Mexico and its war on crime has been a sore subject for many years now and has come back into the spotlight because of the presidential election.  What many people don’t understand about the drug trade, that it is not one sided, in fact, there is many sides that most people, especially politicians do not understand. In addition, there is a cost to be paid in blood most of the time. This a hard lesson that is being learned in the Philippines right now, as the body count has risen to an all-time high there, as the President is determined to stamp out shabu, a low-cost version of amphetamines.

The complex narrative has rarely been told in the varied narratives that it deserves. The show, Kingpin, came pretty close showing it from, the drug cartel’s, DEA’s and politician’s point of views Another show that has come close, is the current running Queen Of the South, which gets into just how dangerous and cutthroat that world is. So, when I heard about Hector Rodriguez III’s El Peso Hero, I was excited, to see a different narrative about the drug trade with a superhero twist.

The reader is introduced to Dr. Salas, a brilliant scientist, who gets kidnapped by the local military, to lead them to a cave discovery of some superpowered crystals, where the doctor takes his own life to keep the location a secret. Fast forward, years later, two cousins, one of them whose name is, Ignacio and accidentally finds this same cave, where one of them gets trapped. It just so happens their grandmother is the head of one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico, and leaves her grandson for dead but he survives as he gained a superpower from the crystals. By the end of the first issue, Ignacio is all grownup and fighting crime as superhero, but little does he know, someone else survived the cave.

Overall, some great introductions to these characters and to this vast world where this excellent story takes place. The story by Rodriguez is intricate, fun and takes turns where the reader does not expect to go. The art by Guillermo Villareal is gorgeous and makes the characters pop off the page. Altogether, a great book, which will keep the readers coming back for this very different story in a very familiar world.

Story: Hector Rodriguez III Art: Guillermo Villareal
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation:Buy