Warrior / Peacemaker

Warrior / Peacemaker: A Graphic Novel Preview

Julian Voloj’s WARRIOR/PEACEMAKER is a work-in-progress graphic novel with illustrations by Claudia Ahlering.

Based on interviews with former activists, Julian Voloj tells the story of the 1971 Hoe Avenue Peace meeting; a gang truce that led to the birth of breakdancing, graffiti, and hip-hop. The central figure of this graphic novel is Benjamin Melendez, the charismatic founder of the Ghetto Brothers, who shortly after the peace summit discovered and reclaimed his Jewish roots.

“Warrior/Peacemaker” is not only a story about gangs in New York, but, in retracing Melendez’s life story, it’s also a tale about the Puerto Rican migration to the US, a history of economic decline in the South Bronx, and a coming-of-age story about a young man struggling with his many identities.

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