During a keynote presentation at yesterday’s NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) opening ceremony, author, actor and activist George Takei announced that his New York Times bestselling graphic memoir, They Called Us Enemy will be published in Spanish in North America as part of a new Spanish language initiative from IDW Publishing.

They Called Us Enemy will join SEGA ‘s popular Sonic The Hedgehog and Red Panda & Moon Bear by Cuban American cartoonist Jarod Roselló as the debut wave of translated graphic novel titles, slated for release in June 2020. The first comprehensive in-house Spanish language program from a major American graphic novel publisher, this initiative is especially fitting for IDW Publishing, a company headquartered in San Diego, CA, just miles from the U.S.-Mexico border—a crossroads of nations, languages and cultures.

Nos llamaron Enemigo (978-1-60309-483-2), the Spanish language translation of They Called Us Enemy, is Takei’s stunning graphic memoir, co-written with Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott and illustrated by Harmony Becker. Revisiting Takei’s haunting childhood as one of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans imprisoned by the U.S. government during World War II, this gripping tale of courage, country, loyalty, and love is “a thought-provoking, critical look at the history of racism in American policies and culture” (Booklist). Nos llamaron Enemigo will be released on June 2, 2020.  Nos llamaron Enemigo Nos llamaron Enemigo (978-1-60309-483-2), the Spanish language translation of They Called Us Enemy, is Takei’s stunning graphic memoir, co-written with Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott and illustrated by Harmony Becker. Revisiting Takei’s haunting childhood as one of more than 120,000 Japanese Americans imprisoned by the U.S. government during World War II, this gripping tale of courage, country, loyalty, and love is “a thought-provoking, critical look at the history of racism in American policies and culture” (Booklist). Nos llamaron Enemigo will be released on June 2, 2020. 

Sonic the Hedgehog Volumen 1: ¡Consecuencias! (978-1-68405-749-8) is the Spanish language adaptation of Sonic the Hedgehog Vol. 1: Fallout, the first volume in IDW’s wildly popular series based on SEGA’s global video game phenomenon. Sonic the Hedgehog has long been a favorite in Spanish-speaking communities worldwide, so the debut of the ¡Consecuencias! storyline, written by Ian Flynn and illustrated by Tracy Yardley, Adam Bryce Thomas, Jennifer Hernandez, and Evan Stanley, promises to satisfy an eager Spanish-speaking audience in North America, arriving in stores on June 9, 2020.

Panda Roja y Oso Lunar (978-1-60309-484-9), by Cuban American writer/artist and educational researcher Jarod Roselló, is the Spanish translation of Red Panda & Moon Bear, a whimsical and tender-hearted adventure of two brave siblings who battle supernatural threats to their vibrant Latinx neighborhood with the powers of science, magic, and some very special hoodies. Slated for release on June 16, 2020, Panda Roja y Oso Lunar will be an instant favorite for young readers, packed with Saturday-morning action and practically glowing with Caribbean sunshine. 

IDW Publishing’s Spanish language editions will be released in June 2020 and are now available for pre-order via booksellers and comic book specialty retailers.