by MATTHEW PRICE

From the Sept. 30, 2022, edition of The Oklahoman

Marvel is celebrating Hispanic / Latine Heritage Month with a comic-book special featuring Latin creators and characters.

“Marvel Voices: Comunidades,” on sale this week, introduces a new character to the Marvel lineup, and explores some old favorites.  

Among the characters featured in this anthology one-shot are Nova, White Tiger and Miles Morales. 

Fabian Nicieza (“X-Men”) writes a tale featuring Sam Alexander, who became the intergalactic hero Nova in a 2011 story. 

Paco Medina, the artist of the story, said he has an emotional connetion to the character. Medina drew the pages of “Nova” issue #6 in April 2013 while his mother was in the hospital. 

“I remember drawing a large phoenix for a double page spread and it was this vision that would fill me with great strength when I lost my mother that spring,” Medina told Marvel.com. “It is for this reason that Nova, Sam Alexander is such an endearing character to me; I can only see him as a great friend who accompanied me through the bad times and every time I see him again I just want to give him a big hug and invite him home for lunch.”

Sam Alexander is a half-Latino teen living in Arizona as his comic-book series begins; he finds his father’s background ties him to outer space adventure, while his mother’s heritage provides a bond to its own kind of legacy. 

“Being Mexican as well as being Latino, beyond skin color or language, is to feel proud of your family and to always fight for the ones you love with all your heart,” Medina said. ‘I’m thankful to be part of this.”

Edgar Delgado writes a new Miles Morales story focusing on Miles’ Puerto Rican heritage. 

And Alex Segura creates a White Tiger story featuring a new Latin character, Chimera. 

“It’s a huge honor to contribute to this edition of ‘Marvel’s Voices Comunidades’ – and doubly so to tell a story featuring Ava Ayala, the White Tiger,” Segura told Marvel.com. “Artist Rogê Antonio really does a magnificent job of bringing a noir sensibility to our story, which pushes White Tiger to the limit – and introduces a new player to the Marvel universe. Are they friend or foe? We’ll find out pretty soon, I think.”

According to hispanicheritagemonth.gov, National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15 each year, and is an opportunity to pay tribute to generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society. 

Matthew Price, matthew@matthewLprice.com, has written about the comics industry for more than two decades. He is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman.