21: The Story of Roberto Clemente

By Wilfred Santiago. Published by Fantagraphics Books

Softcover, 200 pages, colour, 2014

Wilfred Santiago’s instant classic 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente is a human drama of courage, faith, and dignity, inspired by the life of the acclaimed Pittsburgh Pirates baseball star who died too young. 21 chronicles Clemente’s life from his early days growing up, through the highlights of his career, capturing the grit of his rise from an impoverished Puerto Rican childhood to the majesty of his performance on the field, and to his fundamental decency off of it. Santiago’s inviting style combines realistic attention to detail and expressive cartooning to great effect.