Title: Indiginerds: Tales from Modern Indigenous Life
Editor: Alina Pete
Genres: Contemporary, Anthology, Graphic Novel
Pages: 120
Publisher: Iron Circus Comics
Review Copy: Contributed to fundraiser
Availability: Available now
Summary: First Nations culture is living, vibrant, and evolving, and generations of Indigenous kids have grown up with pop culture creeping inexorably into our lives. From gaming to social media, pirate radio to garage bands, Star Trek to D&D, and missed connections at the pow wow, Indigenous culture is so much more than how it’s usually portrayed. INDIGNERDS is here to celebrate those stories! Featuring an all-Indigenous creative team, INDIGNERDS is an exhilarating anthology collecting 11 stories about Indigenous people balancing traditional ways of knowing with modern pop culture. Includes work by ALINA PETE, PJ UNDERWOOD, KAMERON WHITE, RHAEL MCGREGOR, and many more!
Review: [Note: Some of the stories in Indiginerds reference heavier topics, such as domestic violence and bullying, though not in great depth.]
Indiginerds is a graphic novel anthology about modern and nerdy Indigenous life. This anthology was obviously curated with a great deal of thought and care, and I really appreciated the breadth of the stories told in these pages. There were some nerdy staples I expected, like D&D and Star Trek, but there were several areas that surprised me, like pirate radio stations and local music scenes, neither of which I have engaged with much if at all. It was fun to see glimpses of these other pop culture communities I know little about. The anthology featured a couple of autobiographical pieces, too, which were a delight to read.
Like any anthology, readers will find some stories that resonate with them more than others. I was particularly fond of “Missed Pow Wow Connection” by Kameron White, “Dorvan V” by Alina Pete, and “Welei (I Am Fine)” by Bianca “binkz17” Martin and Rhael McGregor. But even the stories that I didn’t connect with as strongly, I appreciated the artistry that went into making them and the variety they added to the anthology as a whole. I was especially happy to see the diversity in how people were depicted across the board (e.g., cultures, body type, skin color, hair texture/style, clothing, etc.). Overall, anthology did a wonderful job of showcasing Indigenous people engaging with pop culture and telling their own stories.
Recommendation: Get it soon if you’re looking to expand your graphic novel collection. This anthology features a variety of stories about Indigenous people engaging with modern pop culture and forging spaces for themselves. This would be a fun addition to any school or classroom library.
Extras: “Indiginerds: Tales from Modern Indigenous Life,” with Editor Alina Pete