Sundiata: A Legend of Africa

by Will Eisner

A retelling in comic strip form of the African epic in which an ugly, crippled child grows up to become the liberator and founder of the great empire of old Mali.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Africa, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Folklore

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

William Erwin Eisner was an American cartoonist, writer, and entrepreneur. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the American comic book industry, and his series The Spirit (1940–1952) was noted for its experiments in content and form. In 1978, he popularized the term "graphic novel" with the publication of his book A Contract with God. He was an early contributor to formal comics studies with his book Comics and Sequential Art (1985). The Eisner Award was named in his honor and is given to recognize achievements each year in the comics medium; he was one of the three inaugural inductees to the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame.

Reviews

[Hosein · Rating 5 out of 5]

اگه براتون سواله که چرا اسم ویل آیزنر روی معبترترین جایزه ی کمیکه، کافیه همین یک کار رو بخونین و یادتون باشه که حتی بهترین کارش هم نیست، ولی داستان و طراحی ها شگفت انگیزن.

[Miroku Nemeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was nice to read the tale of Sundiata in a comic book form by the great comic book artist Will Eisner. It could be more developed in many ways, but still was good.

I was able to read it online here:

https://archive.org/details/sundiata0...

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sundiata is my first ever Will Eisner read. While I did enjoy it, it probably was not the best place in Eisner's catalog to start.

Sundiata is a well drawn and well told rendition of an African folk tale. I am not exactly well versed in African folk tales, so the story was new to me, and I felt Eisner delivered it well. Although there wasn't necessarily anything explicitly wrong with it, I didn't feel it was particularly stand out. It serves its purpose, and makes for an enjoyable few minutes worth of reading.

Suitable for all ages, I would recommend it to any age looking to read a graphic rendition of an African folk tale. If you're new to Eisner like I was, perhaps start with one of his better known works first.

[Ana Dantas · Rating 3 out of 5]

É um livro infantil, e isso me causa sentimentos mistos. Eu acho que é simples demais para uma criança maior de 8 anos (santa pizza, crianças não são burras, sabe) mas não me pareceu algo que chamaria a atenção de uma criança com MENOS de oito anos. Achei as imagens muito iguais, não muito chamativas.

[Rex Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who are used to Will Eisner’s more mature books, this is a children’s book and written for that demographic. This was part of a series of children’s tales he adapted along with Don Quixote and The Princess and the Frog. The author doesn’t skimp on his artwork, but if the story seems a bit thin, that’s because it wasn’t aimed for a more experienced reader. I still picked it up, due to being a huge Eisner fan.

The tale of Sundiata is a classic story from oral tradition, which seems to be based on fact and a real person. This version is not the historic version, but a mythic look at the old tale. As usual with these stories it has been stretched and heavily edited over time. It’s essentially a tale of a young man overcoming his limitations to rise up in power and avenge his family.

[StrictlySequential · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been so much better.

Graphic Universe is where to go for this story if you want a much better read but its art doesn't beat Willy's.

