Not what you think from the title. If you are looking for a belated Christmas present for the thoughtful, creative person in your life--send them to Comicsmix for this graphic series interpreting the first superstar athlete of modern times: boxer Jack Johnson (whom James Earl Jones immortalized in "The Great White Hope"). 2008 is the centennial of Johnson rise to national prominence--in an era of unprecedented, virulent racial violence (and similarly immortalized in Doctrow's "Ragtime").
The Original Johnson is eyepopping and intelligent. None of the rote "fantasization" crap involving classic realfolk, as so decreed by publishers seeking gimmicks. This is visceral, exciting and enlighting stuff. Seldom does the New York Times laud a four color comic or graphic novel. They have. Check it out before the holidays end and the real world starts again January 5...
The Original Johnson is eyepopping and intelligent. None of the rote "fantasization" crap involving classic realfolk, as so decreed by publishers seeking gimmicks. This is visceral, exciting and enlighting stuff. Seldom does the New York Times laud a four color comic or graphic novel. They have. Check it out before the holidays end and the real world starts again January 5...
5 comments:
Can I buy these in hardcopy? They seem to be free online.
Thanks for the tip Mr Chambers.
Are you going a top ten lists of your favorite books in 2008?
I ask because (and I know this sounds ass-backwards) I just finished "the best of 2007". I make a effort not to buy duds so I check out the top ten lists of different sites and stores. It doesn't always prevent me from making mistakes but it does give me a little direction.
Read vols 1-3. Me likes. Too advanced for my son but my niece and nephews might get into this. Thanks!
This is what I get for never, ever reading the sports section. I should've known about this.
Thanks for hipping us to it.
Immortalized also by Miles Davis.
... They will never let me forget it, I am BLACK all right, I'll NEVER let them forget it!
He figured it out that "being" BLACK is a figment, a political construct.
As with miles Davis he Strived NOT to be loved, and you can say that his MOTO was (like mine) - To obliterate any necessity of proving a thing.
He lived large!
He was free!
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