Isabella Reed
The Hernandez brothers, also known collectively as Los Bros Hernandez, are a trio of pioneering American cartoonists: Mario Hernandez (b. 1953), Gilbert Hernandez (b. 1957), and Jaime Hernandez (b. 1959). Together, they reshaped the landscape of American comics with their revolutionary series Love and Rockets, a cornerstone of the alternative comics movement that emerged in the early 1980s. Their distinctive voices, thematic complexity, and unapologetic focus on cultural authenticity have earned them acclaim across both mainstream and underground audiences, transforming the perception of what comics can achieve as both literature and art.
Early Life and Cultural Roots
Born into a Mexican-American family and raised in the working-class city of Oxnard, California, the Hernandez brothers were steeped in a rich cultural environment that deeply influenced their creative output. Their upbringing was marked by a blend of American pop culture and traditional Mexican values. The siblings were raised by a supportive mother who encouraged reading and nurtured their fascination with storytelling through books and comics. She was a major influence in developing their love for narrative and illustration.
From a young age, the brothers devoured comics across a broad spectrum: superhero staples like Fantastic Four and Spider-Man, humor titles like Archie, and the raw, irreverent energy of 1960s and 70s underground comix. They were also inspired by monster movies, pulp novels, sci-fi television, and rock and roll, all of which contributed to their eclectic storytelling palettes. This blend of cultural references helped form the unique tone of their later work—one that balanced gritty realism with surrealist fantasy and emotional sincerity.
Oxnard’s diverse, multicultural environment played a vital role in shaping their creative worldview. The brothers witnessed firsthand the tensions and solidarities within Mexican-American communities, and they infused their stories with the voices, rhythms, and visual textures of these lived experiences. The Southern California punk rock scene, which both Jaime and Gilbert were active participants in during the late 1970s and early 1980s, further influenced their aesthetic and narrative sensibilities. The punk ethos—DIY creativity, rebellion against mainstream norms, and authenticity—would become a driving force behind their approach to comic-making.
The Birth of Love and Rockets
In 1981, frustrated by the limited representation of people like themselves in mainstream comics, the brothers self-published the first issue of Love and Rockets under their own banner. This black-and-white comic book quickly caught the attention of readers and creators who were seeking something fresh, honest, and emotionally intelligent. Within a year, they partnered with Fantagraphics Books, who began publishing the series in 1982 and helped bring their work to a national audience.
Love and Rockets was groundbreaking in both its artistic innovation and its approach to storytelling. Each issue functioned like an anthology, with Jaime, Gilbert, and occasionally Mario contributing independent storylines under a unified publication. This model allowed the brothers to develop unique artistic voices while sharing a creative vision rooted in cultural specificity, realism, and narrative experimentation.
The comic immediately stood out from its contemporaries for its ambitious blend of slice-of-life realism, science fiction, magical realism, social critique, and deep character development. It was one of the first American comics to feature authentic depictions of Latino life and culture, as well as strong, multidimensional female protagonists. The richly serialized nature of their stories allowed for characters to age, change, and evolve over time—an uncommon practice in comics at the time.
Gilbert Hernandez (b. 1957): Palomar and Magic Realism
Gilbert’s primary contribution to Love and Rockets is the legendary “Palomar” saga, a narrative epic set in a fictional Latin American village filled with vibrant characters, intergenerational drama, and magical realism. The town of Palomar becomes almost a character in itself, a locus where the ordinary and the fantastical blend seamlessly. Echoing the literary styles of Gabriel García Márquez and Isabel Allende, Gilbert creates a world where miracles, ghosts, and legends are interwoven into everyday life.
The stories explore complex themes such as identity, politics, sexuality, trauma, and resilience through a cast of unforgettable characters—most notably Luba, a strong-willed, complex woman whose personal journey touches on motherhood, sexuality, and the burdens of history. Gilbert’s ability to craft intimate character portraits within sweeping narrative arcs has drawn comparisons to Faulkner and Balzac.
