The third weekend in July, Border X Brewing hosted the 4th Annual Chicano-Con!, a three-day celebration of the Latino comic tradition. Events included a costume contest and superhero workshop for the younger visitors and a sketch clinic hosted by cartoonist Joaquin Junco, Jr. for the teenagers.
A panel of local artists Joaquin Junco, Jr. and Lalo Alcaraz as well as Peruvian artist Javier Hernandez, here for the nearby San Diego Comic-Con, spoke and answered attendees’ questions on Saturday.
Speaking of Comic-Con, “We’re not in competition with them,” said one of Border X’s owners David Favela. “We could never compete…the brewery just wants to give [Barrio Logan] residents a taste of it.
“We do that by giving out comic books for free,” Favela continued, “which were generously donated by the San Diego community. We have thousands of comic books — it’s mind-blowing.”
Comic books also played a part in Favela’s integration into (Latin, South and North) American culture.
“I’m first generation immigrant and I didn’t know how to read or speak English,” Favela explained. “I taught myself to read [by] reading comic books…between the pictures and the context, I could start figuring out patterns, and I just loved it.”
But reading comic books isn’t the only tradition Border X is working to keep alive. About a month ago, Border X released the session beer named Tejuino sour. Tejuino, a pre-Colombian drink made by the indigenous people in Western Mexico, combines cucumber and key lime into a refreshing sunny-day sipping drink.
“After working all day in the hot sun, I was like, ‘I feel like I’m getting my veggies,’” Favela joked.
Whether it’s the art of brewing beer or drawing comics, Favela believes the Latino community deserves representation.
“I thought, ‘You know what? We’re so close and there are so many kids here in the barrio who also, just like me, didn’t have a chance to go to Comic-Con. What am I going to do about it?’ And I decided, ‘I’m gonna do Chicano-Con!’”
And thus, a new tradition was born in Barrio Logan, helmed by Border X Brewing: sessionable Latino beers paired with Latino comic books.