An Author Interview with Adam Wallenta and Makana Wallenta

Get ready to rock the galaxy with the first volume of Punk Taco – a wildly imaginative, music-fueled sci-fi adventure from father-son duo Adam and Makana Wallenta. Created when Makana was just five years old, this award-winning graphic novel now debuts from Papercutz to entertain and inspire a whole new generation.

Punk Taco, a kind-hearted, guitar-shredding taco-headed hero, leads his band of interstellar misfits in a mission to spread empathy and justice across the stars. With bonus art by acclaimed creators like Chuck D., Art Baltazar, and Scott Chantler, this all-ages romp is equal parts hilarious and heartfelt. For fans of Dog Man, Hilda, and Guardians of the Galaxy – Punk Taco is one taco you’ll never forget!

In this exclusive interview, Adam, an author, illustrator, editor, and educator with nearly 30 years in comics, and his son, 13-year-old Makana, share the origins of their family-made comic, their love of libraries and punk rock, and what it's like blending action, humor, and heart to create a meaningful all-ages comic.

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What inspired you to create Punk Taco?

Makana: What inspired me was hanging out with my dad, and him telling me this funny name he had rattling around in his head. It was a lot of fun to draw with him and create characters.

Adam: Like Makana said, I had the name “Punk Taco” rattling around in my head for years. I thought it was funny and catchy, but I didn’t know what I would do with it. Was it the name of a band, a restaurant, a cartoon? It wasn’t until I mentioned it to Makana while we were hanging out together, playing with Lego and action-figures that a real concept started to form.

When I mentioned it to him, he started to laugh and immediately came up with names for characters and all kinds of story ideas. So many in fact that most didn’t even make it into the first book. Once Makana started drawing the characters and giving them life, I knew I wanted to devote my time to helping him tell a story and create a book that he could be proud of. Kids are only young once and it goes by quickly, so I wanted to capture that time with him and create something together.

What do you hope young readers take away from Punk Taco?

Makana: I hope they take away that no matter what age you are, you can accomplish anything, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Adam: I want readers to be inspired to do the right thing regardless of the odds. I hope Punk Taco can be a hero to kids and inspire them to stand up to bullies and help those in need. In regard to our own personal journey as creators, I agree with Makana, I hope we can inspire both young and old to tell their stories. Whenever I visit schools or libraries, I always tell the audience of young people (as well as the adults) that they are never too young or too old to follow their dreams.

What’s it like working on a book as a father and son team?

Makana: Working on a book together is really fun because we get to constantly hang out together and discuss different ideas and designs for each story. It’s a lot of work but a lot of fun.

Adam: When we first started creating Punk Taco stories together, it was a non-stop whirlwind of silly ideas that made us laugh and it was the most fun I ever had. Nothing was too weird or crazy. It’s been the highlight of my career working with my son, watching him grow as an artist, writer and person and traveling with him to conventions, panels and award-shows, talking to fans, creating original commissioned artwork and seeing the pride he takes in his work. I love it when he comes up with new ideas for stories and characters and I cherish any time we get to spend together.

Sometimes it’s challenging to make time to focus on creating these days since school and his education are the priority and like any young adult, he has other interests such as sports and music. But when our deadlines get tight and we must buckle down and create, it’s always an amazing time and I wouldn’t want to ever do it alone. And now that his younger brother contributes and helps as well, it's twice as fun.

What sets Punk Taco apart from other kids' comics?

Makana: I think what sets it apart is the positive message and the fact that you can see the collaboration between two different generations of creators.

Adam: It’s created by a kid, for kids (young and old!) – so it feels different. It’s wacky, sincere, full of crazy characters, music, action, cool art, amazing colors and a positive message.

We also use a lot of words! We want kids to engage, to learn new vocabulary, and to enjoy reading as much as we do. I grew up reading very verbose comics by writers like Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, and Chris Claremont, and when I didn’t know a word, I took it as a challenge to learn it. Makana was raised on those same books and philosophy, so he grew to become a strong reader at an early age.

I was worried that some kids may feel intimidated, but I found that they really love it no matter how young they are. It’s a great book for adults to read to kids who can’t read, and as kids learn to read themselves, they will grow with the book. They love the characters, art, and colors so they re-read it over and over, meanwhile as their reading skills improve, they will enjoy the story on different levels. Our goal was to create a truly “all-ages” book and when I look at the variety of fans we have met at conventions and signings I think we accomplished that. It’s not a book kids will want to discard because they grew out of it. I believe it’s the kind of book readers cherish that they will want to keep and pass it down.

Do you have a favorite moment or character in the book?

Makana: I love Punk Taco, but I think King Boogar is a really funny name. My favorite moment would probably be when you first see King Boogar and his massive army of countless different species on the very colorful splash page in volume 1.

Adam: I’m partial to Punk Taco since he is the lead and I love the scene when he is first abducted by the squirrel aliens and he realizes that they kidnapped him for his secret recipe. I also enjoy the scene when we first see Philip chasing Punk Taco.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Adam Wallenta is a veteran author, illustrator, and educator with over 30 years of experience in comics, having worked with major publishers like Marvel, DC, and Skyhorse, as well as founding his own company, American Mule Entertainment. He co-created the official Public Enemy comic series with Chuck D and, alongside his wife Dr. Kanani K. M. Lee, developed the Adventures of Geo series to promote Earth sciences in schools worldwide. Adam is also the founder of the popular “HipHop and Comics” panel featured at major conventions like NYCC and SDCC, bringing together artists from both worlds, and he occasionally records his own positive rap records under the name ILLUS. His award-winning Punk Taco graphic novel series, created with his young son, Makana, has earned multiple honors, including the 2019 Ringo Award for Best Kids Comic. When he isn’t making comics or mentoring young artists, Adam can be found spending time with his family, building with Legos, watching old movies, or doing his best to play sports with his kids who are way more coordinated and athletic than he is.

Makana Wallenta co-created, co-wrote, and was the co-artist of Punk Taco when he was 5 years old. (He’s 13 now!) In 2019, Punk Taco won a Ringo Award for Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel at the Baltimore Comic Con. Makana is also the co-host of the Little Kids Big Kids YouTube channel. He's currently working on Punk Taco Volume 3 and 4 with his dad and little brother while keeping up with his school responsibilities.

Find them at www.punktaco.com.