Description

Dave Ortega’s grandmother was born during the Mexican Revolution. In Dias De Consuelo, Dave tells her family’s story.

In this issue, Dave’s great-grandmother, Eva, is newly married to Pedro, but still living with her mother, Isabel, who is still waiting for her husband to return. Eva is also pregnant in a time of war, when -as Dave points out- every side of the civil war most likely passed through their small mining town of Fresnillo.

One morning, Eva and her mother hear rumors of strange man wandering the town. Despite the warnings and a visit from a stranger at the door, they force themselves to carry on with their lives, stop by their store, and visit the market. What they don’t know is they are in for a visit from a very special stranger!

While the comic takes place during a tumultuous political time in Mexico’s history, this is a portrait of Dave’s family. Dave tells his story with a sense of familiarity and a focus on everyday life, transporting the reader to central Mexico 100 years ago. Dave’s drawing style is restrained and formal, with flourishes of expression when punctuation is needed.