(frequently appearing as Nicolas Mann or Nicolas Mand in bibliographies) was a contemporary of Merida who shared space in several of the same anthologies. These artists were part of a collective of creators who pushed boundaries in gay visual storytelling during the 1990s, often published alongside others like David Spero and Kent Nelson . Historical Context
Present-day (1981). Rolando becomes obsessed with Bram Stoker’s Dracula . He begins to see Mand as Count Dracula—a predator who is also a victim of his own monstrous system. In a brilliant 8-page silent sequence, Rolando redraws scenes from Dracula with the genders swapped: Mina is a man; Lucy is a male prostitute; Van Helsing is a closeted priest. Every panel is annotated with the word DORMIDOS in blood-red ink.
: Many comics now include gay characters, offering representation and diverse storylines. For instance, characters like Northstar in the X-Men comics and the protagonist of "The Lonesome Cowboy and the H-Bomb" are examples of gay representation in comics. --- Rolando Merida Comic Gay Dormidos Stoker Mand
The "gay dormidos" (gay asleep) motif is revolutionary: Instead of the tragic queer death, Merida proposes the queer sleep —a state of rest, resistance, and rebirth. To be dormido is to survive.
For those researching these specific titles, physical copies are primarily found in archival collections such as the MSU Comic Art Collection or specialized antiquarian bookstores like Bolerium Books . (frequently appearing as Nicolas Mann or Nicolas Mand
The comic ends ambiguously. Rolando returns to Guatemala to confront the aging Mand, now a municipal judge. They meet in a cantina. Mand has become fat, bald, and perfectly ordinary . He doesn’t remember the jungle. That night, Rolando draws him one last time: Mand asleep in a cheap hotel bed, mouth open, a small bat perched on his chest. The final caption reads: "Los muertos no duermen. Los dormidos están vivos. Pero él está muerto." (The dead do not sleep. The sleepers are alive. But he is dead.)
This is not an incidental detail but the narrative engine. The comic explores forbidden desire during the Latin American dictatorships, coded glances in cantinas, and the radical act of drawing two men loving each other at a time when homosexuality was criminalized in most of the region. Rolando becomes obsessed with Bram Stoker’s Dracula
If you find a yellowed copy in a Mexico City librería de viejo , wrapped in butcher paper, with a mandrake root pressed between pages 32 and 33: buy it. And then tell us we were wrong.
: Mérida was a frequent contributor of illustrations and drawings for this adult fiction magazine. His work appeared in various issues, including:
Rolando Merida is a talented comic book creator known for his captivating storytelling and striking visuals. His work often explores themes of identity, culture, and social justice, resonating with readers from diverse backgrounds. While I couldn't find specific information on Merida's work titled "Gay Dormidos Stoker Mand," his commitment to representing underrepresented voices in comics is evident throughout his body of work.