The Manga Bible

No, not a bible or FAQ about manga, but The Bible (properly capitalized) in Manga form.

Check out the article at the NYTimes.com… And you can check out the official website here.

What intrigued me most about this story was the way the creators (Siku and Akin) portray Jesus in their graphic novel, and we’re not talking about the “8 lbs. 6 oz. baby Jesus” worshipped by Ricky Bobby in “Talladega Nights.”

MIKE:One of the things that I’m interested in is the whole style that you’ve designed for it.
In cartoon world there’s goodies and there’s baddies isn’t there? There are certain stylistic
ways in which you portray them. How have those things come into what you’ve done? Because you were talking about humanising Jesus but good guys in cartoons tend to be slightly larger than life don’t they?

SIKU: Yes. Where I come from in comic books it’s really dark science-fiction. Dark and gritty, that’s my background. I can’t escape that. I enjoy reading stuff like that so I don’t see Jesus
as Bambi basically. It’s one of the reasons why in Manga, the style I’ve chosen isn’t the Bambi, big-eyed,glassy-type Manga. It’s kind of more serious; more Anime.

Jesus is not cuddly in this Manga book. In the desert he’s actually more terrifying than Satan. He’s hooded.His face is shaded. The Devil is more vanilla-flavoured looking. Very, very plain.

And Jesus is more imposing. I’ve deliberately made him more imposing throughout the story. In many parts he’s just shaded out. When he’s in dispute with the Pharisees he’s shaded out.

He’s more imposing than anyone else, and is darker. He’s creepier.

I don’t see God as just a shining light thing. I also see him as a dark, brooding force. I’ve tried to inject that into how I see Jesus.

MIKE: Is that in Scripture or is that you imposing your own view on what’s there in the Bible?

SIKU: I think he is like that. I think there are dark aspects to God. Certain things are dark.
Certain things we can’t explain. Certain things seem brutal. The way,for example,he allows evil to carry on. Why don’t you just stop it God? But he doesn’t. And I think that’s dark. I can’t explain it and I don’t think anyone can. So I don’t think that’s just me.

Having said that, we all look at Scripture, in a way, through tinted glasses. This is my tinted
glass. I don’t see Jesus as rosy. I don’t see Jesus as sweet, kind, baby-soft Bambi thing. I see him as making a very shrewd decision to die for humanity. Knowing exactly what the price was. What he had to pay. Having made that decision and coming down and paying the price, even with everyone else not really understanding what he was doing, still having to go on and take it. Going into the garden and praying and saying to God, ‘If it is possible, let this thing pass. Having said that, your will be done.’ I think those are dark moments.

So I’m not quite sure that seeing that dark aspect is not compatible with Scripture. I’m not too sure about that. I think it is. I think over-emphasising the sweet parts is the problem. I think sometimes having someone just come in and balance out the dark side, the dark aspects, I think that works.

MIKE: Do you think part of that dark aspect will appeal to people who are into comic books
though because quite a lot of comic-book culture has that darkness in it doesn’t it?

SIKU: I tell you what. This is where I come from. The people who read my stuff are very used to reading stuff like that. And I think when they read stuff like this they’ll understand perfectly what I’ve done and why I’ve done what I’ve done. Making someone dark doesn’t mean the person is bad. It simply means that person is imposing; has an imposing presence.

I think they’ll understand my visual language. Maybe people from the more conservative wing may not understand why I’ve put Jesus Christ in the shade. Why does he pose on a mountain? Or when he’s walking on the street, why does he walk with his shoulders broad?

I don’t think people like that would understand.

MIKE: But that’s a hero’s pose isn’t it?

SIKU: It is a hero’s pose. At the same time it’s not typical American. Because American’s also have a way of doing things and arranging and composing their pages. It’s not that either.It’s
actually rather British,or quite 2000 AD,I’ll put it that way.

I’ll give you a very quick example: the adulteress who was to be stoned by the religious fanatics. They’ve come to Jesus and they say,‘What do you think teacher?’

MIKE: Oh yeah. And there’s all that empty… well not empty, but he’s waiting. You’ve really
kind of spread that out haven’t you?

SIKU: Yes. He’s waiting. And then I have it in black, where you see the grin. The grin is actually a wicked grin. It’s not a kind grin. It’s a wicked grin. And he asks them, ‘Who has not sinned? You? You stone her first.’ And the grin I’ve put there is a malicious grin. That’s one of the dark things I was talking about. Anyone who’s familiar with comic book language will know exactly why I’ve done what I’ve done.

MIKE: Why have you done what you’ve done?

SIKU: Like I say,it was a wicked grin and he knew exactly what he was going to do.

10 February 2008 | Art, Comic Books & Graphic Novels, Religion | Comments