Wild Vol. 1 Cover (2022)

11x14 cover to Wild: Or So I Was Born to Be, Vol. 1, published by Oni Press in 2022. Title overlay by James Pascoe.

I'm still an avid comics reader and believe that, overall, the creativity and artistry in contemporary comics is at a high point, especially if one reads further afield than the Big Two, Three, or Four. Cristian Castelo’s Wild was a book I took a chance on a few years ago, primarily on the strength of this cover.

I've been attracted to Castelo's art ever since and purchased another piece by him previously. Its fluidity, dynamism, and playful approach to figure rendering and layout struck me as exactly the kind of work I'd like to see more of on the stands, particularly for younger readers weaned on manga.

Wild, Castelo's ongoing work, is intended for young adults but its themes and high level of overall execution make it a crackling read for older readers as well. Part coming-of-age story and part action-packed roller derby extravaganza, the book follows Wild Rodriguez, a high school freshman who longs for little more than to join her local roller derby team.

As you can probably glean from the cover, Wild does make the team and subsequently faces off with the many dangerous teams in the roller derby league. Trash-talking, fisticuffs, and intense action ensue. Along the way, Castelo also peppers in character-building moments for Wild, often centered around her inability to speak Spanish and the shame she feels as a result.

The cover crystallizes many of the themes in this first volume of the series. Wild gets knocked on her behind…a lot. However, despite the personal and roller derby setbacks she encounters throughout the book she remains determined, as Castelo renders so adeptly in the look on Wild's face. She looks poised to spring up once more rather than defeated.