Djeliya: A West African Fantasy Epic

by Juni Ba

Inspired by West African folklore and stories handed over centuries, this unique graphic novel follows the adventures of Mansou, last prince of a dying kingdom, and Awa, his loyal Djeliya, or 'royal storyteller' as they journey to meet the great wizard who destroyed their world and then withdrew into his tower, never to be seen again. On their journey they'll cross paths with friend and foe, from myth and legend alike, and revisit the traditions, tales, and stories that gave birth to their people and nurture them still. But what dark secret lies at the heart of these stories, and what purpose do their tellers truly serve?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comics, Fiction, Young Adult, Mythology, Africa

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2021

About the author

Juni is an illustrator and writer hailing from Senegal and France. His current works include the Kayin and Abeni mini series and the Monkey Meat stories both published by Kugali. He’s also a cover artist with works for Skybound and IDW. His artistic fuel is mostly based on orange juice.

Reviews

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on West-African folklore, this book could hardly be any sweeter. It tells the story (actually, the stories) of a young prince, trying to find the wizard that destroyed his kingdom. He is accompanied by his djell, a young woman who serves as his 'royal storyteller', and also luckily as quite an effective bodyguard.



I love how the book is a frame to tell the smaller stories that encompass their adventure. A book about the power of stories and storytelling, that has one of the better endings I've read in a long time.



And then there is Juni Ba's art.. which is nothing less than magnificent. Ba has his very own style, that plays with indigenous art (or the idea of it), and it feels practically alive on the page.



More people need to read this!

(Picked up an ARC from Edelweiss)

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Juni Ba brings us a modern fantasy story based on West African folklore. The art is heavily inspired by 90's Cartoon Network. It's very eclectic and heavily stylized. I found the coloring very flat, washing out a lot of the artwork itself. Instead of enhancing the artwork, it obscures it by painting everything the same color. I think more bold choices using modern coloring techniques would have served the art and story better.

Received a review copy from TKO and Edelweiss

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic epic sci-fantasy inspired by West African mythology! Action packed, humorous at times, and written on an epic scale that interweaves magic with futuristic technology, and integrates non-English phrases throughout. Really enjoyed this one!

[Lashaan Balasingam · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find my review on my blog by clicking here.

Inspiration is a funny thing. It can be stimulated just like it can spring out of the blue. Yet once it knocks at your door, everything becomes clearer, even the most ludicrous of ideas can become crystal clear in the right hands, or rather, in the right minds. But it’s one thing to imagine your ideas. It’s another to bring them to life through the myriad of mediums that exists today. For one Senegalese-born author and illustrator, story-telling and drawing have been a part of his life ever since he was little and his mind never stopped creating. As his debut graphic novel, Juni Ba brings forth an exciting new West African fantasy adventure where life is a crossroad between wisdom, culture, and history.

What is Djeliya about? The story follows the adventures of Mansou, the last prince of a dying kingdom, and Awa, his royal storyteller Djeliya, as they wander off on a journey to meet the mysterious wizard Soumaoro who once destroyed their world and then hid in his tower with a fearsome power that no one else possesses. Throughout their journey, they encounter various allies and foes who would stop at nothing to hinder their plans. Along the way, they also share moments, reminiscing about the past, traditions, and cultures, as well as stories and legends filled with great lessons that helped their people strive towards happiness, knowledge, and power. However, what they discover at the tower could change the fate of this post-apocalyptic world if they don’t do something about it. Will they make the right call or will history repeat itself?

This debut graphic novel is imbued with relentless passion. Writer and artist Juni Ba does a formidable job to incorporate this adventure with the oral tradition of story-telling and beautifully explores the strength of folklores, cultures, and history of the people. With strong Western African influence, he draws upon the magic of anthropomorphic animals, the wisdom behind symbols, and the post-apocalyptic world’s pseudo-futuristic elements to bring this world to life. Narratively structured in an unorthodox fashion, he builds this world by tactfully telling multiple stories that give readers a better understanding of the past and the present. To further immerse readers, he also infuses the story with the language of the Wolof and Twi and invites readers to discover these through additional content at the end of the graphic novel.

