Thousands migrate every year in search of a better life. Just Another Story: a Graphic Migration Account goes beyond headlines or statistics to provide a powerful individual account of this journey. When Carlos was nineteen, his mother decided to leave her life in El Salvador. Refusing to let her go without him, Carlos joined her journey north. Together they experienced the risks countless people face as they migrate.
Comic author and artist Ernesto Saade tells his cousin’s story with the nuance and human emotion every person deserves. Today he joins us to share how he entered the comic industry, his favorite artists, and what inspires his work. Read on to find an exclusive excerpt!
When did you start to write and draw comics?
I did my first comic while I was studying my master’s degree in illustration and comics, but I did my first professional book in 2018 for an NGO.
Could you please let us know what it’s like in the comics scene in Central America?
In Central America there are many talented artists, but in these countries there is not much opportunity to dedicate yourself to just that. However, many find great opportunities in other countries with more developed comic book culture.
Since it’s so difficult to enter the comic industry in Central America, how did you manage to achieve it?
It was not easy, when I decided to dedicate myself to comics, I spent a year without work, then I had a great opportunity in an NGO where I was able to make up to 9 graphic novels about cases seen in their projects. A few years later I was able to participate in a contest of the French Alliance of Costa Rica. I was one of the finalists and there I was able to meet Nicolas, who is now my agent. And that’s how I was able to publish my first graphic novel.
What made you decide you had to tell this story?
Just Another Story is based on the story of my cousin, the trip he took with my aunt was a traumatic event in our family. Years later when he was able to tell me the whole story, I knew right away that I had to do something with it and it ended up being a graphic novel.
What have been your inspirations for this book?
Movies are a great inspiration to me. A lot of my visual references, character development, and script treatments come from the movies.
Which authors do you admire in the comics world?
My favorite authors are Paco Roca, Miguel Gallardo, Marjane Satrapi, Bill Watterson, Frederik Peeters and Alan Moore.
Exclusive excerpt
Read the Spanish Edition
Una historia más: Un relato gráfico de migración shares the journey Carlos, his mother, and countless others took in Spanish. Learn more on the Lerner website.
Praise for Just Another Story
★ “Powerful vignettes weave the epic odyssey of one family’s migration while highlighting the risks and sacrifices undertaken daily by migrants searching for the American dream. The striking illustrations deftly convey complex emotions and poignant symbolism.” — starred, Kirkus Reviews
★ “With delicacy and grace, Salvadoran cartoonist Saade crafts a resonant and distinctive graphic novel debut . . . Each panel is a testament to individual resilience, culminating in an expansive story of human beings triumphing against unspeakable odds.” — starred, Publishers Weekly
Connect with Ernesto
Ernesto Saade is an El Salvador-born architect turned cartoonist. After years spent in the world of construction work, he left to pursue his Master’s Degree in Illustration and Comics from the Barcelona School of Design and Engineering. Now, he works at a non-governmental organization that allows him to devote 100% of his time to drawing comics.