His stories are known for their raw emotional honesty, brutal depictions of violence, and unsentimental yet deeply empathetic treatment of marginalized lives. Over the decades, Gilbert has continued to expand the Palomar universe across multiple titles and stand-alone graphic novels, further enriching the cultural tapestry of his fictional world.
Jaime Hernandez (b. 1959): Locas and Punk Culture
Jaime Hernandez’s contribution to Love and Rockets is the equally influential “Locas” series, which follows the lives of two Chicana women, Maggie Chascarillo and Hopey Glass, as they grow up, fall in and out of love, chase dreams, and navigate adulthood in the fictional East L.A.-inspired town of Hoppers. The Locas stories are deeply embedded in the punk and alternative culture of 1980s Southern California and combine elements of romance, sci-fi, working-class realism, and feminist subtext.
Jaime’s artistic style is defined by clean lines, expressive body language, and dynamic panel compositions influenced by both classic American comic strips and modern graphic storytelling. His characters are deeply human—flawed, funny, resilient, and constantly evolving. One of his most radical decisions was allowing his characters to age in real time, charting their personal growth and emotional developments across decades of publication.
The Locas series has been particularly influential in its depiction of LGBTQ+ identities, strong female friendships, and its commitment to intersectionality. Maggie and Hopey’s on-again-off-again relationship, in particular, has resonated with readers for its realism and emotional depth. Jaime has received widespread praise for his nuanced portrayal of women, which has earned him a devoted following among feminist readers and critics.
Mario Hernandez (b. 1953): Occasional Collaborator
Mario, the eldest of the trio, played a pivotal role in conceptualizing and launching Love and Rockets. Although he contributed fewer stories than his brothers, his early participation helped establish the series’ direction and thematic tone. Mario’s contributions often leaned toward fantasy, political satire, and metafiction, adding diversity to the anthology’s voice.
While he eventually stepped back from regular comic production, Mario has remained a steadfast supporter and behind-the-scenes collaborator. His occasional appearances in later issues—whether through short stories or guest illustrations—continue to demonstrate his distinctive humor and worldview, which complement the more grounded styles of Gilbert and Jaime.
Legacy and Influence
Love and Rockets reached its 50th issue in 1996, concluding its first volume. Since then, the brothers have launched several new volumes, hardcover reprints, and solo projects, continuing to develop their fictional worlds and characters. Their work has been collected in numerous acclaimed editions, including The Love and Rockets Library, which organizes the material into character-focused volumes for new generations of readers.
Over more than four decades, Jaime and Gilbert have earned a place among the most respected and influential cartoonists in the world. They have won numerous awards, including the Harvey Awards, Inkpot Awards, the Kirby Award, and a United States Artists Fellowship. In 2017, they were honored with the PEN Center USA Graphic Literature Award for Excellence.
Their influence extends beyond comics, touching literature, film, and academia. Love and Rockets is studied in college courses on Latinx literature, feminist theory, queer studies, and graphic narrative. They have inspired countless artists of color and independent creators who see their work as a blueprint for authenticity and innovation in storytelling.
Notably, their commitment to independent publishing and artistic freedom has helped define the ethos of alternative comics. By refusing to conform to mainstream industry norms, Los Bros Hernandez opened doors for others to explore personal, political, and culturally specific stories through the medium of comics.
Jaime and Gilbert Hernandez have spent more than forty years expanding the boundaries of what comics can express. Through Love and Rockets, they’ve built a vast, interconnected universe that celebrates complexity, diversity, and the beauty of everyday lives. Their characters are not superheroes in the traditional sense—but they are heroic in their resilience, their humanity, and their authenticity.
As individual creators and as collaborators under the banner of Los Bros Hernandez, they remain pillars of the alternative comics movement—visionary storytellers whose legacy continues to shape the evolution of the medium. With each new volume of Love and Rockets, they remind readers of the transformative power of storytelling rooted in culture, community, and uncompromising artistic vision.
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