeling drawn to Mig and Bianca, though he’s still unsure what that means. While Pete’s family is supportive, the story subtly acknowledges that not all teens feel the same unqualified love in their journey of self-discovery.
In The Wake, by Jasmine Méndez, Lupe Méndez, and Rayna Pelcastre, Olivia Estela de Adames discovers she has lightning-fast speed, a power she uses to save as many workers as she can during a catastrophic accident at the Baytown refinery where her father works. But Olivia is also just a teen, eager to celebrate her eighteenth birthday with friends in nearby Houston and hoping to gather the courage to ask out Manuel. Like many Latina teens, Olivia shares her secrets with siblings—her little brothers who are excited to see what she can do with her newfound abilities.
Leticia Urieta and Verena Rodriguez’s Cloudbreak, My Orozco can summon clouds and rain whenever emotions intensify. The only daughter of a campesino, My juggles her newfound powers while helping her father in their family farm. At the same time, she dreams of heading off to college to study agriculture. Her superpowers symbolize the very real challenges faced by many first-gen college students—having to explain to parents how investing in their education can benefit the family in the long run, even if it means not helping out in more immediately visible ways.
In Héctor González and Jimena Sárquiz’s Florescent, Daniel “Nopal” de la Rosa discovers that he can hear vegetation speak to him. He encounters Nochtli, an indigenous wise woman from an earlier era, who imparts sage advice: “Listening often involves seeing the best within everyone.” His new role as protector of the vegetative realm puts him in direct conflict with his friends Manu and Ramiro, vandals of a community garden. However, Nochtli’s wisdom helps him calm his angry friends. In this issue, readers are invited to embrace the pre-Colonial wisdom that was in harmony with the natural world, wisdom lost after the Spanish conquest.
Ire’ne Lara Silva and Jennifer Chavez’s Vendeval introduces vision-dreaming siblings, Vicky and Uriel. Vicky dreams of the past, while Uriel the future. Vicky, who aspires to go to college to study history, uses her dreams to make sense of her visions. On Vicky’s 18th birthday, she discovers she has telekinetic powers.
Before Vicky can fully understand her abilities, a dark shadow creature attacks their abuela while searching for the Dreamstone her family has guarded for generations. In this issue, Vicky and Uriel are raised by their abuela, reflecting the experiences of some Latinx teens, and Vicky harbors a family secret: their mom intentionally abandoned them.
In Angelo Bowles’ Shaper we meet Cal Casas, an unhoused construction worker who discovers he has the power to grow and control rocks. The ghost of Nezahualcoyotl, a chispa from centuries past, visits Cal and offers guidance in harnessing his newfound abilities.
Kevin, a construction worker from their most recent gig, is reanimated by an ancient adversary with the intent to snuff out Cal’s spark before it grows into its full strength. Notably, Cal is referred to as “mijo” by some of his fellow construction workers, while Kevin misgenders Cal, using female pronouns instead. The implication that Cal is a trans male adds depth to his struggles as an unhoused teen, grounding his experience in the real challenges faced by queer Latinx youth.
Veronique Medrano and Steph C.’s Dragonthrall recounts the legend of Huitzilopochtli, an ancient god of the Chichimecas, Nahuas, and Huicholes who wields the Xiuhcoatl, a dragon fire weapon, and once ruled the region known as Tequila, Mexico. Steph C. uses a more painterly style to shape this story of Maria Guadalupe Miramontes who finds herself unable to return to the US to continue her studies due to a mix-up with her DACA documents.
In a fit of rage at her unjust situation, she awakens the slumbering dragon, Xiuhcoatl, and takes on the mantle of chispa. Like many real-life DACA Dreamers, Lupe is frustrated by a system where she is perpetually on edge, and her frustration manifests in a desire to burn it all down.
In Gila Girl, by Henry Barajas and Salomée Luce-Antoinette, the realistic portrayal of student walkouts protesting bills targeting gender-affirming medical care sets the stage for Angela’s discovery of her inherited abilities. She realizes she has a super sense and the acrobatic abilities of a lizard, allowing her to leap from branch to branch.
As she uses her powers to disarm a violent counter-protester, Angela confronts the fact that both her tata and her father had similar gifts, and Father Tonal might be able to help develop these abilities. Several pages of this issue highlight trans rights protests, underscoring their relevance in the face of numerous real-world transphobic laws in various states.
In all the stories published thus far, Latinx teens come into their own, discovering new powers and charting new paths as they transition into adulthood. As each of the issues suggests, Father Tonal, the enigmatic rector, will provide the new chispas a chance to learn more deeply about themselves and each other. I look forward to learning how Father Tonal will help shape their destinies as the extraordinary league of thirteen Latinx superheroes.
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