Somos Aire, a play about history, homecoming, and hope written by Mabelle Reynoso, a multidisciplinary storyteller and two-time winner of the California Young Playwrights Contest, has been turned into a comic book. This exciting adaptation was presented at Comic-Con San Diego International 2024.
Mabelle Reynoso (playwright and teaching artist), Johnny Bear Contreras (Kumeyaay public artist), and Zulema Reynoso (comic artivist and educator) discussed turning Mabelle’s borderlands steampunk fairytale play Somos Aire into a comic to increase public awareness about environmental justice in the San Ysidro–Tijuana region. Mabelle and Zulema shared their collaborative vision as sisters, artists, and multidisciplinary storytellers to spark community action with an emphasis on youth participation. As a member of the original people and storytellers of the San Diego region, Johnny Bear discussed his theatrical debut as a collaborator and set designer for Somos Aire. He also shared about his new Kumeyaay art and sculpture work on campus at San Diego State University. Providing cultural context was Stan Rodriguez (Kumeyaay cultural leader). The discussion was moderated by indigenous comics creator Chag Lowry (Yurok/Maidu/Achumawi graphic novelist).
We have some free copies available at our gallery—come by and pick one up!
