Home #1by Sheena McNeilReviews may contain information that could be considered 'spoilers'. Readers should proceed at their own risk. Publisher
Credits Grade: 8 Juan and his mother, Mercedes, travel from Guatemala to seek asylum in the US. They arrive shorty after President Trump declared a war on immigrants, treating them all as criminals and separating parents from kids. After being separated from his mom and treated harshly, Juan exhibits an extraordinary power and escapes.We all know the people who might benefit from reading this are those that won't -- are those that support/ed Trump's mandate. That doesn't change the fact that this is a story that needs to be told, that it's important for readers of all ages to see in another (easy to comprehend) medium how awfully people -- children -- were treated. It humanizes the people who have been dehumanized by Trump's supporters. The "powers" element shakes things up, but I'll have to pick up the next issue to see what this means for the plot of the story. (I doubt it would, given the events of this issue, but I do hope it doesn't become a reason to justify fearing immigrants.) I like that we see some of the hardships of their journey (a month of non-stop, rough travel!) with an overlay of narration letting the reader know that things have changed at the border. It's effective, but it's also realistic -- those travelling would have no way of knowing what horror awaited them while LEGALLY seeking asylum, as this mother and son exemplify. I like that a different color is used to denote when Spanish (translated into English) is being spoken; red is a nice choice, as it highlights the heightened emotions, like fear and confusion (and while it would fit the hate / anger on the other end, that doesn't apply to all the English-speakers). And the art is excellent. Make no mistake, this is a read that does (and should) make you uncomfortable. Written: April 2, 2021
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