Indian Comics Irregular #115

In an article titled "Navajo Artist Makes Manga" (5/6/04), Indian
Country Today introduced the work of Jessica Moffett. As the piece
explained:

A decade ago, a middle school Navajo girl from Page, Ariz.,
stumbled across a Japanese-style comic book while on a shopping
trip to Flagstaff, Ariz. Today, the 24-year-old woman is author
and illustrator of her own comic book series in the Japanese
comic-book style called manga.

Ms. Moffett's work is particularly noteworthy because it shows
evidence of her Native background:

Soon after Moffett's first encounter with manga, she began drawing
her own stylized black-and-white images, adding elements of science
fiction. The 24-year-old based some of the stories and dialogue on
her Navajo culture and history. Her protagonist, Toby, lives in a
land that has been invaded by another culture. The invaders murder
his parents and destroy his homeland in search of natural resources
and eternal youth.

Because the invaders believe that Toby's DNA offers the key to
immortality, he is separated from his sister, Leona, and adopted
and reared in the invaders' society. Years later as a teen, Toby
seeks out his sister only to discover that she has lost all memory
of him because of experiments carried out by the invaders.

"Some parts of the story resemble Native American history--
genocide, burning of their crops, destruction of livestock, racism,
concentration camps, separation of families and the government
forcing young children to attend boarding schools," said Moffett,
whose mother was sent to an Indian boarding school.

As Ms. Moffett hopefully concluded:

"...[M]y passion and obsession is to produce a comic that not only
is written and drawn by me, but resembles the draftsmanship and
aesthetics of authentic manga. It is my hope that my art will
become indistinguishable from real Japanese manga."

Soon, thousands of middle school kids and young adults who pick up
Moffett's manga will be exploring an art bridge between Japanese
and Navajo culture and history.

So far "Tobias" has appeared in Radio Comix's Mangaphile series
(issues 16-18, 20-21, and 23-24). To find it, visit a comic-book shop
with a large manga section, or go to the store on the Radio Comix
website (www.radiocomix.com). Moffett also illustrated a story for
Antarctic Press's GOLD DIGGER SWIMSUIT #7, available on that company's
site.

Capsule Movie Reviews

"Rabbit-Proof Fence" is one of the best indigenous movies ever made.
The 2002 Australian film tells what happens when authorities kidnap
three aboriginal girls from their mother, ensconce them in a boarding
school, and force them to become "civilized." The girls escape and
trek 800 miles across a barren landscape to reach their home.

Similarly, thousands of Native American children were forcibly removed
to boarding schools. This movie must be the best depiction ever of
that heartrending experience. You can't help but think that stealing
children was part of a master plan to commit cultural genocide.

Rob's rating: 9.0 of 10.

I finally saw Dreamworks' 1999 animated film "The Emperor's New
Groove" (ICI #48). The love/hate relationship between Kuzco and Pacha
was a bit superficial and strained, but the background (landscapes,
architecture, clothing) seemed reasonably Incan. Rob's rating: 7.5
of 10.

Rob Schmidt
Blue Corn Comics