The iPhone, Goya products, and immigration have all served as sources of inspiration for the spoofs on Bodega Ave., an online bilingual comic strip that made its debut two years ago. Created by Drama alums Tatiana Suárez-Pico (’05) and Aurin Squire (’05), along with illustrator Tara López (Parsons ’04), the comic features a motley crew of characters and their wisecracks on politics, urban life and pop culture. The three of them met five years ago as resident assistants at The New School.
 
“We write about stuff that irks us,” says Suárez-Pico. “But we try to tackle it from a humorous perspective.” A recent issue showed how a fork, a phone book, and a flashlight could work as Halloween costumes in these tough financial times. Another issue shows, step by step, how to cook a Puerto Rican turkey (hint: lots of Goya products).
 
Other serious topics that get the funny treatment on Bodega Ave. are global warming, the economy, and gentrification.

“The comic is based on the truth of what we experience,” says Squire, who serves as the main writer. “It’s for people who don’t follow the herd, who are tired of the same opinions.”
“We wanted to give voice Bodega Ave. website  to characters who are multiracial and multicultural,” adds López. “It’s a reflection of real life. Obama is a prime example that mixed individuals are coming to the forefront. There are few minority-driven comics in the industry, and we wanted to fill that void.”
 
Fifty-two postings later, the bimonthly self-financed strip has expanded through a blog, a Spanish translation, word of mouth, and pages on Facebook and MySpace. Visit the Bodega Ave. website for the latest issue.