A.W.O.L. Cruz Ochoa

A.W.O.L.: Cruz Ochoa is an over 100-page full color action adventure graphic novel about a Latina soldier who disobeys military orders in order to find her missing brother who has been kidnapped in El Paso, Texas, in the US-Mexico borderland region. El Paso is home to Fort Bliss, one of the largest military installations in the U.S. Elvira’s dad served in the Marine Corps. The presence of the military has always been an important part of this borderland community, which Ronnie and Elvira were able to further highlight in their first graphic novel. A.W.O.L. addresses political corruption, poverty, and trafficking that we see in colonias along the U.S.-Mexico border and how it impacts families living in these environments. The graphic novel is available in English, Japanese, and Spanish.