Unearthed: A Jessica Cruz Story
Unearthed is a reimagined origin story for one of DC’s most memorable Green Lanterns, Jessica Cruz. Jessica is a hard-working, academic-minded teenager, who finds her life thrown into chaos when her family is threatened with deportation. While Jessica struggles with the burden of hiding her status as an undocumented immigrant, she receives visions from the Aztec gods, who try to guide her through this difficult time.
Jessica’s growth throughout the story is gratifying to read. As the story progresses, Jessica overcomes her trust issues, and learns to rely on her friends and family for support during hard times. Jessica’s superpowers as a Green Lantern are not the primary focus of the story, though this allows the reader to draw even more inspiration from her unbridled courage and tenacity of spirit.
Rivera’s writing addresses major social issues, including the unfair treatment of immigrants and the importance of recognising and addressing social privilege. Her heartfelt story accurately depicts the tragic consequences of unjust laws, and Jessica’s story will strike a chord with many readers around the world. Jessica goes through a series of intense, high-pressure situations, and the accompanying artwork by Steph C. does a wonderful job of capturing her emotional turmoil. Unearthed is an engaging and thought-provoking read, and the decision to focus on current issues in the social and political sphere is a refreshing approach for the superhero origin tale.
