Land of Mirrors by María Medem in Washington, DC

María Medem explores the dreamlike world of “Land of Mirrors” at Lost City Books in a conversation with SPX director Warren Bernard.

Join Spanish illustrator and graphic novelist María Medem for a conversation on her latest work, Land of Mirrors, at Lost City Books in Washington, DC. Medem will be in discussion with Warren Bernard, Executive Director of the Small Press Expo (SPX), as they explore the evocative imagery, color composition, and narrative depth of her graphic novel.

Through a visually rich dialogue, Medem and Bernard will analyze key scenes from Land of Mirrors, delving into its themes of solitude, memory, and human connection. Attendees will gain insight into Medem’s artistic process, from her use of color to create emotional landscapes to the influence of folklore and personal experiences in her storytelling. The conversation will be followed by an audience Q&A and a book signing.

Land of Mirrors

Antonia is the sole inhabitant of a deserted town, with only a roaming pack of dogs and her own worn out memories to keep her company. Nothing is new in this world, the ponds are so still they are dead, and her recollections feel more vivid than her surroundings. At times, the isolation is unbearable. Until she meets her flower. Her flower gives her purpose: a reason to get up each morning, to ring the bells of the town, to wake up the fields, and to feel alive. And yet a relentless thought eats away at her—what will happen once her flower dies?

Her quest to save the flower begins alongside a charming traveler from the land of mirrors. The pair embark on a journey filled with music, swimming holes, and folk tales whispered late into the starry night. They march through the fields to the beat of turtledove calls, occasionally stopping to get drunk off the fruits of the strawberry tree. Slowly Antonia opens up to the world beyond her town, to the people who inhabit it—and to the endless possibilities of community and friendship.

Translated from Spanish by Aleshia Jensen and Daniela Ortiz.

Maria Medem’s book is strange, in the best possible way. For a while, in the middle, I got lost in the labyrinth and broken mirrors. Then the ending wallops you with emotion. I’m humbled by a book like this—the visuals, in general, blow my mind. A beautiful and mesmerizing work of art.

—Craig Thompson

María Medem

María Medem (1994) was born and lives in Seville, Spain. She began self-publishing fanzines after completing her fine arts studies. She’s been published by Terry Bleu (Netherlands), Studio Fidèle (France), and Apa Apa Cómics (Spain). Her latest two books, Cénit and Por Culpa de una Flor, (the Spanish edition of Land of Mirrors), were published by Apa Apa, the latter in collaboration with Blackie Books. In between comics work, María also spends time illustrating, animating, and going on walks with her greyhound.

Warren Bernard

Warren Bernard is the Executive Director of the Small Press Expo (SPX) independent sequential art festival, and is a comics-focused writer and historian. He co-authored the Eisner Award-nominated book Drawing Power, and has extensively researched and written about the 1950s Juvenile Delinquency / Senate Comic Book Hearings. A contributor to more than a dozen books, he often provides rare materials from his own extensive collection. Both the Library of Congress and The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) have hosted his lectures. He lives in Bethesda, Maryland.