GetYourMedz.com; $10

“Sometimes to fit in, you have to be yourself.” That’s the most succinct description I’ve read or heard for The Shameless Plug, a brilliant graphic novel from writer Jorge Medina (Wonder Duck) and artist Jospeh Olesco. 

Medina, a rising star in the comic book world, originally crowdfunded the graphic novel’s first chapter as a 40-page comic book, and did a second successful campaign to complete the 140-page graphic novel. He drew from his own experience as an immigrant and has done so in an impressive fashion, but he’s also managed to create something accessible and relatable to an even wider audience.

“I wanted to focus the story on the concept of how we yearn to be a part of something. I used my experiences to tell that story as an example of how I didn’t fit in at one point in my life, but I didn’t want it to feel like I was wagging my finger at the reader,” Medina said. “I hope I accomplished that.” 

The Story

Joaquin is the new kid in school. He and his sister have moved to the US to be reunited with his mother, but he doesn’t speak English yet, so he’s even more isolated than the average new kid. Chip is the school bully. When Chip takes the video game Joaquin’s mom gave to him by force, how will Joaquin get it back? 

As the story progresses, Joaquin finds refuge in his imagination. He creates an unlikely superhero named Pana, the Shameless Plug, who helps him discover the courage and confidence to be himself. This certainly plays strongly to the immigrant portion of the story, but it’s also a beacon to anyone who’s ever felt isolated in a crowd.

So many all-ages reads are dumbed down; this one is not. It’s lively, empathetic, and engaging. It divides its moments between subtleness and boldness in magnificent fashion, and it’s a work you could easily expect to come from a far more seasoned creator. Medina and his artist, Olesco, knocked this story out of the park, and I really hope it puts them on the map.

The Story’s Origin

Medina said the idea for the character first came to him in his car.

“I was sitting in my car and on my cup holder, there sat the box portion of an iPhone plug. The square box with the prongs made me question, ‘What would that look like with a happy face on it?’ And bam! I had a new character. Now, what was this character’s story going to be? I thought about what the function of a plug is and what do they do. Well, they fit into sockets and give whatever it is attached to them power. And so, fitting in and finding the power to fit in by being true to who we are became the story. Suddenly, The Shameless Plug was born.” 

He came up with the concept in 2021. He wrote it, hired an editor and an artist, lettered it, and finally completed the book earlier this year. He said the cost of the editor and artist contributed to the amount of time it took to complete the project since it was all self-funded. His two Kickstarter campaigns were created to fund the printing, first of the original issue and then the completed graphic novel.

To be transparent, I knew I was going to back his first campaign the instant he told me the title, so I have to admit I was relieved to discover how truly wonderful the story is.

Where It’s Available

Copies for consumers and retailers are available on Medina’s website, www.getyourmedz.com. There’s also an “Appearances” tab and where you will find a list of the comic book conventions and comic book store signings where he will have copies for sale. I met him at L.I. Comic Shop in Lynbrook, New York, and I’m sure glad I did.

– J.C. Vaughn