Meet Henry Barajas | Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Henry Barajas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Henry, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
The one thing I want folks to understand is that there’s a comic for everyone. If you don’t read comics it’s like saying you don’t read novels, listen to music, or watch film. Sequential art dates back to the cave drawings. The comic book medium, also known as graphic novels or manga, is one of our most versatile storytelling devices. I’d also want to make folks aware that it’s important to support comics by BIPOC and of all genders. Unfortunately, the industry has regressed and we’re seeing it more in comics than any other business sectors abandoning DEI programs.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I try not to compare myself to my peers, but the comic book industry is such a small business; therefore, I have been guilty of gauging where I stand with “others.” I think I had a unique kind of life experience. The highs and lows of it have given me the fortune to tell stories. I’ve had the privilege and opportunities to fine-tune my craft and find ways to use sequential art and the comic book medium to tell stories. I would say being a poor guy from South Tucson and not a white guy whose mom was a lawyer at WB helped me get opportunities putting me at a significant disadvantage. I literally slept on a mattress I found on the curb when I first moved to Los Angeles. I was broke with a capital B. I learned that you have to make comics to get paid to write comics. The short stories I help tell from soup to nuts are what got me full-time work in comics. I hope that my career longevity and work tell the world that I will keep making comics until my dying breath.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I always tell people to go to Kettle Glazed Doughnuts for the best doughnuts in Los Angeles. I spent two years working there, so I fell in love with Franklin Village. After you’ve had your doughnut and coffee, walk over to Clark Street Diner for breakfast. It’s connected to an old hotel that has receipts from a bunch of favorite celebrities like The Beatles, Adam West, Audrey Hepburn, and Tommy Lee Jones. Now walk off that breakfast by going up to Bronson Canyon to walk through the Batcave location that was used for the 1968 Batman television series. If you’re a cineophile, go see a movie at Los Feliz, Vista, or any of the Laemmle Theaters. The Central L.A. library is magnificent, but any branch will make you fall in love with books again. I would go down to Golden Apple Comics or one of the many Collector’s Paradise locations where passionate comic book sellers will show you a new favorite series that you’ll be telling all your friends. For dinner, go to any sidewalk taco vendor and indulge in some of the best food of your life.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I recently launched a Kickstarter to fund “Death to Pachuco” with Rachel Merrill. We’re making a comic about the Sleepy Lagoon Murder Trial and 1943. Zoot Suit Riots. I couldn’t have launched my most successful crowdfunding campaign without her and all of our backers. I’m lucky to have had the kind of career I have because so many people want to see me do well and support my various projects like DTP. Rachel is such a smart and creative force, and I can’t wait for the world to see her at work when we complete the first issue in the summer.

Website: https://linktr.ee/henrybarajas

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/henryjbarajas/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henry-barajas-b463b326/

Image Credits
Alfonso Carrion