An epic story of an African country falling apart, that might have been more interesting if set in real life. Might, I say, for however the author seems to want the definitive, encyclopaedic voice-over discussing all the corruption and whatnot, it's really quite too soapy for my tastes. Good ligne claire design however just about nudges this above two stars.

I was in the mood for something different today, and figured that a comic about an African dictator fit the bill quite nicely. T'zee - An African Tragedy by Appollo & Brüno is a new graphic novel from Belgium-based Europe Comics that promises to shed some light on the sort of internal struggles that one has to deal with in post-colonial Africa today. Whether it be hunger, crime, poverty, or war, it seems like one rarely sees any good news coming from such a large and varied continent, and this book attempts to explain why some of that sadness ends up happening. One could take issue with the fact that this book is done through the eyes of a westerner that grew up as a colonist in an African country, and there may be validity to that concern, but I feel that the events depicted in this book are not too far from what has happened in the past.

I'm a big history guy, and wanted to know more about what happened in this story. When I first started this, I was not 100% certain if this was based on an actual true events or not, and it appears that this is, in fact, historical fiction loosely based on real events rather than a true historical comic. In this graphic novel, T'Zee is the iron-fisted ruler of an unnamed African nation, however I have an idea for the inspiration of the story in one would want to seek out more details. T'Zee is portrayed in a similiar manner to what westerners perceive as the norm for African political leaders. He is ruthless, squanders his wealth away from his people, enriches his friends, and lives in absolute isolation from the real problems facing his own country. Due to this characterization, he honestly reminds me of a cross between the infamous Emperor Jean-Bedel Bokassa I of The Central African Republic (albeit less zany and idiotic) and Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire (Congo), with the latter being the prime suspect for primary inspiration.

Considering the similarities between Mobuto's fall from power compared to T'Zee's fall and the fact that Europe Comics is based in Belgium, the country that formerly was the colonial power over Congo, it makes sense if this was basically a retelling on Congo's past. There are also town names in the story including Gbado, which is both T'Zee's capital and a real city in Congo, and the story also uses the term "Mai Mai" to reference local militias, which is specifically a name for a community-based militia groups active in the now Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Finally, the comic mentions a neighboring country having a genocide that triggered the unrest, which is likely a stand-in for Rwanda. I assume it's purposefully vague due to being a fictional story, but that's what I'm rolling with.

The artwork in this book is nothing short of gorgeous at times. I have an affinity to art with dark lines and bright monochromatic contrast, and that is exactly what we have here. There are certain color themes present in the numerous locations we see in the book, with jungle areas being green, the countryside being yellow, places like Paris being blue and more. It gives the book a unique look and becomes a way to impart emotion and familiarity to the reader as the story progresses. This is a style that BRÜNO, the artist, has employed in other comics, but his lines and coloring are masterfully done in T'zee - An African Tragedy. I will have to follow him from now on and keep tabs on what he is working on.

I enjoyed the scripting for this book as well, especially seeing the story broken into five acts as if this was a Shakespearean play. This structure is very fitting because the story told in this comic is every bit as epic and tragic as the best of those plays. Seeing the rise and fall of an entire dynasty due to one man's greed and unwillingness to accept his own fate is a staple of historical tragedies, and Africa's rich history of regional empires, bloodthirsty colonialism, and mysticism make the setting a great place for stories that have only recently started to be told. As T'Zee escapes death, he fails to see his power collapsing around him until it is too late. He angers the water spirits specifically and they have to get revenge somehow.

I mentioned before that some may take issue with the depiction of African politicians being cartoonishly corrupt in a way that could be seen as a racist idea that africans are unable to govern themselves. I don't really see this, and felt that the narrative was largely Afrocentric in many ways. I never felt that the overall idea was "perhaps France or Belgium should take this place over." Africa has problems as any region does, and this book does a good job bringing some of these issues to the forefront.

Overall, I was really impressed with this book. I've learned about about African history on my own and in a college setting, but am not as educated on it as I would like to be. Even though this is a fictionalized story about a fictitious dictator in a fake country, one can use it as a lense to look at the history of African colonialism and the repercussions of those policies in our modern era. In the west, it's far too easy to prop up dictators that call "unity" by forcing numerous tribes to "play nice" only for that to unravel within seconds if that power is removed. It's a lesson we may never learn, as we continue to do it again and again even today. T'Zee is a tragedy for the characters in the story, many of whom die because of one man's hubris, but also for the poor subjects in such countries caught in the middle of a crossfire between colliding cultures and exploitation. I'm hoping, one day, Africa can rise to it's full potential and become the world power it should be, not just a backdrop for greed.

