Coming Clean: 5 questions with Cincinnati graphic novelist Jay Kalagayan

Long before the American Revolution, a hidden community thrived in the Louisiana swamps. The residents were Filipino sailors who escaped servitude aboard Spanish galleons to find a hard-won freedom in the New World. They are the earliest known Asian-American community in North America.

Local writer Jay B. Kalagayan and illustrator Feriowind recently published St. Malo: First Filipinos in North America, a graphic comic series focusing on the untold history of this Filipino settlement. It is a blend of historical fiction and horror.

In their retelling, the sanctuary of the bayou is corrupted by dark superstitions and vengeful spirits carried across the Pacific. What began as a quest for liberty becomes a fight for survival against “dark things” hunting for blood.

We recently caught up with Kalagayan, who has adopted a mission to center Asian Pacific American narratives that have long been sidelined.

Here’s what he shared with us:

1) How did you first hear about St. Malo and why did you want to write about it?

I first heard about St. Malo at a comic con. An attendee told me about the first Asian settlement in North America, and it blew my mind. The fact that there were Filipinos building a stilt village outside of New Orleans before the Declaration of Independence—before there even was a United States—just floored me.

At this stage in my life, I’m really looking for a creative spark that meets my heritage. As a Filipino-American, I feel a real kinship with these people who lived on the lake, making a life and surviving in “the land of the free.” 

2) Why graphic novels?

I’ve been a comic book collector since I was 9. My first was Avengers #210, “Wrath of the Weatherman,” and I’ve found solace in panel-to-panel storytelling ever since. There’s something about it that transcends language, movies or TV. It’s a medium where you control time—you can slow things down or speed them up just by how you engage with the page. It’s the best way I know to put a spotlight on hidden history.

3) What fuels your passion?

My daughters. They inspired me to seek out more diverse entertainment for them, and I also wanted to contribute something myself. That’s why I created the MeSseD sewer science fiction series. It features a strong lead who is a woman and Asian. Now, when I take my girls to the comic shop or the bookstore, they see someone who looks like them on the shelves.

4) Do you have a guiding principle when it comes to your graphic novels?

At Creative Mussel [Kalagayan’s indie publishing company], we live by the “Three Es.” First is Entertainment. That’s the job. If we do that right and show the joy in the story, it leads to Education. That might mean wondering what happens after you flush (like in MeSseD) or exploring identity through hidden history (like St. Malo or Filipino Assassin). If the stars align and we really connect with the reader, we hit that third E: Enlightenment.

5) If you were tossing a coin into the Tyler Davidson Fountain regarding storytelling, what would your wish be?

I’d wish for our stories to provide a window into a world different from the reader’s own, while still feeling empathetic. And for the readers who really connect with the work, I hope those windows eventually become doors.

Learn more about Kalagayan’s journey to St. Malo on his blog, or purchase the graphic comic here.