IBPA Publishing University 2026

DUKEScomics is an award-winning, international small press specializing in bilingual graphic novels that merge futurism, borderlands culture, and BIPOC representation. Founded by writer Dr. Elvira Carrizal-Dukes, a Xicana from southern New Mexico, and illustrator and animator Ronnie Dukes, a Black Chicago native, the duo’s work combines cultural heritage, speculative storytelling, and dynamic visual art. Their published works include the action/mystery illustrated narrative A.W.O.L.: Cruz Ochoa and the sci-fi adventure Daizee & the DUKES of Chuco: Chuco-Juárez World Rally available in English, Spanish, Japanese, and German. DUKEScomics has earned multiple honors, including the IBPA Innovative Voices Award, the International Latino Book Author Award, the Outstanding Emerging BIPOC Creator Award from Latinx Pop Lab, Ad Astra Media, and UT English for Comics, Animation, Education, and Outreach, and the El Paso Black Business & Community Awards Arts & Entertainment Business of the Year. Their work has been exhibited internationally at Tokyo Comic Con (Japan), The Leipzig Book Fair Manga Comic Con (Germany), FIL Guadalajara (Jalisco, Mexico), and Con-Front (Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico). Notable U.S. appearances include the American Library Association (Chicago and San Diego), Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), BIPOC Pop, The Latinx Comic Arts Festival, Latino Comics Expo, Texas Latino Comic Con, and Chuco Con (El Paso, TX). As teaching artists and arts advocates, E.C. and Ronnie lead comics workshops at the El Paso Museum of Art, collaborate with organizations such as the McCall Neighborhood Center and Doña Ana Arts Council, and co-founded the Sun City Children and Teens Comic Arts Festival, helping young creators publish and market their work. Their mentorship program launched its first comic by a 14-year-old high school student from El Paso. Their work has been recognized in academic publications including Community Literacy Journal, Routledge, Parlor Press, Label Me Latina/o, Riot of Roses Publishing House, Xicanxfuturism, and the Latinx Visions Anthology. DUKEScomics also partners with health researchers to create graphic medicine addressing borderland health issues. Married for 20 years, they began their creative journey with Elvira's national award-winning play Father’s Shadow / Sombra del Padre. Ronnie's artwork has been awarded and featured by the Annual Comics Studies Society Conference and the Annual New Mexico Conference on Aging. DUKEScomics’ motto: Visualizing the future through comics. To learn more, visit https://dukescomics.com/.