Drawing upon the various cultures that influenced him throughout his own life, writer and artist Juni Ba channels both visual abstraction and cacophony into his artwork while giving it a modernized touch to give his work a one-of-a-kind style. Little of his artistic vision can be called conventional with the singular panel structuring fully embraced throughout the graphic novel, whether it’s overlapping panels or irregular panel arrangements. His artwork also brings into play a truly fascinating and expressive world that effortlessly captures the very essence of escapism. Even the colouring is subject to the author’s creative whim but mostly portrays the post-apocalyptic setting of this story through vibrant, playful yet grim colours. If anything, creativity is through the roof in this West African fantasy epic.

Djeliya is a stunning and authentic West African folklore-inspired story about stories, cultures, and history.

Thank you to MediaLab PR for sending me a copy for review!

Yours truly,

Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peace is only achieved by a king with a strong moral fiber. And it is ever the djeli's duty to ensure the kings does not stray from the path.

This graphic for middle-grade readers is visually stunning, but I had no clue what was going on.



A beautiful book, even if you're just here for the oohing and aahing.

[Emily M · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5
I was really excited to try this West African fantasy/sci-fi comic and, while I have some quibbles, I’m glad that I did.

Artwork: The style is pretty unique, and some of the panels and character designs are really striking. However, other panels are kind of hard to look at or interpret due to poor contrast (eg brown & orange or red & purple) or the unconventional visual language. For instance, I think it is really cool that some figures remind me of the masks & costumes from African masquerade…but when that breaks up a character’s silhouette it can be harder to tell what they are doing in an action panel.

Characters: I liked the concept of a lot of the characters, but given the amount of action and lore in this short comic I didn’t feel like I got to know even the MCs – prince Mansour and his Djeli (bard/advisor) Awa – particularly well as people, and that’s a bit of a shame. I mean, Awa is a badass, but I wanted more, y'know? The anxious little rabbit thief and his hippo protector have my heart, though! I would read a whole comic of their further adventures.

Plot/Story/Message: I will admit, I was a little uncomfortable at first at the way the story seemed to be leaning into a very fairytale “restore peace and prosperity by restoring royalty” thing early on, especially since this ISN’T a pure fantasy. But, not to worry - That’s not where this ends up! The twist about the master of the tower is good, and I like that it ends with Awa putting the choice about what to do with the knowledge the tower holds to ALL the people…readers included. I’m not sure I entirely followed the history and politics, or whether that bit would have been clearer if you know the story from the early history of the Mali empire that inspired this. But there are bits of social commentary that should be understandable regardless, including to younger readers: For instance, the town that tears itself apart when the tower shows up ( "Go sit down, my friend, and ponder this truth: Fear and superstition are weapons far more powerful than rifles and bombs”), or when a character tells Awa: “I know who your king was! How he pillaged to provide your people with the power you enjoyed!...You may not have chosen from which plate to eat, but you ate from it still, and never considered who had to starve for you to fill your belly!”

Overall, worth a shot if you want to see a graphic novel adventure from an under-represented cultural perspective. I look forward to seeing more from Mr. Ba.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this book 18 stars I would. Every. Single. Page is a masterpiece of composition, color, line, and expression. AND the West African fantasy setting and characters, oh man so delicious.

[Heather V ~The Other Heather~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up!

This was our first Ladies' Comic Book Club read of 2022, and it was certainly engaging on the discussion front.

Inspired by West African folklore, Djeliya tells the remarkable tale of Prince Mansour and his royal storyteller Awa, as they journey to reach the mysterious Wizard Soumaoro who guards a fearsome power that he once used to destroy the world.

I think our general consensus was that it might have been easier to follow the folklore background that opens the book had we read it in a guided, digital format, because early on things felt somewhat chaotic and made the story hard to follow. There were moments where I felt like I should have gone in with some background knowledge and understanding of what exactly a Djeliya is and what they do, as though this book wasn't altogether aimed at an entry-level audience.





Fortunately, as the book moved forward, the story Juni Ba was telling started to come together. I especially loved the material at the end, with definitions and pronunciation keys, as well as some introductory concepts that made it much easier to go back and piece together the narrative. There were still panels in which some of us struggled a bit to figure out what was happening to whom, and why, but ultimately through talking about it we managed to get the big picture.


A great companion read to this is my friend Wendy's interview with the writer and artist, by the way. Not a shameless plug; it really does add to the experience of reading the book!

[kaitlphere · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are quite a few stories embedded in the book, which made it seem like the story was jumping all over the place. I really benefitted from re-reading this book after seeing how it ends and reading the back matter. The creator did a great job of bringing in traditional folklore elements, once I knew what those were.

