Comments on: Bayou by Jeremy Love & Patrick Morgan

By: Rachel

Rachel — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 00:03:08 +0000

Bayou was one of the first comics to go live on Zuda when it premiered a little over a year ago, and I really happy to see it’s doing so well. I’ll have to keep my eyes open for the graphic novel.

Thanks also for the reminder about Zuda. I haven’t looked at in months, and I had kind of forgotten it existed. It’ll be fun to go see what’s been posted since my last visit

By: Adam Lowe

Adam Lowe — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 06:24:40 +0000

I agree. Books like Beloved and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry use the word ‘nigger’ without fear. We hear it all the time in rap, as a reclaimed word, so why not in this comic where it is contextually appropriate?

I hope DC reinstates the word to all its terrible, painful, loaded ‘glory’ (or should that be ‘infamy’?) for the graphic novel version, but I doubt it.

By: Argent

Argent — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:15:12 +0000

About the censorship of the N-word. I was privileged with the opportunity to ask Jeremy and his editor about that topic and they responded that it was a very long and protracted discussion that finally ended with the compromise we see on the screen.

As I see it, the word is a huge bombshell for many people, look at the annual outcry over having Huckleberry Finn read in High School English classes because of the use of the word in the story, this in spite of the fact that the message of the book is anti-racist. It’s obvious Zuda was too small and too new to be able to risk surviving that potential outcry. Especially if the folks at Time/Warner came by wondering what the fuss was and why were they using that racist language. Lose the battle, win the war – the comic is amazing and the trade comes out in May.

Now, for anyone who is reading the comic online, do be aware that the Zuda comic reader has Zoom and Full Screen options and the best reading results come by seeing it in full screen.

By: Clint

Clint — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:26:56 +0000

Thanks for sharing this webcomic! This is some excellent stuff! I agree with your comments about censorship. And I agree. Especially when we are shown graphic depictions of lynchings and little girls getting bashed with rifle butts. It’s unnecessary censoring and I think deminishes the tone/impact of the story, ever so slightly.

The story is compelling. The artwork is beautiful, and reminiscent of the Sam Keith comic “The Maxx”, which was another comic filled with this dreamy atmosphere and otherworld visitations.

The only problem I have with the comic is the lettering. It just doesn’t read well on the screen. Especially with Bayou himself. Seeing it in graphic novel form will be very cool, if not for the ease of reading the lettering.