Capes, billion-dollar studios- that's what most people think about when they think of superheroes. But for Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, a superhero creator is something much more profound: a conduit for community and culture and taking space in an industry that routinely rejects voices like his. And now, almost 10 years after having built La Borinqueña's universe one roar at a time, this Puerto Rican artist is just getting started.
Talking to Edgardo at Philadelphia's Fan Expo, it's immediately apparent that this is about more than just comics. "Power comes from community," he says, a mantra that's informed his path from behind-the-scenes work with cultural heavyweights such as Darryl "DMC" McDaniels and John Leguizamo to creating his own independently financed superhero franchise.
Before La Borinqueña started to soar, Edgardo was helping Hip-Hop royalty and Hollywood legends create their worlds in comic books. RS Collaborating with DMC, the lyricist with Run-DMC, who was as much known for his rhymes as his reverence for a story, and the actor John Leguizamo, Edgardo laid the groundwork for his storytelling empire. These early experiences were not only creative projects; they were confidence-building experiences. "That gave me the confidence to make my own," he says.
And what he built is nothing short of revolutionary. La Borinqueña is not just a comic book but a movement. Fueled by Puerto Rican pride, Afro-Latinx representation, and the powerful pull of family and independence, it's a series that dares to take up space in a room it has never been invited into, and it prospers in that room.
Edgardo is not simply the writer. He is the publisher, the creative director, the marketer, and yes, the guy toting boxes to conventions. "Flexibility. Evolution. Collaboration. Those three things," he says of his do-it-yourself ethic. When you're indie, you learn to wear every hat and hustle every step of the way.
And now, nearly a decade in, the La Borinqueña universe is about to get bigger again. After all, Edgardo just debuted a brand-new action figure, a massive step in representing fans who hardly ever see themselves when they peruse the superhero merchandise. He also hinted at the debut of a new comic with Ante, a giant robot whose very name means "giant" in Spanish. It's a potent metaphor for what Edgardo's building: something larger, something braver, and something that refuses to be overlooked.
What's next? "We've been quietly developing an expanded universe," he hints. It'll be loud with reason if it's anything like what he's delivered so far, even if it starts quietly.
And I guess, for giggles: yes, DMC did use to take cookies to the comic cons. "He'd bring cookies, chocolate chip. "That's the kind of guy he is. It's a sweet reminder that big ideas don't just fuel this universe but are made of real, human connections.
This is not your typical superhero tale. It's a cultural phenomenon, and Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez is the mastermind behind it; he wears it like a badge of honor that's as well-deserved as it is in character.
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