Monday, 1 January 2024
HEXAGON COMICS PRESENTS THE FIRST WESTERN AFRICAN SUPERHERO: THE GUARDIAN OF SENEGAL
Hexagon Comics USA now offers translations of selected titles from the catalog of this 70-year-old French comics publisher. Books can be purchased on amazon or through the website www.hexagoncomics.com. Retailers can purchase them at a 40% discount from distributor Ingram or from the publisher at the website above.
THE GUARDIAN OF SENEGAL
Story: Mouhamadou Moustapha Sy
Art & Cover: Narotam
Adapted into English by Jean-Marc & Randy Lofficier
7x10 square bound trade paperback,
52 p.
b&w,
US$12.95
ISBN-13: 978-1-64932-263-0
The Guardian of Senegal, made his first appearance in The Partisans #2, a story that took place in 1942. Jean-Marc Lofficier, EIC of Hexagon Comics, had wanted to include an authentic African hero rising from the ashes of the French Western African colonial empire.
However, Lofficier felt that the degree of authenticity that he sought would be better served if a Senegalese artistic team could craft his origins.
“I should state that I do not agree, in principle, with the notion that only writers of a certain ethnicity or origin can or should write characters of that same ethnicity, etc.” said Lofficier. “I think talent, research and an open mind can be adequate substitutes. Nevertheless, I can see the wisdom of entrusting Black American heroes such as Luke Cage or Black Lightning to talented Black-American creators, and the results have certainly more than justified that choice.
“However, I confess that I fail to see how the same applies to Black Panther, a character from a fictional Eastern African country. To me, the versions of that character crafted by Don McGregor, Peter Gillis and Jonathan Maberry are just as noteworthy as those produced by Christopher Priest, Ta-Nehisi Coates and Nnedi Okorafor, but still a product of American culture. In my opinion, it would have been more interesting to see what might have happened if Marvel had looked for creators from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia, or South Africa. It took me two years to put together a Senegalese writer-artist team to produce this issue.”
Writer M M Sy is a young Senegalese engineer who first wrote fanfiction before being published professionally. His first novel, Sapiens Vampiris, was published in France in 2021 to critical acclaim. Artist Narotam works as a cartoonist for a Senegalese newspaper.
The story spans a period ranging from 1914 to 1938 and draws on the history of the Senegalese Riflemen who fought during World War I, 30,000 of whom were killed in battle. The keystone is a tragic friendly fire incident that happened at Chateau-Thierry on June 1st ,1918,” explains Lofficier. “American machine gunners mistakenly fired on what they believed to be a night attack by German troops. Instead, they were soldiers of the French 10th Colonial division from Senegal, who had been trying to get back across the river.”
Saturday, 30 December 2023
Movies: The Batman and The Flash. Both Awful?
Okay I watched once, but NEVER again, the Marvel virtue signalling overload of The Eternals and Wakanda Forever. Both total and utter messes to cash in on the "We're relevant" agenda.
So I got Robert Pattinson's The Batman and The Flash. If you are going to tear movies to shreds in a review at least watch them and do not go by the sheep follower reviews online.
The first thing that I thought "Oh gods, no" to was the Rorschach Diary beginning and voice over. I sat there and thought "Oh this is toilet material". Then the movie was over. What?? Yes, the actual acting and story pulled me in and it seemed as though the movie only lasted 10 minutes.
The acting was all spot on and as not really a fan of Pattinson's he won me over. I could not fault anything or any of the actors. The music used as well as the credit and title text were also spot on.
Would I watch it again?
Yes -tomorrow night.
Thank gods for The Flash with its "bad special effects"/"bad editing" and "lame performances" Well, I had to have one movie to roast, right?
Wrong. The opening is light hearted but still deadly serious (the baby wing of a hospital collapsing...oh..and a dog) and it was good to see Affleck as Batman and Gadot as Wonder Woman again -and Aquaman's end credits scene!
How the actual bleep are people seeing this as a "bad movie" or a "car crash movie"? Did they actually go and watch it or just type whatever came out of their asses?
Michael Keaton's scenes were a treat and showed why he is always going to be THE movie Batman. Considering all of the derogatory remarks and comments about Ezra Miller's performance he smashed it as both the more serious and experienced Flash and as his counterpart Barry Allan.
Flashpoint the animated movie had heroes all over the place and a more convoluted plotline and this movie keeps some of those -the re-creation of Barry's chemical/lightning accident for one. There were the light hearted moments and the very serious ones and Miller showed that he is a very good actor so those criticising his performance -you can go chew on my big fat hairy log. The end scenes with Christopher Reeves and Helen Slater, Nicholas Cage and George Reeves gave me goosebumps.
The Flash and The Batman smacked the awful Wakanda Forever and The Eternals down into the sewer where they belong.
Would I watch The Flash again? Not yet. I want to wait a few weeks and then re-watch with a fresh eye but both the DC movies get a 10 out of 10 from me.
Pity Gunn is going to screw it all up after the whole franchise was fecked by the new money-pincher.
Wednesday, 27 December 2023
Cinebook Ltd Newsletter 192 - December 2023
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Saturday, 23 December 2023
Monday, 18 December 2023
Sunday, 17 December 2023
Saturday, 16 December 2023
The Golden Age Superheroine Quartet Complete
Friday, 15 December 2023
Saturday, 9 December 2023
Comics, Graphic Novels, Comics and Books
More Books covering all genres can be found at Black Tower Comic News
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https://comicsshopsnews.blogspot.com/
Black Tower Gold Vol 5 -Back From The Dead
William McCail’s 1940 classic is reprinted for the first time in 60 years.
Comic Bits No. 2
Ed T Hooper-Scharf
A4
B&W
80 pp
£8.00
https://www.lulu.com/shop/terry-hooper/comic-bits-no-2/paperback/product-2ed6pe.html?q=&page=1&pageSize=4
The second issue of the magazine celebrating creators, titles and characters of the British Platinum, Golden and Silver Ages of comics.
In this issue William A. Ward finally gets some long deserved recognition for his contribution to comics John McCail gets "bigged up" something rotten!
We look at comedian and actor Bob Monkhouse's comic creation career
Steve Dowling -Father of the Garth newspaper strip speaks to Denis Gifford (the ONLY interview he ever gave)
There is a look at Dennis M. Reader and his comics work that spawned some of the UKs first super heroes.
also a look at William Fletcher Thomas, Ernest Wilkinson, Jos Walker, Mary Byfield and William H A Chasemore... oh, and LOTS of lovely art and stripwork!
Comic Bits: THE British Golden Age of Comics magazine!
A4
B&W
80pp
Text, comic strips and some rare photographs!
£8.00
The return of THE British Golden Age of Comics magazine!
Interviews with Mike Western, John Cooper and Jon Haward plus a look at Ally Sloper on film, Defining the Ages of British Comics, William McCail plus a lot of art and stripwork.
Streamline and Moon Man #1
Dennis Holmes Wilberton & Friends
80pp
A4
black and white
£8.00
Streamline the Golden Age British speedster and Moon Man get the Black Tower treatment in this one off comic with a difference.
These are new stories and art by Ben R Dilworth and not Golden/Silver Ages reprints