by Joe Grunenwald

One of the largest comic publishers in the world is stepping up to lend a hand to millions of Americans in Puerto Rico.

As reported this morning by the New York Times, DC Comics and Brooklyn-based design studio Somos Arte, LLC are teaming up for a new benefit anthology in support of the Puerto Rican recovery from Hurricane Maria. Produced by Somos Arte and spearheaded by the studio’s owner and creative director, Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto Rico features work by big-name comics creators like Gail Simone, Tony Daniel, Jorge Jimenez, and Mike Allred, as well as by actress Rosario Dawson, singer Rubén Blades, and other Puerto Rican and Latinx celebrities and authors.

In addition to biographical tales and historical stories about the island territory, the book also includes a story in which Miranda-Rodriguez’s original superhero creation, La Borinqueña, teams up with Superman, Wonder Woman, and other members of the Justice League. The 192-page book will be released on May 23rd with a cover price of $19.99, and all profits from Ricanstruction will be donated to organizations assisting in the relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

Ricanstruction joins other recent benefit books like Lion Forge’s Puerto Rico Strong (also dedicated to Hurricane Maria relief), Image’s Where We Live: A Benefit for the Survivors in Las Vegas, and last year’s Eisner Award-winning Love Is Love from IDW and DC. In addition to La Borinqueña, Somos Arte has published graphic novels for DMC and John Leguizamo. The studio also provided the key art for The Hamilton Mixtape and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Almost Like Praying” benefit song for Puerto Rico.

More information about the creators involved with Ricanstruction, as well as links for individuals and retailers to preorder the book, can be found on Somos Arte’s website.