While the wives in the tower ultimately messed up, I love that the wizard's power all came from women. I also loved how the story followed the growth of both Awa and Mansour, and the power is ultimately left with the person who was meant to serve by birth, not lead (Awa).

Between the backstories and the growth of characters, there seem to be a lot of lessons in this book. Primarily, that our ancestors and traditions supply foundations but not futures, and that power is rarely where it appears to be.

I have a lot of questions left, even after a second reading, but that makes the book feel like it's just snippet from a much larger world. Considering that the story is derived from numerous folklore stories, that feels appropriate.

[Larakaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning, exciting, thought provoking

[Laurian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hard to follow. The plot, narration, visual story telling we’re very compelling but I was not able to overcome that I was regularly confused while reading it.

[Carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very hard to follow the plot.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea and the parts of the storyline I was able to follow, and I liked that it was updated African folklore - and that there was (apparently) DJ-ing involved. And I liked the premise of the moving tower that brings destruction, and the revelation about it at the end. But I couldn't follow most of the action, and only consistently recognized one character. Then again, I am not the target audience for graphic books with so many panels/whole pages of WHAM * BOOM * POW * CRASH. For those readers, I bet it's great.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the art and color palette and the background info about traditional West African stories and symbols. However, like a lot of action-driven comics I found it difficult to tell what was going on, and there was not a whole room left for character development. I think I understand what the metaphor/lesson of the story is....but maybe not?

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure how to review or rate this graphic novel, since I feel like I didn’t fully grasp it. It’s based on West African history, mythology and legends, but reinterpreted by the author in a style that looks like a futuristic dystopia. Honestly the art style wasn’t to my personal taste and it did impact the reading experience negatively for me. It’s very much action comics style of graphics and the characters are drawn as exaggerated caricatures which makes it hard to read their facial expressions. I’m not used to this style of art and so I found it difficult to interpret and had to rely almost solely on the text to grasp the plot.

However I did enjoy the story a lot, it’s obvious that the author used the inspirational material and then transformed it into a new story. There were clear associations to colonialism and oppression of women and the story addressed these issues in a clever way. I especially enjoyed the reveal of where the wizard got all of his knowledge and what became his fate. The story is open ended and let’s the reader imagine for ourselves what happens next.

In summary I’m glad I read it but I’m not sure I would read it again or read a sequel. I would be interested in more by this author, but probably rather in text form.

[Ed Erwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love the art style and color scheme! I had trouble following the story, but I still mostly like it. Hope to see more from this artist.

[Nore]

Suggested it to the library but only got a few pages in before the choppy story turned me off. I put it down and haven't picked it back up. Really interesting art style in concept, but in practice, it did nothing for the story, which was boring and confused.

[Celadon Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

It boggles my mind that you can’t find Djeliya in every bookshop window. Every aspect of this book is intentional genius.

Perfectly designed to be read again and again. It was so exciting to find a book that resembles a kind of African Marvel comic. Except with its unique art style and characters that are meaningful culturally. I am unable to completely compare it to anything I have read before. That is not said lightly.

As a lifetime lover of myths and folklore, this book is delicious. It is jam-packed with meaning that could easily fall into the background but doesn’t. Adinkra symbols permeate the art. If understood, these add tone and foretelling abilities. Many different animal characters play to their usual strengths and temptations throughout African mythology as well as in this book. Unlike other Graphic Novels that become thick and tar-like to read through when dumped with a plethora of information, Djeliya is still fast-paced and completely enjoyable.

The art is so textural, the selection of colors in different scenes was impeccable. The shading drew your eyes to specific places and did not distract even with high levels of detail. Every move and line the author makes is full of purpose and conveys feelings beyond words.
Characters seem to move in a place that exists in the future while bringing threads from the past. It allows the world to be relatable, and full of things to discover.

For a book centered on the journey of Mansour, the heir to a lost kingdom, and Awa, a djeli meant to guide Mansour’s family. Awa is very much one of the leads. She usually has more authority over decision-making and she does all this awesomeness on prosthetic legs. I would say this book is feminist for all the ways women are valued and put in control.

In finality, Juni Ba has to write another book or I will spontaneously combust.

