Out this month is a new middle grade fantasy graphic novel epic debuts: Travis Muñoz and the Fire of the Aztecs by Mark Stack and Anne Marcano, with contributions from Emmy-winning actress Karla Souza. Published by Vault Comics, the story centers on hero Travis Muñoz, who gets involved in baseball and a lot more when he finds he’s been chosen as the next warrior priest for an Aztec sun god. The book is not only an exciting tale, but an introduction to Latin American myth and a chance for Latino kids to see one of their own as the hero of an epic fantasy. Stack, Marcano and Souza answered some questions about the book.

Mark, You’ve said you wrote this book for your niece as a way to talk about your Mexican-American heritage; how did that idea expand into a book about baseball, sun gods and feathered snakemen? Did you bring any of your personal history into it?

Trying to write a book that wouldn’t bore my niece was a huge part of it! So as we developed the book more with our original editor Rebecca Taylor, the mythological elements came more to the forefront and we looked for ways to keep adding new points of interest and conflict for our young readers. So we have the feathered snakemen that Travis and Yolanda have to fight off, but we also have this adorable, magical jaguar that I think my niece is going to demand a plush of once she’s read the book. Baseball isn’t her thing, but it’s something I love and am lucky to share with my mom and dad so it felt natural to make it a centerpiece of the book and the bond between Travis and his best friend Yolanda.

Mark, the book talks a lot about heritage, and you’ve said that people experience it in different ways? Can you expand on how that is part of the story?

With Travis and Yolanda we have these two main characters who both have Mexican heritage, but their experiences are very different. Travis is a third-generation kid without close ties to that side of his family while Yolanda is a second-generation kid whose family speaks Spanish and maintains close ties with family in Mexico. For Travis, this difference between him and his best friend in terms of “access” to their heritage creates an anxiety in him about where he belongs. He feels cut-off from that part of himself until he awakens to this destiny and his uncle Hector appears in his life to guide him through what it all means.

Mark, our hero Travis finds out he’s the next warrior priest for an Aztec sun god. Were you always into Aztec myth? There’s a wealth of material there, so what were you most excited to incorporate into the story?

As a kid, I was obsessed with Greek mythology. A teacher in sixth grade put The Lightning Thief into my hands (thanks, Ms. Campos!), and I ate it up along with anything else about world mythology I could find in the school library. The mythology and folklore of Mesoamerica was not nearly as present in that library at the time, but what I could find focused on the creation story of the fifth sun and it really stuck with me because it was a story of trial and error that saw the world we live in finally created after four previous attempts by the gods. I was really excited by the possibility of working some of that story’s ideas about failures on the road to success and life being a work in progress into our story about friends learning from and growing with each other.

Baseball is also part of the book--we just saw the World Baseball Classic and the tremendous success of the teams from Latin America. Is that another element of how Travis connects with his heritage?

I love the World Baseball Classic, and I particularly love the spotlight it puts on Latin American players and fans of the sport. The love there is so strong and to have that passion shared internationally is really special. How could you not share in the excitement when Eugenio Suárez hit that double in the ninth for Venezuela to take the lead in the final? Sports connect people from all different walks of life, and it definitely serves as an unexpected point of connection for Travis with his heritage. When his uncle Hector first appears in his life without any warning, Travis is pretty standoffish until Hector finds his way to connect through their shared love of baseball and the fact that it’s something that has been in his family for generations.

Anne, I assume you were pretty excited when Venezuela won the WBC! Congratulations! What excited you about working on this book? How did you come on to the project?

I’m incredibly proud of Team Venezuela’s accomplishment and against such tough opponents no less! As something I shared with my dad and brought joy to our country, that is precisely what excited me about working on this book, the chance to not only bring joy to the readers but give them something to bond over with others. Especially young readers and their parents.

Anne, were you already familiar with Aztec myth and imagery or did you have to do a deep dive? What was the most fun to draw and design?

I had a general understanding of Aztec myths since I have a book about the world’s mythology, however I did a little more research for specific designs. It’s hard to choose one I enjoyed the most, but I’d say the Tzitzimimeh! They are the ones I took the most artistic liberties with. They are depicted as female skeletons with headdresses and their relation with the stars and demons inspired me to take it literally, sea stars with their mouths and not-teeth teeth made them the perfect candidate for the head of a star demon, which could be scary at first but up close they aren’t so bad.

Karla, how did you become involved with this project? Are you or your children graphic novel readers?

I came to this project first as a mom. I’m always searching for stories that my kids can get lost in—worlds that feel magical but also meaningful. When I read Travis Muñoz and the Fire of the Aztecs, it immediately stood out. It had all the adventure and imagination kids crave, but it also carried something deeper—our culture, our mythology, our identity.

My kids absolutely love graphic novels. There’s something about the combination of visuals and storytelling that really pulls them in. But I noticed early on that so many of the stories they were reading didn’t reflect who they are. This project felt like an opportunity to change that.

Karla: You’ve said Mexican-American kids are hungry to see themselves in fantasy stories. Can you talk more about why this is so important and why there is such a gap?

Representation in storytelling isn’t just about visibility—it’s about identity. When kids don’t see themselves reflected in the stories they love, it subtly shapes how they see their place in the world.

For decades, we’ve taught and celebrated mythologies like Greek mythology in schools—and they’re incredible—but they represent a small portion of the world’s cultures. Meanwhile, there are millions of Latino children who grow up without seeing their own histories, names, and legends reflected back at them in the same way.

That gap creates a kind of silence around their cultural power.

What excites me about this book is that it fills that space. It tells kids: your stories are just as epic, just as magical, just as worthy of being heroes.

Karla: How did you collaborate with Mark and Anne on the project? What parts of the story are your favorites?

Mark and Anne created such a rich and exciting world from the start, so my role was really about bringing a personal lens to it—making sure the emotional and cultural elements felt grounded and authentic.

We had conversations about family dynamics, about identity, about what it means for a child to feel both connected to and distant from their heritage. That was really important to me—not just the mythology, but the humanity of the story.

Some of my favorite moments are actually the quieter ones—those glimpses of family, of belonging, of a child beginning to understand where they come from. And then, of course, the epic elements of the mythology layered on top of that make it all feel larger than life.

What do you hope young readers get out of Travis Muñoz and the Fire of the Aztecs?

Mark: I hope they have fun with it! And if it gets them thinking even just a little bit about how they connect with their heritage, their family, their friends… That would be pretty nice.

Anne: Most of all I’d like for young readers to learn that even when you are similar to others in various aspects of life, you can also differ from one another. And I hope they can choose to be kind and find understanding through those differences and similarities.

Karla: I hope young readers walk away feeling a sense of pride—especially those who see their culture reflected in these pages. I want them to feel that who they are, where they come from, is powerful.

And for readers who may be encountering this mythology for the first time, I hope it opens a door. That it sparks curiosity, imagination, and a deeper appreciation for the richness of Mexican history and storytelling.

Is there anything else you’d like to say to the booksellers and librarians reading this Close-up?

Mark: I’d like booksellers and librarians to know that we made it a priority to put together a book that treats children like the smart, capable, and emotionally-complex young people we all know them to be without talking down to them. The story is fun, but it never shies away from the real complexities of childhood.

Anne: Our book is targeted to young readers but I’d like to encourage adults to give it a chance as well. At first glance this book about magic and friendship can seem only appropriate for children to enjoy, I believe there is space for adults to connect with it as well and to bond over with their young family members.

Karla: To booksellers and librarians: you are the bridge between these stories and the kids who need them most. Books like this don’t just entertain—they expand identity, empathy, and possibility. Thank you for championing stories that allow more children to see themselves as heroes.