Title: Home, Vol. 1
Creator: Julio Anta
Genres: Graphic novel, superhero
Pages: 144
Publisher: Image Comics
Review Copy: Hoopla library app
Availability: Out now!
Summary: After being separated from his mother at the US border, a young Guatemalan immigrant must learn to harness emerging superhuman abilities while being hunted by the Federal Government.
JULIO ANTA and ANNA WIESZCZYK debut with a deeply grounded, and heartfelt graphic novel that explores the real world implications of a migrant with extraordinary powers.
Review: I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again — this is such a good time for graphic novels right now, especially graphic novels featuring marginalized voices and underrepresented stories. From Gene Luen Yang’s Superman run, to queer graphic novels like Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me and Mooncakes, it’s a good time to be reading. And of course, we can’t forget John Lewis’s incredible graphic memoirs which you absolutely need to read if you haven’t already.
Home by Julio Anta and Anna Wieszczyk is another great entry into this era of impactful graphic novels for young people. It follows a Guatemalan boy and his mother as they seek asylum in America and are met with the cruelty, neglect, and injustice that pervades the American immigration system, including the family separation policy. But in Home, our hero discovers his own latent superpowers, and that’s where the story takes a turn. He has powers he can hone and harness, and he is not alone.
The storytelling and art in this graphic novel are incredibly compelling. I read this in one sitting and you likely will too, if you pick it up. The ending does leave many things unresolved, which I assume points to the first volume being part of a larger series. Unfortunately, I don’t see more issues coming out at the current moment, so this story will have to be left on a cliffhanger for me.
That said, I’m excited for what Julio Anta does next, and if you are looking for a heartfelt, impactful graphic novel that doesn’t shy away from current events, Home is where you’ll want to look.
Recommendation: Get it soon!