There are more than 40 million Spanish-speakers in the US. What about a comic for each one?
(...) Spanish is the second-most spoken language in the United States and IDW is highly aware of it. The publisher has been releasing Spanish-translated graphic novels from their own library in an effort to bring in new readers into already successful stories, broadening their reach and opening up potential storytelling avenues in the future.
So far, IDW has released three books as part of their language program: Nos Llamaron Enemigo (They Called Us Enemy), Panda Rojo y Oso Lunar (Red Panda & Moon Bear), and Sonic the Hedgehog: ¡Consecuencias! (Sonic the Hedgehog: Consequences).
The Beat has reviewed all three of them, in Spanish, and has recognized the care that’s gone into the translation of each book so they capture the essence of their original English versions. As a first line of books, they’re a good example of how effective the use of a general or more universal type of Spanish can be in trying to reach the widest audience possible. This is especially helpful when placing these books in libraries and schools, two of the program’s target audiences.
Spanish is a multidimensional language with specific traits and traditions that vary depending on its country of origin (or on the linguistic background of the people that speak it). IDW’s translations strive for an accessible form of Spanish that’s inclusive and easy to jump into for any Spanish-speaker, and it succeeds at it for the most part.
The Beat spoke to IDW’s Editorial Director of Graphic Novels and Collections, Justin Eisinger, via email interview to learn more about the Spanish Language Program and to get a sense as to its scope, the importance of libraries for these type of programs, and future translations. Eisinger is also co-author, along with George Takei, of the graphic novel They Called Us Enemy (...)
