REVIEW: We Are Pan
We Are Pan
By Andre Frattino, Yasmin Flores Montañez, and Fabi Marques
184 pages/Top Shelf Productions/$19.99
One of the best parts of mainstream publishers widening the breadth of graphic novels now available for readers of all ages. One of the hottest categories seems to be creating nonfiction, exploring memoir, and little-known tidbits of history.
I was far too young to be aware of the problems with Cuba at the dawn of the 1960s. But, from 1960 to 1962, some 14,000 Cuban children were flown from Cuba to America, parents tearfully sending them to safety and a better life than what was offered under Fidel Castro’s brand of Communism. They feared the alternative, as talk raced across the tiny island nation that Castro intended to take the children and educate them as he saw fit.
Operation Pedro Pan is lovingly explored in the new graphic novel, We Are Pan, which draws on real-life stories from numerous interviews Andre Frattino conducted. There are siblings, lovers, lost souls, and dreamers among the many children whose stories are nicely intertwined.
Additionally, the combined efforts of Father Bryan O. Walsh of the Catholic Welfare Bureau and Cuban ex-pats and Americans, including James Baker, helped secure funding and make the arrangements. What’s interesting to note is that the program operated in total secrecy until the Cleveland Plain Dealer wrote a story about it in 1962. Imagine running an op like that today.
Frattino, artist Yasmin Flores Montanez, and color artist Fabi Marques take their time introducing us to the lead-up to Castro’s revolution and its ramifications, then each family makes the emotional choice for their children’s future. For most, it’s fine, and they’re safe, but as you will see, not everyone makes it to America.
This is Frattino and Montañez’s first graphic novel despite their careers in illustration and storytelling. It’s a terrific way to introduce themselves to the reading audience. Kudos to editor Heather Antos for guiding them through the process, resulting in a compelling book.
It’s a well-told story, spotlighting bravery in many forms, with ramifications still felt today as the survivors tell their stories. The book opens with a Foreword by writer Alex Segura, whose mother was a part of the operation.
