The Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards was launched by Canadian Immigrant Magazine in 2009 and is currently considered by some as the “Oscars” of immigrant success. Having a Filipino included in the annual Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award not only celebrates the achievements of the individual but also highlights the significant contributions of the Filipino community to Canada's cultural diversity, resilience, and success. To date, there have been 23 immigrants from the Philippines, out of 400 - Narima Dela Cruz and Dr. Rey Pagtakhan (2012); Luisa Marshall (2013); Alberto Rodil and Anna Wolak (2014); Maria Nieves Santos-Greaves (2015); Perla Javate (2016); Florfina Marcelino and Agnes P. Miranda (2017); Loizza Aquino, Isabel Kanaan and Josephine Victoria Yam (2018); Gelaine Santiago (2019); Virginia Guiang-Santoro and Arlene Ruiz (2020); Ida Beltran-Lucila and Edsel Mutia (2021); Patrick Alcedo and Amie Peacock (2022); and Edward Venzon Cruz, Ann Pornel and Winston Sayson (2023).
J. Torres, a renowned comic book artist and writer, is a recipient of the 2024 Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards. His journey, marked by resilience, talent, and a relentless pursuit of his passion, serves as an inspiration to countless individuals.
His family moved to Montreal when he was 4 years old due to political instability brought about by martial law. He learned to read from newspaper comics like Peanuts and Family Circus. A big reader, his imagination had soared so much by Grade 3 that he was writing and drawing his own comic strip for his school paper. At Grade 6, he wrote and directed a play based on an Archie comic. With a clear vision of his future, he graduated high school knowing he wanted to become a writer and specifically aspired to work for the publishers of his beloved superhero comics.
J. Torres went to McGill University, taking courses to hone his writing skills and graduated with a degree Bachelor of Arts in Communications, and later on earned a Diploma in Education, teaching English as a Second Language for adults.
His journey as comics creator began with the self-published Copybook Tales (1996), a collaborative effort with his illustrator friend, Tim Levins. Printed on a humble photocopier, this coming-of-age mini-comic featured characters loosely inspired by himself and Levins, exploring their shared aspirations and challenges as budding comic book creators. The initial success of Copybook Tales led to five more issues and ultimately caught the attention of the independent publisher Slave Labor Graphics. Building upon their success, Torres and Levins joined forces to create Siren (1998), a miniseries released by Image Comics in Portland, Oregon. Their work garnered recognition and opened doors to additional assignments. His dream of writing for the publishers of his superheroes came true in the early 2000s when he wrote some X-Men stories for Marvel and was then hired to write the original Teen Titans Go! series for DC Comics.
J. Torres’ impressive career has since spanned across all major North American comic book publishers, and he has also made significant contributions to the world of Canadian children's literature. His diverse portfolio includes stories featuring iconic characters like Archie, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Batman: Knightwatch, Black Panther, Degrassi: Extra Credit, Ninja Scroll, Rick and Morty, The Simpsons, Wall-E, Wonder Woman, Yo Gabba Gabba, and countless others. For younger readers, Torres has crafted captivating graphic novels such as Stealing Home (Forest of Reading Honour Book and Hackmatack Award winner), Bigfoot Boy (Junior Library Guild and TD Summer Reading Club title), Brobots (Kids' Choice and Parents' Choice award winner), The Mighty Zodiac, How to Spot a Sasquatch, and Planet Hockey.
Beyond superheroes, J. Torres uses his platform to create narratives that reflect his experiences and heritage. His graphic novel Lola: A Ghost Story draws on Filipino folklore and the tradition of storytelling passed down through generations. It showcases not only his cultural roots but also his ability to weave universal themes of family, identity, and belonging.
In 2006, J. Torres was the recipient of the Joe Shuster Award for Outstanding Writer for his work for Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight issues 190-191, Love As A Foreign Language 2-3 and Teen Titans Go! 15-26. The Shuster Award is “Canada’s national award recognizing outstanding achievement in the creation of comic books, graphic novels and webcomics.” On being named Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awardee, “I wasn’t even aware of the awards until I was informed of my nomination, so it was quite a surprise. I think it’s wonderful that the contributions of immigrants are being highlighted, especially these days with all the negative conversations about immigrants and immigration. To be honest, while I’m flattered, I’m also a bit embarrassed to even be mentioned among all these amazing people in the medical field, other sciences, social work, politics, etc.”
J. Torres’ journey is a story of perseverance, passion, and purpose. Through his work, he has proven that no matter where you come from, with determination and a strong sense of self, you can carve out a space for yourself in the world. He continues to inspire a new generation of storytellers and dreamers. His legacy is not only found in the pages of his comics but also in the hearts of those who dare to believe in their own potential, regardless of where they come from. For J. Torres, the journey doesn’t end here. What lies ahead? J. Torres exclaims, “More comic books and graphic novels are on their way!”
Photo credits: Taejon Mikle
*This article was published in the October 2024 issue of the Alberta Chronicle.
**Do you know of a Filipino, or of Filipino-descent artist/creative, or an art and culture event that should be featured? Let us know at PhilippineArtsCouncil@gmail.com.
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