Hi, everyone! I sometimes get reader mails sent to me by King Features about the syndicated cartoon strip I work on, Mark Trail. This particular letter came through my website email directly. I don’t always have time to respond to everyone, as being a cartoonist/animator is busy work. But today, I had the time. Let’s discuss a recent email I got from an avid reader, in the hopes of clearing up some misunderstandings. I love a teachable moment!
Dear Jules Rivera, As a naturalist, I usually enjoy reading the Sunday version of Mark Trail. The Mark Trail of Sunday November 23, 2025 essentially states that Mexico is part of Central America. It is not. It is as North American as Canada. It is disheartening when even Latinas repeat common misconceptions that serve to create mental boundaries between those in the US and Latin America. Please remember that one-third of the US was originally part of Mexico before it was taken by force. So perhaps it might be better or at least logical to also include the US as part of Central America...?
And Dia de Muertos is just that...no "los" included. That's just the US trying to retranslate from English back into Spanish and getting it wrong.
Thanks for your consideration, CR
Here at Love, Joolz, we appreciate CR’s input. This one made me think quite a bit, so I wanted to address a few salient points in the email.
The Mark Trail of Sunday November 23, 2025 essentially states that Mexico is part of Central America. It is not. It is as North American as Canada.
The comic that CR discusses is the Thanksgiving themed strip I made celebrating everyone’s favorite fall squash, the pumpkin! In the third panel, I made a misstep saying that Mexico is in Central America instead of North America. Now, while that’s geographically true, “North America” covers a lot of ground (9.5 million square miles to be exact). It’s not very specific. My intention with this strip was to discuss the specific historic region of Mesoamerica. If I had to be my own editor, I would change “Central America” to “Mesoamerica” as that more accurately describes the region of North America from which pumpkin seeds originate.
It is disheartening when even Latinas repeat common misconceptions that serve to create mental boundaries between those in the US and Latin America.
My intent with this comic was to celebrate pumpkins, not create boundaries between the US and Latin America. My misstep in labeling Mexico as part of Central America ironically came from a place of creating unity between the people I interact with regularly. In the past, I lived in Los Angeles, and currently reside in San Diego, California. My ancestry is Puerto Rican (Nuyorican if you’re freaky). I am a guest here in California. While, yes, Mexican-Americans make up the majority of Latinx folks here in SoCal, there are people from many parts of Central America here. I have friends and acquaintances who are Mexican, Mexican-German, Afro-Mexican, Guatemalan, Salvadoran, Nicaraguan, Honduran, Cuban and of course Puerto Rican. When in mixed company between these groups, I don’t single out Mexicans as “Oh those guys are the North Americans.” That would be weird. In interacting with all these different cultures of the region, my tourist self interpreted the blend of my SoCal friends as “Central American” in an effort to unify everyone. I came from a place of caring and community, but got my wires crossed.
I understand not everyone wants to be identified as Central American. Being Puerto Rican myself, I wouldn’t qualify as Central AM either, but I also don’t consider myself to be “North American.” I’m barely American-American. Most Americans do not look at me and think “Gosh, what an All-American gal.” I’m only as American as the nearest ICE agent thinks I am.
Also, Latinas are not a monolith. A couple years ago, I made a funny Youtube cartoon about different types of Latinas, joking about common stereotypes and filling in with genuine lived experience. Being Puerto Rican, I can attest first hand my people don’t agree on ANYTHING. Arguing is a love language where I come from. I have Trump voters in my family. What does it even mean to be a regular Latina anyway? Does Latina mean you fight for freedom while putting on make up? Does it mean you have to cross a border to make a life? What if the border crossed you, like it did in my family? There are 75 million Latinx in this world. It’s a bit reductive to assume we all think and act alike. Also, the term “Latino” comes from a French colonial word, describing people from the territory owned by Spain.
See why I call myself Puerto Rican? It’s more specific.
So perhaps it might be better or at least logical to also include the US as part of Central America...?
The Imperialist relationship the United States has with Central America is far too complex to unpack in this article. The short version is the US government may not identify with Central America, but sure likes to act like they own it. Google the Guatemalan Civil War or the Sandinista Revolution for more information.
I have yet to figure out a cutesy way to make comics about Coca-Cola death squads, the Chiquita Banana war or the water rights issues and deforestation in Central America.
And Dia de Muertos is just that...no "los" included. That's just the US trying to retranslate from English back into Spanish and getting it wrong.
*stares in San Diegan
This part of the e-mail gave me the greatest shocked Pikachu face, because I literally live in San Diego and we have just celebrated Dia de los Muertos. All of the celebrations and parties advertised in the area center folks of Mexican decent. This is a border town. Hilariously, I got stuck in Mexico for six hours a couple years back. I had assumed the local Mexicans here in San Diego (and by extension Los Angeles) were Mexican enough to tell me the correct name of their celebration. I’m certainly not in a position to challenge them or question them on it. I’m sure if I “well actually’d” a Mexican local about the true name of Dia de los Muertos, I don’t think that would end well for me. It’s not my place to Mex-splain Mexican culture back to local Mexicans.
So I did some digging. As it turns out, the Spanish-speaking parts of Latin America do call the celebration “Dia de Muertos.” So, yes, “Day of the Dead” is an English translation of that original name. And “Dia de los Muertos” is a retranslation back to Spanish. But I didn’t name the thing. The SoCal Mexican population told me the name. If you have a question about the name of the holiday, please direct your questions to them.
See what I mean when I said not all Latinx agree on stuff?
Thanks so much to CR and their thought-provoking email. I appreciate the passion and dedication readers have to Mark Trail and look forward to receiving more in the future. If you’re shy about me publishing your email, please email King Features directly. They pass those messages along to me and I review them privately. Any Emails sent here to Love, Joolz are subject to publication.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Enjoy some North American pumpkin pie.
-Love, Joolz