Women Recount Their Struggles and Triumphs in IDW’s Voices That Count Graphic Novel Anthology

Spain’s Brightest Female Authors and Illustrators Celebrate Women
Through Nine Inspiring Stories, Presented in English for the First Time

SAN DIEGO, CA (January 13, 2022) – IDW is proud to announce that Voices That Count, an acclaimed Spanish anthology, will be available to English-reading audiences for the first time this June. Brought to life by a host of talented female creators, this graphic novel anthology dissects what it means to be a woman in today’s hyper-masculine world.

Voices That Count highlights and uplifts women’s voices, collecting their stories of life, love, and empowerment. Interacting with everything from the realities of gender imbalance in the workplace — through a gender-flipped lens — to toxic beauty standards taking a toll on the body image of young girls, Voices That Count gives women a space to recount their struggles and triumphs.

“We are so excited to bring this wonderful anthology to English audiences,” says IDW editor Megan Brown. “In a world where the fight for equality is ongoing, it’s unflinching, heartfelt stories like those in Voices That Countthat help us understand different hardships and perspectives, and ultimately show that we are not alone.”

This collection, featuring a cover illustration by Esther Gili and translated by Diego Jourdan Pereira, contains the following stories:

  • “Julio” by Julia Otero and Ada Diez
  • “24 Hours” by Lola Garcia and Agustina Guerrero
  • “The Bug” by Diana López Varela and Akira Pantsu
  • “Empowered” by Estefanía Molina and Ana Oncina
  • “Loneliness” by Eva Amaral and María Hesse
  • “Sexier” by Leticia Dolera and Raquel Riba Rossy
  • “Turtle Steps” by Sandra Sabatés and Sandra Cardona
  • “Over a Banana Skirt” by Almudena Grandes and Sara Herranz
  • “Mzungu” by Patricia Campos and Sara Soler

“Taking part in this anthology has symbolized a kind of personal catharsis for the possibility of giving courage to other women to fight against those pitfalls, sometimes self-imposed, that form in a society where there are still fewer female authority figures in the public-political sphere than male. All this came about through a deep reflection on the impact of life role-models,” says Molina.

“The different situations (herein) are a wake-up call for us to stop punishing ourselves for being ambitious and to believe more in ourselves,” says Oncina. “Being part of this project has made me feel even more united with my colleagues.”

“Joining this project has been the most rewarding experience,” says Sabatés. “It is the most personal work I have done so far, a tribute to the struggle of the great women in my life, and this gives it added emotion. Simply wonderful.”

Voices That Count
ISBN 978-1-68405-917-1
$16.99 US / $22.99 CAN
144-page, full color softcover, 7” x 10”
On-Sale: June 14, 2022

Voices That Count is available for preorder via booksellers and comic book specialty retailers. For more details and pre-order options, visit Penguin Random House or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you.

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