CALIO

Okay, here we go!!!!!!!

I can’t express how much it means to me the outpouring support I have received from my readers, who have never faltered. Your support and encouragement has meant the world to me. I’ve said it before and will continue to do so…… 

Thank you.

I previously made you all aware of my situation concerning my mother’s declining health. Making it rather difficult to dive into projects that I used to so seamlessly juggle in the past. Nowadays, my cup is full. However, when I do have free time, I manage to use my time accordingly. Recently I attended none other than the New York Comic Con this year. I had a great time! I came across a lot of fun, talented and creative people. One person especially piqued my curiosity.  

HIs name is, name H.H. German.

If you’ve read any of my past articles, you’ll see a theme. I always, always make it a point to include articles about people stepping in and advocating for animals that do not have a voice.

I asked him if I could interview him. I thought, what a perfect way to get my feet wet again.  

He so graciously agreed, and now here we are. 

So… 

First things first.

Who is this superhero that goes around saving animals and putting bad guys away? 

Well?

I introduce you to… 

CALICO

His origin story sounds like your typical superhero inception, but with a twist.

For starters, Calico is indeed from the Big Apple like so many Marvel super heroes. Most notably, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. The creator of Calico, H.H. German is a native New Yorker as well, born and raised in the Boogie Down Bronx  However, Calico possesses no real powers, kind of like the Punisher. Calico’s power seems to come from within, as he heavily relies on his moral compass and compassion when pertaining to defenseless animals. Making him a fierce and needed protector that won’t hesitate to use any means necessary to achieve his desired results, whether it be brute strength or manipulative tactics. The end goal justifies the means. 

Calico’s real name is Hector Gill. He dons a dark fitted suit along with a mask that has small bent animal ears atop his head. His main focus is to weed out animal abusers in the city.

H.H. German drives the point home by saying, 

“Every night, [Hector] throws on the Calico suit, and he goes after those a-holes with extreme justice!”

I couldn’t agree more. 

H.H German describes Calico as a darker character. An anti-hero.

You see, Calico's quite different. He comes from a dark past. A former burglar that’s turned vigilante, stalking the city’s underbelly. A tragic loss in his life propelled him to make the shift from retired criminal to guardian of animals. It also helps that Hector Gill aka Calico is not a people person, therefore, he’s naturally inclined to come to the aid of creatures, big or small. His past involvement in illicit activities and personality traits make him an ideal candidate to step into this new role, and it’s certainly befitting.  

H.H. German also shares with me that Calico is of Latin descent. Which I absolutely love, being Latina myself. Now, we do indeed have a few Hispanic superheroes like Miles Morales for example, but it certainly couldn’t hurt to have more representation out there. 

H.H. German adds that he too is Latino, 

“I'm Dominican-American!”

Upon speaking with H.H German, I bring up the comparison of John Wick who is famous for seeking revenge, due to the heartbreaking death of his puppy at the hands of criminals. 

He acknowledged that he’s heard the comparison several times. And he also adds that he thinks Keanu Reeves is an excellent actor.

However, let’s be clear, they are very different. 

Calico continuously is on the hunt for animal abusers as a whole. As soon as he’s done with one, he moves on to the next one. His mission is to penalize the evil scum that abuses animals. Calico also wears a bodysuit like your typical everyday superhero. Unlike Mr. Wick who wears a suit and tie and seems to be excommunicado every other week.

I merely asked the question to play devil’s advocate because clearly the only similarity between the two, is their love for animals and kicking ass. 

A couple of things that standout to me about Calio is his sleek costume and his love for animals. I personally think Calio’s reach is only going to expand and he’s without a doubt going to appeal greatly to the younger generations. Even though Calio is geared more towards adults, the creator stated that he’s seen the interest in his character grow and is looking forward to widening his audience with more age appropriate storylines down the line.