Bollywood: Djeliya Review: West African Folklore Meets the Post-Apocalypse

Often, the stories that surprise readers most are those that combine wildly different elements to create something wholly new, and that's exactly the appeal of Djeliya. Coming from acclaimed publisher TKO Studios, this new graphic novel mixes post-apocalyptic fiction with West African folklore, and the result is one of the most engrossing comic experiences of the year.

Created by writer and artist Juni Ba, Djeliya presents a world unlike anything readers have seen in a comic book. Years before the comic's events, a powerful wizard named Soumaoro used his tremendous power to unleash great destruction, twisting it into a post-apocalyptic world where technology and ancient mysticism live side by side. The story follows a young man named Mansour who is the last heir of a lost kingdom. Accompanying him is Awa, a combination court musician and storyteller known as a Djeli, a role which once held high esteem in the world of Djeliya. Together, the duo journey to Soumaoro's tower as they race against a brutal holy man who wants to claim the mysterious wizard's power for himself.

Before readers even see the first page of Djeliya, they are likely to notice one of the graphic novel's greatest strengths, its bold art style. Ba's distinctive illustrations positively ooze with personality in every single panel. Perhaps one of the most impressive feats though is how much range it has as a style. Ba leverages this already visually stunning art to create scenes with bombastic action, gut-busting comedy, and heartbreaking tragedy. Special mention has to go to how much character is conveyed by the facial expressions of Mansour and Awa alone. Of course, this graphic novel is so much more than just pretty pages.

Possessing just as much personality as the artwork is the world and characters. This book's setting is wild, prominently featuring West African mysticism right alongside nightclubs and raves. Though Djeliya's wide variety of inspirations are all fascinating, the one that most immediately sprung to mind is Cartoon Network's Samurai Jack, and part of that is the structure. Though Djeliya is a complete graphic novel, its story is told episodically. While the main story sees Mansour and Awa traveling to Soumaoro's tower, the duo pass time exchanging stories of their adventures with their guide, the magician's assistant. This leads to a pace that makes for a satisfying reading experience as each 'episode' stands on its own, yet still gives readers a deeper understanding of the world and its characters.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Djeliya is that this is Ba's debut graphic novel. Saying that Ba knocked it out of the park is an understatement. The fact that this is Juni Ba's first graphic novel should instantly paint him as one of the industry's most exciting talents. Djeliya is an absolute must-read book that deserves to be held right alongside the comics industry's greatest achievements.

Look for Djeliya when it releases on July 6th from TKO Studios!

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July 01, 2021 at 12:53AM

Labels: ScreenRant - Feed