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Puerto Rico Strong: 04/23/18
Puerto Rico Strong edited by Hazel Newlevant is a collection of comics made in response to the devastation of hurricane Maria (September 20, 2017) and the United States' complete and utter failure to do anything in the way of support for Puerto Rico. Seven months later and the island is still without repairs, still sometimes experiencing island-wide blackouts. It's a shameful state of affairs. As this compilation shows, it's only one in a long history of abuses the island and her people have experienced at the hands of her invaders. The stories are a mixture of history, from the days of the Taíno, through the landing of the Spanish, the importation of slaves from western Africa, through the United States wining it as a territory at the end of the Spanish American War. There are also accounts of the hurricane, the immediate aftermath, numerous tales of American based families coming back to Puerto Rico to search for loved ones (and understandably expecting the worse). One of my favorites is a near future science fiction that gives the history of the island from its days being known as Borinquén up through the hurricane and the eventual rebuilding of the island. Then it goes further and imagines a future where Puerto Rico takes the lead for alternate energy production and advanced space travel. All proceeds for this book go directly to UNIDOS Disaster Relief & Recovery Program to Support Puerto Rico. The book can be purchased online or special ordered at any traditional book store. Four stars Comments (0) |