[Hal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beautifully drawn but weak storytelling. The plot reads more like a synopsis than an actual story. In a mere 32 pages, we hurry from plot point to plot point, with little show and lots of tell: We are told that Sundiata has become brave and wise in about as many words, with no situations to show us his bravery and wisdom. Half the plot points are deus-ex-machina (Sundiata is a cripple? the shaman tells him to stand strong and he is healed. Sumanguru wields invincible magic? His uncle tells him he can be defeated if hit by a rooster's spur (never mentioned before; also never mentioned how his uncle knows this; nor why no one has tried to exploit this weakness before).). Also, the language and style look quite westernized to me, calling the kings "Sire" and Sumanguru being clad in chain mail and wielding a sword. Good intention to look beyond the Western world and to bring a West African folk tale to life, but it falls short of the mark.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great intellectual read that I really enjoyed. It was a very stimulating literary find! It is an old tale that originated in the African tribe of Mali. The tale was originally passed down orally, but then was later put into the paperback text you can find on the bookshelves of any library or store front to this very day. I was originally intrigued by this fascinating history and it is was drew me to this read. The story has a very popular context of moral prophecy in its foreshadowing. I would recommended this read to anyone who has an open mind and enjoys perspectives that may or may not agree with their own.
I find this story very similar to those found in most if not all biblical text, especially similar to that of the good semeratin from the Christian bible (as far as my knowledge goes it was a new testament tale, but I could be wrong and it could be an old testament tale, in which case it may be even found in the Torah). This correlation is due to part of the tale when Sundiata's mother who first appears as an very old women, and she also being a magical women, allows her spirit animal (the boar) to finally be killed and warns the hunters who are collecting a women for the king to choose "not the prettiest" of the women they will see. Of course this ends up also being her and she surrenders herself to them. Another instance of moral superiority from this read is the many times that Sundiata's step mother, the kings first wife, puts him through trials since she ultimately resents him for even existing. She tries to frame him with the vegetables and Sundiata yet again finds a way to take the higher ground. Many instances like this will be found in this read, a page turner with tales of attempted murder, scandal, revenge, tolerance and ultimately even forgiveness.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eisner did 4 of these books for NBM, all classic stories retold in comic book form for young readers. All are interesting and worth checking out, even if they're not especially memorable. Sundiata may be my favorite, and it evokes comparisons, in a small way, with his friend Frank Miller's 300. Eisner's other NBM books are The Princess and the Frog, Moby Dick, and The Last Knight (Don Quixote).

[Derek Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sundiata is a major legendary hero of Mali in West Africa. Here, Will Eisner has given him a graphic-novel treatment that's pretty straightforward while emphasizing the mystical side of native legend. It's a very different take on the marvelous text version I have, but equally strong. One of Eisner's last major works.

[Michael P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good story, well told, but without the usual feeling and insight that Eisner usually brings to his work. He was in a period of retelling legendary stories from multicultural sources. My guess is that he did not always have the feel for the material that he had in his autobiographical stories and his tales of Jewish life in New York. This one is worth reading, but not worth keeping.

[Mjhancock · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple tale of good vs evil. The characters aren't particularly complex, but that just serves to give it a "fable" sort of feel. There's a lot of violence and death, but they're depicted in a bloodless sort of manner. I did like the idea that there's sentient rocks lying around, waiting to bestow their favor on any human whose alignment happens to be to their liking.

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the Wisniewski version better. In this version, the colors were washed out; the background could have been anywhere (except for the distinctive Mali palaces); and the story focused more on the sorceror king, Sumanguru, than Sundiata.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been miffed at Eisner for the Sambo shtick of The Spirit's sidekick--perhaps it was a chance at redemption--whatever... I love Eisner's illustrations and I love his storytelling. To have him give an old Malian hero his due is a grand gesture.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book that jumped out at me while at the library. It's a great little story, and a very quick read - only 32 pages. When my nephew's just a little older, I may pick up a copy for him.

[Dominic · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nice art, but lacking significant and interesting details of the source material.

[Ming · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not being familiar with the source material, I can't say much about the adaptation. But this is a brief, fun read, with the inherent logical flaws of most traditional fables.

[M.A. Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for young readers. I enjoyed it myself. Beautiful drawings, of course. Light on the detail, but interesting.

[Suzanne Ondrus]

Might be a good overview for students before reading the real text. I thought the conflicting warriors grew up in the same village and this is a different story.

[Elizabeth]

Artist Will Eisner is the Eisner of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards. One of the earliest American comic book authors, Eisner is not only responsible for introducing comic book training manuals to the military in World War II, but also long form graphic novels as we know them today. His skill is fully on display in Sundiata: A Legend of Africa.

Told with a muted warm palette of browns and blacks, reds and oranges, Sundiata’s story is an inspirational and princely answer to the parents asking for “princess tales for boys”. It would also make excellent primary material for units on folklore or as supplemental material for World Culture courses. Sundiata is supported by family and friends, which allows him to overcome his disability to become a strong warrior. As an adult, he takes on the supernaturally supported Sumanguru to win freedom for his kingdom of Mali. Narrated by “The Gray Rock of Evil” this story does contain supernatural elements that some parents may find problematic. There is some non-graphic war violence and death. While there are many versions of Sundiata available, this version is recommended for the format, accessibility to a wide range of readers, and content.