CALIO

Sigma Comics

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 H.H. German.

He showed me his series about a character he developed that defends animals from harm. I immediately gravitated to the subject matter and let him know that I’m an animal aficionado, therefore his material is right up my alley. 

Now, if you’ve read any of my past articles, you’ll come across a common theme. I’ve always made it a point to include stories about individuals that advocate for animals. 

I asked H.H. German 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. 

Prior to our interview beginning, H.H. German tells me, 

 “Thank you for being an animal lover, first and foremost.” 

Already off to a good start. 

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. 

H.H. German describes New York as, 

“Truly a melting pot.”

However, Calico does not possess any unique powers like Peter Parker. Calico resembles more unconventional heroes, 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 full head mask, crowned by a pair of small bent animal ears. 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, I just gotta say, there may be a handful of Hispanic superheroes out there, like Miles Morales, America Chavez and Joaquín Torres, to name a few. Still, there’s definitely more room for Latin representation in the superhero arena. 

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

“I'm Dominican-American!” 

He shares this proudly, which leads me to share with him that Dominican food is one of my favorites, especially Espaguetis Dominicanos (Dominican spaghetti) and Plátanos al Caldero (Caramelized Dominican plantains).

O my God, now I’m hungry.

Breathe…. 

Shifting gears a bit, I bring up the comparison of John Wick who is famous for seeking vengeance on the criminals that ended the life of his puppy. 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 case, he moves on to the next one. His mission is to penalize the evil scum that abuses animals. Calico also happens to wear a bodysuit, like your typical superhero. Unlike Mr. Wick who wears a suit and tie and seems to be excommunicado every other week from The High Table and that spiffy hotel, The Continental.

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. 

If only there were superheroes in real life…..sigh.

Animal abuse is genuinely a global problem and surprisingly enough, one would presume there would be less in the United States, alas that merely isn’t so.

In Calico’s own stomping grounds, horrifying acts are actively taking place, which propel him into action.

Unfortunately, New York is not alone. 

There are plenty of other states that also have bad apples. In one of my previous articles, I interviewed Justin Goodman. He is an advocacy leader dedicated to ending cruel and unethical animal testing by our government (animal experiments paid for with tax payer money), taking place in NIH labs. The National Institute of Health labs are primarily located in Maryland.

H.H German confides,

“We draw a lot of our stories from the headlines, and it's unfortunate.”

Examples like this are exactly why a superhero is needed in this space. 

Even as a fictional character, Calio could explore this taboo narrative. He can bring attention to real issues like animal abuse that are so rarely represented in literature.  

H.H. German agrees. He says,

“Pop culture has a direct impact on what's known as real culture.”

In all honesty, it’s terribly unsettling just how normalized animal abuse has become. One might beg to differ, but the evidence is clear. Just take a look at our judicial system. Usually cases involving animal abuse get dismissed or the culprit ends up paying a measly fine. 

And with social media being such a prevalent source of entertainment. Many are openly using it to post animal abuse, simply to get clicks, especially teens. The utter disregard for life is worrisome. When young minds grow accustomed to distressful imagery, they may grow into adults who are more likely to condone this harmful behavior. 

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UPDATE (February 2026):

New developments highlight the urgency of this issue and affirm that animal abuse is unfortunately alive and well, far from a work of fiction. 

In January, merely a month ago, a disturbing video started to circulate on social media (Discord primarily) of a dog being tortured during a livestream by a group of adolescent boys. The story has garnered national attention for the senseless brutality of the crime. The dog did not die at the hands of the perpetrators, instead he was abused for hours with nails hammered into his skull and other atrocities that are too sick to mention (The details are so horrifying that if you look up the details or video of this crime, be prepared to be fully traumatized). The dog was later abandoned by the teens left to die alone in unimaginable pain. He was found by neighbors who quickly took him to a veterinarian. The poor dog inevitably had to be euthanized due to the severity of his injuries.

HIS NAME WAS ORELHA

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It’s worth noting that, originally, Calio was geared more towards adults, however, the creator stated that he’s seen the interest in his character grow. Recently, H.H. German decided to widen his audience with more age appropriate storylines. He’s already begun with newer comics of Calio for teens 13 and up. 

By doing so, he can literally make a difference with the youth, influencing the mindset of the reader. Encourage them to respect animals, and the world around them. All the while introducing young teens on how to channel their restless energy into positive and rewarding outlets.  

While not as popular with teens these days, boxing offers an effective way to blow off some steam.

And I say this because Mr. H.H. German’s background is in boxing. Which is an added strength to Calio’s persona, making Calio a phenomenal fighter.  

H.H plays a key role in shaping Calio’s experiences during hand-to-hand combat.

He adds, 

“[I know] what a fighter's thinking, when he's receiving punches, when violence is coming towards him, all the dangers that we have to navigate.”

I must say, I for one can’t wait to see this character go toe-to-toe with Marvel and DC heroes. Definitely a contender! 

And to think, this character came to fruition during the pandemic! A testament to creativity even in the hardest of times. 

Well done Mr. H.H German!