Sí Trends

With the popularity of sociopolitical comic strips like the West coast-themed La Cucaracha, it was only a matter of time before East coast Latinos were represented in the funny pages. Enter Bodega Ave., a multiethnic comic strip which follows the lives of preteens growing up in Brooklyn, New York. The smart-alecky characters comment on pop culture, politics and everyday Latino life. Here one-third of the creative force behind the comic, Tatiana Suarez Pico, sits with Si Trends to discuss the inspiration for Bodega Ave.

Si Trends: How was the concept for Bodega Ave. born?
Tatiana Suarez Pico: Well, Tara Lopez, Aurin Squire and I all went to school together. Aurin and I went to the New School together we studied theatre and playwriting, and Tara went to Parsons. We all happened to work in the same place at the university so that's how we met. There was this ongoing joke about how I always wanted a cabbage patch doll. So, one day Tara actually bought me one and I was like, "Oh my God! This is amazing." And she took the doll and started making these funny doll voices that was like an eight-year-old Scarface [with] a really bad Cuban accent. I told Tara she should really think about doing a comic book of an irreverent Latina eight-year-old that just tells it like it is. So she decided to do it and we all started working on it together.

Si Trends: How are the responsibilities split up between the three of you?
TSP: Aurin is responsible for a lot of the writing; since he has a playwriting background he is great at character development and storytelling. I also help with writing and coming up with concepts. Tara is the only illustrator in the group; she studied illustration so we leave that up to her.

Si Trends: How did you come up with the characters? Who do they represent?
TSP: We just came up with a number of characters that we felt were representative of our friends and people that we don't often see on TV. For example, one of the characters we have is Edgar and he is Dominican and Swedish. So his full name is Edgar Olof Santos. We have Haruko who is black and Puerto Rican and Ale, who is the leader of the pack and she is Puerto Rican. Then we have a Mexican girl (Esperanza) who is blonde haired and blue eyed so it's totally non-stereotypical. I think it's something people don't usually get to see.

Si Trends: Have you gotten a lot of positive feedback from the Latino community?
TSP: Yes! Everyone that we've reached out, people in the media have all been so supportive. I think that's because there really is a need for that kind of comic. We just want to make the comic as truthful and honest as possible. Things that we feel teenagers or preteens growing up in that environment in an urban area, what the issues are that they deal with. Like for instance, gentrification is not an issue for someone growing up in suburbia like it is for someone living in an urban area.

Si Trends: Is the content political at all?
TSP: Oh yes, it's totally political. By being who they are-kids who don't necessarily fit any one category: black, white, Native American, etc. is political in itself. The question becomes how do they define themselves? Are they just Edgar, Sven and Ale? Or do they need to be Latino Ale? Their identity alone is intrinsically political I feel.

Si Trends: What does Bodega Ave. offer that other comic strips don't?
TSP: Besides showing characters and giving light to cultures that don't usually get attention, it has a broad appeal. I've had 50-year-old people from Oklahoma write in and tell me how much they enjoy the comic. Some of the humor is very innocent, some of it isn't. But we just try to make it something we enjoy and something honest, without catering to any one demographic.

Si Trends: What it is coming up for Bodega Ave.?
TSP: World domination! (Laughs). Well, our agents have a few leads of companies that may want to take our comics and run them on their websites. We also have a couple of people interested in making a show of Bodega Ave. It's a work in progress. I think even if we didn't have a show, and if there weren't any offers, there would still be a Bodega Avenue, just for ourselves.

For the latest on Bodega Ave. go here.