Posted in: Comics | Tagged: africa, Comics, entertainment

From Africa, With Love

Published Tue, 14 Jan 2014 10:15:51 -0600

Sreejita Biswas writes for Bleeding Cool,

"There is always something new out of Africa" – Pliny the Elder, Roman Philosopher

The internet, they say, is a wonderful place. For a girl with limited financial resources and an insatiable love for discovering graphic novels from all around the world, it indeed is the best place to trawl around in. After all, that is where MA was discovered. An adaptation of age old African folklore narrated by the long forgotten ancestors of the land, this is the first of a three part trilogy titled "The Tree of Life".

Away from the steady beats of the tribal drums and distant roars characteristic of the Serengeti, lies a world that very few know about. In a country that is being constantly plagued by issues of war, hunger, politics and poverty, a small group of people strives to prove to the world the importance of making good art.

Inspired by the African fable, 'Indaba, My Children', the roots of the 'Tree of Life' can be traced back to the times when stories were narrated under the moonlit sky by the wise men of the lands. It was only in 1964 that this fantastical tale, about creation and how everything came to be, was written by Credo 'Vusamazulu' Mutwa, high Witchdoctor of the Zulus, when his son was murdered. Perhaps a desperate attempt to preserve the chain of knowledge that was disrupted with the death, Mutwa's determination to not let ancient wisdom die with him led him to not only break the sacred oath of witchdoctors (that only allowed him to pass down the ancient knowledge to his firstborn), but also be labelled as a traitor by his kin. 'Indaba, My Children' till this date remains one of the most revered books in the realm of African literature… a beautiful tapestry woven with tales of Gods, humans and the emotions that engulf them.

While the older generations of the land still look at Mutwa as an unpardonable traitor, the younger people embrace these stories of love, greed, power, loss, and of course, warriors, witchdoctors and Ninavanhu-Ma, the Great Mother, the creator of humankind as a beacon of hope that allows them to bridge emotional divides with such ancient ideas.

Amidst the sea of faces who appreciate Mutwa's sacrifice, is Mark 'Buzzy' McKeown, one of the best known names in the world of African comics. A storyteller and filmmaker, obstacles made McKeown reject the idea of adapting the book into a film and work towards adapting it into a graphic novel. Little did he know that this adaptation would take a painstaking seven years to come to life. He knew even less about the six years he was to spend tracking Mutwa down and arranging for necessary permissions in order to start work. It isn't surprising that, in a moment of humour, McKeown describes his journey as the Genesis cum Lord of the Rings!

By joining forces with illustrator Andre Human (who was a storyboarder in Hollywood films like Judge Dredd 3D, The Scorpion King, etc), MA boasts of artwork that is not only impressive, but painstakingly detailed and does perfect justice to the characters, events and moments of drama that unfurl through the course of the comic. What is unexpected about the artwork is how true it remains to the age old sentiments the fables evoke and how easily a modern day reader is drawn to empathise with them.

In a land where independent comic book creators work in almost a vacuum, this was a step that required a lot of courage. Financial difficulties and the payment of a huge fee (almost 70% of the selling price) to bookstores, are just a few obstacles these storytellers and artists face. But with access to the internet and the wonders of social networking, MA is well on its way to finding recognition internationally.

With a determination to represent and redefine African identity, which largely remains misrepresented through the pages of history, the comic book creators aim to not only take readers to the very beginning of time and creation, but introduce them to a tale that is for all of mankind.

Although the graphic novel is not yet complete, completed chapters are available online as a free read right here.

Sreejita Biswas is a comics columnist for a local daily, Bangalore Mirror, and largely write about the world of Indian comics and how much it has evolved over the years. A freelance writer and editor, she also recently launched a emagazine called StripTease the Mag, which is all about comics, graphic novels and everything akin from all over the world.

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