Stephanie Rodriguez’s work always feels like a throwback party to the 90’s. Filled with bright colors, grafitti-esque lettering, and funky geometric patterns, Steph’s comics are always fun! Because of her style, most of her stories about embarrassing moments and unapologetic behavior seem very nostalgic.
For example in her minicomic No Te Hagas La Pendeja (which translates to Don’t Be A Dumbass), Steph reflects on her struggle of being raised by her strict Latina mother. Pressured into visiting her classmate’s house for a school assignment, young Steph is filled with anxiety by the consequences of breaking the “no visits to other homes, unless it’s family” rule. A rule most Latinxs as myself know all too well (I wasn’t even allowed to go to sleepovers until I was in college!).
Another reason why I love Steph’s work is that she’s not afraid to experiment. Unlike her previous comics, Lil Shorties is beautifully printed with a Risograph (for those unaware of Riso, think screen printing meets photocopier), which really works for her style! It contains three short autobio comics about anxiety, slut shaming, and the reality tv show Bachelorette.
I definitely recommend reading Steph’s comics, they’re fun and filled with that good ole Bronx flavor! Check out her Tumblr & her cool portfolio for more work<3
