The Puerto Rican War (Union Square Press, 2024)

A Los Angeles Times Top 10 Best Graphic Novels of 2024
An Eisner Award nominee for Best Reality-Based Story

Rendered in gorgeously carved wood blocks and buffeted with historical supplemental material, John Vasquez Mejias's The Puerto Rican War tells the story of the the 1950 insurrection on the island that resulted in 38 deaths and a failed assassination attempt against President Harry S. Truman. Told as a fable, in which the leaders of the movement are visited by the ghosts of Michael Collins and Gandhi, this book showcases an important and often overlooked moment in American history and a historical touchstone for the Puerto Rican independence movement.

PRAISE

Named one of the 10 best graphic novels of 2024 by the LA Times
An Eisner Award nominee for Best Reality-Based Story

The book's visual style puts the literal grain of Mejias's work on display, a testament to just how difficult some stories can be to tell -- and how important they can be to rediscover."
--The Washington Post

"The woodblock method lends density and gravitas to the work that command attention; each centimeter of each panel is rich in visual detail, inviting readers to linger over the page....A brilliant blend of graphic and literary narration and a lovely work of art in itself."--Kirkus, STARRED Review

"Mejias brilliantly weaves his heavy, saturated, and stunningly beautiful woodblock method with common comics tropes, as in an entire narrow panel filled with firefight sound effects--"PEW TANG ZANG BANG PIM PLIP ZAP BUM ZOP."--Booklist, STARRED Review

"Mejias's painstakingly hand-carved woodblock art results in vibrant, detailed scenes that lend a poetic touch throughout. This impressive work of art brings history to full and fascinating life."
--Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review

“John Vásquez Mejías has produced a monumental work in the field of history, one that should easily become required reading in the years to come. In addition to the 96 pages of woodcut storytelling, the book also features a very insightful series of sources and interviews that further flesh out the work on display. This is how you make a statement of recognition. It’s not about asking for a spot among the greats. It’s about stepping in and proudly declaring our reasons for being a part of the narrative. And it’s done in the most Puerto Rican way imaginable. Firmly, and loudly.“--The Comics Beat

"This is a story most people today have forgotten, but one full of fascinating people and riveting events. The graphic format makes this history accessible to today's readers, whether in school or out."--We Are Teachers