T’zee is an action-packed, noir blockbuster in a graphic novel. It has all the makings of a Hollywood or Nollywood film: Post-colonial angst, corruption, family drama, illicit romance, sabotage, political violence. T’zee lacks actual history – it is all fiction — but its premise is grounded in real events of the twentieth century.

The story starts and ends with T’zee, the amoral dictator of an unnamed African nation struggling through its traumatic post-colonial afterbirth, but revolves around his young wife and youngest son, who each are coming to terms living with their larger-than-life husband and father and the roles they are supposed to play in this political drama. The former is a member of the new elite — but the limitations of gender and patriarchy force her into positions she might later regret. The latter is also a member of the new elite, the intellectual elite. During the typical educational sojourn young men of his class make in this era, T’zee’s son finds himself torn between his family and his morals. Politics, power, and ambition rule over both of them, force the wife and the son into decisions that are less of their own making than orders carried out under duress.

In three acts the reader witnesses the ebbs and flows of T’zee’s power, how his family fares in the pressure house of his politics, and the swiftness by which all their fates can change course.

This is an entertaining read. However, elements of its narrative promote a colonial logic which need to be addressed. T’zee is portrayed as a cruel and inept leader, one focused solely on his own aggrandizement and accumulation of wealth, at the expense of his people. His wife too is a woman focused solely on her own selfish advancement and fulfillment. The son is feckless and weak. Scenes of the city and the rural areas of this nation are memes of poverty and crime too often associated with the so-called “developing” or “under-developed” world, what has been classed so disparagingly as the “third world.”

I balk at depictions of African nations as cesspits of corruption, poverty, and crime. The implication that African peoples cannot rule themselves is one grounded so obviously in the so-called Civilizing Mission, that lynchpin of colonial logic; this is wholly inaccurate and stereotyping. I wish that elements of the story had addressed T’zee and his regime with more nuance; I wanted more decolonization in these pages. I cannot help but read as a historian, especially on a subject so close to my heart.

Still, this was a fun read and one I would suggest for casual consumption.

The novel is historical fiction, and the reader will definitely feel immersed in the action. I'm not exactly sure how much of the story is close to what really happened, as I'm not familiarized with the real historical context. The 5-acts format is very interesting and effective, giving the novel a more dramatic flair. This graphic novel incorporates flashbacks, mysticism and a type of magical realism that's highlighted by Brüno's versatile art.

I really wanted to love this book, but I just couldn't. I cannot argue that the art is unique and stands out, but It was not for me. I was easily distracted and didn't appreciate the blurry dialog sections. I expected better visuals. But the storyline is nonetheless acceptable. I think.

Anyway, thank you for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Europe Comics for this eARC.

T’Zee, the ageing leader of an unspecified central African country, is in prison. There has been a rebellion against him, and the country is in chaos. His son, Hippolyte (Hippo), and his friends Arissi, the daughter of an independence hero who was executed by T’Zee, and Walid, the son of a Lebanese businessman, are hanging out at T’Zee’s jungle palace. Bobbi, T’Zee’s young wife, is also at the palace, trying to work out what to do to save her husband’s reign, and herself.

Through a series of flashbacks, we are told more T’Zee’s corrupt and despotic rule, about Hippo’s life, about Bobbi’s background, and about how Arissi’s father died. Water his execution, Arissi’s father’s body was dropped into the country’s huge, mythical river, and legend has it that Mami Wata¹ is intent on revenge on T’zee and on his family for this injustice. We arrive at the novel’s turning point, with an attempt to break T’Zee out of prison ending with his apparent death.

T’Zee, An African Tragedy is a gorgeous graphic novel, with a thrilling, well-told story, and beautiful artwork. The DRC/Congo is strongly represented: T’Zee is probably Mobuto (with his famous leopard hat), a sapeur makes an appearance, and there are vivid descriptions of the countryside, especially in Hippo’s nostalgic remembrances. African (and Congolese, to be specific) mythology is interwoven through the story, and the perspective of the whole novel is consciously Afrocentric, reminiscent of African literature from the 1960s. I also loved the pan-African themes: Bobbi’s father was from Angola, and Hippo spent time in Paris with students from many different African countries, where a frequent topic was pan-Africanism. Colonial France also comes up, but, importantly, not as the focus of the story.

This novel receives my highest recommendation; it is exceedingly well-done. Absolutely read it, and keep a copy in your library.

¹ TIL, through Wikipedia, that Mami Wata mythology is present in central Africa.