Vault Comics has released the first look at Travis Muñoz and the Aztec Fire by Emmy Award-winning actor and UN Women spokesperson Carla Souza. The book is “an intermediate grade graphic novel about Aztec mythology, best friends, and baseball from breakout creators Mark Stack and Ann Marcano.”
Read more from the publisher below.
Before the eclipse changed everything, Travis Muñoz’s biggest problems were his math class and whether he’d be able to play on the same baseball team as his best friend Yolanda. Now, Travis has to deal with being told by his uncle Hector that he has been chosen to be the next priest-warrior of the Aztec sun god. That means it’s his job to make sure the sun rises every morning. And it’s his job to fight the winged snake men who attack randomly. Travis could probably manage both of them if it weren’t for the fact that Yolanda seems upset that she was chosen over him. At least it’s not the end of the world…yet.
“I wrote this book for one person, and one person only, my niece,” Stack said. “She’ll be 11 years old when this book comes out, and that’s when I started thinking about a lot of the ideas that come up in it. How am I different from my friends? How am I different? Why do we have this commonality, this common heritage, and how come we don’t talk about it?” Like our character Travis, I didn’t really know how to talk about it or who to talk to about it. I felt a little disconnected from the language and the people I needed to talk to about it. Travis and Yolanda, our book’s co-leader, are both Mexican-American, but their families and experiences are very different, and much of their conflict is at first trying to pretend those differences don’t exist, and then trying to pretend that those differences don’t exist. It starts with believing that things are mutually exclusive. I want kids like my niece to understand that there is no expiration date when it comes to connecting with their heritage and embracing a larger community that doesn’t fit into one easily defined box.”
“There’s a void in the world of children’s fantasy books, especially for kids like me who grew up Mexican-American and are hungry to see themselves in the stories they love,” Souza said. “This book fills that void with thrilling adventures, rich Mexican mythology, and characters who reflect the beauty of our culture, our names, our family dynamics, and our strength. Finally, we have a story that will make our children feel seen, celebrated, and connected to their ancestors. We’re so excited to share this book with the world.”
Travis Muñoz and Aztec Fire is scheduled to be released in bookstores and comic booksellers in April 2026. Take a peek at the art below.
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