Mexican American Superhero Team
“The Thirteen: Origins” Launches October 2023 from Chispa Comics!
Chispa — the Latino imprint established by Scout Comics and Mucho Más Media — has announced the publication schedule for “The Thirteen: Origins.” The groundbreaking new miniseries will print consecutively for thirteen months, with each story focusing on a new character.
This series is a collection of one-shot comics that establishes the imprint’s connected literary world (known as the “Chispaverse”). In this world, individuals known as chispas (“sparks” in Spanish) exhibit greater-than-human abilities and threaten the status quo.
“The Thirteen,” explains co-publisher David Bowles, “is the first of several planned teams from across the Americas. Hailing from Mexico and the US, these chispas will eventually become an elite league with powers rooted in Mesoamerican lore. But when we meet them in ‘Origins,’ they are still newbies. The interconnected stories span the two weeks when each of them, one after another, turns eighteen. As a result, readers get to meet them just as they learn of their abilities for the first time. And since we intend to let them develop in real time, fans will follow their lives as if they were truly a part of our world.”
“The Thirteen: Origins” is just the beginning. A mini-series penned by Terry Blas featuring the assembled team — including their enigmatic teacher Father Tonal — will follow in late 2024. In addition, a few spin-offs and solo titles are currently being planned, as well as adventures of chispa teams featuring characters from Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
This new world of gifted humans uses chispa to reflect the Latinx perspective on heroism. “Chispas arise from inside, not outside the community,” clarifies Héctor Rodríguez, the other co-publisher of Chispa. “They don’t simply fight evil just as vigilantes or powerful police. They’re defenders of their people. They protect against the systems that foment evil and injustice. Doing so, they inspire others, sparking a fire in the hearts of common people to work together in solidarity to effect real change in the world.”
The first of “The Thirteen: Origins” is currently available for pre-order. The publication schedule is as follows:
- October 2023 — “Zopilote” — Written by Héctor Rodríguez III and illustrated by Chema.
- November 2023 — “Pyroclast” — Written by Frederick Luis Aldama and illustrated by Guillermo Villarreal.
- December 2023 — “The Wake” — Written by Jasminne and Lupe Méndez and illustrated by Reyna Pelcastre.
- January 2024 — “Cloudbreak” — Written by Leticia Urieta and illustrated by Verena Rodríguez Saavedra.
- February 2024 — “Florescent” — Written by Héctor González and illustrated by Jimena Sarquiz.
- March 2024 — “Dragonthrall” — Written by Veronique Medrano and illustrated by Steph C.
- April 2024 — “Vendaval” — Written by Ire’ne Lara Silva and illustrated by Jennifer Chavez.
- May 2024 — “Shaper” — Written and illustrated by Angelo Bowles.
- June 2024 — “Gila Girl” — Written by Henry Barajas and illustrated by Salomée Luce-Antoinette.
- July 2024 — “Molt” — Written by Laura Galán-Wells and illustrated by Wren Ríos.
- August 2024 — “Revive” — Written by Rolando Esquivel and illustrated by Amanda Julina González.
- September 2024 — “Blue Deer” — Written by David Bowles and illustrated by Armando Zanker.
- October 2024 — “Coneja” — Written by Kevin García and illustrated by Martha Ortiz.
Praise for Chispa:
“Having an imprint like Chispa — a place focused on Latinx creators telling Latinx stories — is hugely important. And I’m very intrigued and heartened to see the first wave of their books coming out, and extremely excited to work with them myself.” — Alex Segura/ bestselling author
“As both a comic creator and a member of the U.S.’s vastly underrepresented Mexican-American population, let me say that I am thrilled with what Chispa is doing. We’re honored to be working with such a talented pool of creators to bring fresh, original stories to a hungry audience. This is a company that should have existed decades ago.” — Richard Rivera/ Scout Comics Co-Publisher
For advanced digital copies and media requests: info@chispacomics.com
Learn more at https://chispacomics.com/
About Mucho Más Media
Mucho Más Media is a multimedia company that empowers and supports inclusive stories, filmmakers, and talent. Through its various divisions, the company focuses on creating compelling, elevated, and high-concept content for a Latino audience that has been underserved.
About Scout Comics
Founded in 2015, Scout Comics is a rapidly growing comics, book, and content publisher. Since its formation, Scout has developed a dynamic business model that creates and distributes comics, graphic novels, and collectibles through both traditional and cutting-edge channels. Scout has earned a reputation as a fiercely independent publisher of unique properties that include horror, science fiction, fantasy, and even the occasional superhero story.