[David Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Short Version: A unique story with cool characters and arresting artwork that jumps headfirst into the action

The Long Version: Since I only got to read a sneak peek, I can’t assess the work in it’s entirety as of yet, but it is very intriguing and one I will likely purchase once it’s available. Would have given a 5 out of 5 but with only the snippet can’t be sure it delivers the whole way

Component Ratings
Concept/Idea: 4.5 out of 5
Artwork: 5 out of 5
Characters: 4.5 out of 5
Dialogue: 4 out of 5

[nessma ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked this a lot! everything from the art to the storyline to the characters was done really well, but what i loved the most was the west african setting and having the story being based on west african folklore was truly magnificent to see translate into art panels. the art style was expressive and the color scheme fit really get with the aura of the graphic novel. i enjoyed this so much!

— digital arc provided via netgalley

[Cozy Reading Times · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgally and TKO Presents for giving me the chance to read this in advance in exchange for an honst review.

I really enjoyed this comic, which showed in how quickly I read it and that while still taking my time to admire the beautiful art.
Because that was the first thing that drew me in: the art. It has a very unique and stylized look that's immediety capturing. Very dynamic and distinct in it's colour choices.

The story itself I liked as well, although there could have been a few scenes added just to deepen the character relationships - which doesn't mean they were bad but I simply wanted even more of them.
What I did love where the themes about responsibility and building something out of nothing, survival and joy even in a destroid world - hope.
The world building as a whole was very fascinating, combining West African mythology with modern to futuristic technology. The appendix increased the feeling in me that this is a graphic work that's definitely suited for rereads as there's a lot of eastereggs and subtle mentions about culture and lore that only deepen the meaning of the story.

For me, it was fun recognizing things from other (west) African inspried books I'd read and broadening my understanding of those aspects of African storytelling. Also loved the use of oral storytelling.
For sure an interesting read and worth checking out.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading Djeliya by Juni Ba and I was definitely satisfied. Ba's 00s Cartoon Network art style is very fun and nostalgic. The story brings African folklore and mythology to life while still telling a new story, offering up elements of fantasy, science fiction, and cultural education within one story. I also liked that one of the protagonists was a double amputee and I don't think disability was handled poorly.

I don't have zero knowledge of African folklore and mythology (and I probably have more knowledge of West African folklore and mythology than other regions), but I don't claim any level of expertise, especially as a white Canadian. I recognised a number of the characters that featured from folklore in this story, which added to my enjoyment but was not essential to that enjoyment and would still be suitable for people who haven't had the chance to learn about it before. It's a really fun fantasy story that uses a number of sources as a jumping off point for a unique and interesting graphic novel.

This is a fun story with fun art and I'd recommend it.

[madcrazyreviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really cool. A solid 4/5, but I feel like it would get better with time and further reading/studying.

It's fun seeing a sort of familiar action/adventure story through an underrepresented, African lens. It hits familiar action beats, but there are also frequent interruptions for "brief interludes" or subtle wisecracks or a quick folk tale retelling. The artwork is colorful, dynamic, and gloriously 2D. It's also really funny - a page will frequently start with a fight or some other dynamic activity, and then descend into slapstick, highlighting how over-the-top, silly, and even unnecessary violence is (though it can be visually interesting and entertaining).

It's a lot of fun.

Highly recommend to anyone who likes comics, or is interested in non-Western culture, or just likes beautiful pictures.

It's an impressive debut from Juni Ba, look forward to what he does next.

[Bookish Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review from TKO Presents via Netgalley

As a West African, I loved this graphic novel so much.

The art style and the infusion of African symbols and dressing was really nice. I liked the colouring used in different pages of this book.

The plot lost me at a point but after a while I caught on. The story is a really nice one. Where each characters tries to prove their worth to themselves and even to others and try to live up to the accomplishments of their parents or ancestors.

There's a sort of futuristic characteristics of the setting which I loved. Where ever there's Africanfuturism you'll find me devouring it. And Djeliya has every bit of Africanfuturism as well as Africanjujuism to offer.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel is timely and global and artistic. The author, Juni Ba is a true representative of the way comics, legendry, and the literary world have come together in the twenty-first century. Djeliya is a quest story and an anthology of West African mythology, researched and owned and represented in a way that becomes so much more that the sum of its parts. There is something here for readers from a wide variety of vantage points. May Juni Ba continue to provide us with more for a long time.

Thank you to the author, TKO Presents, and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[fridayinapril · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Djeliya modern fantasy meets West African folklore in a post-apocalyptic universe. Djeliya is action-packed while still leaving room for some comedy. The art in itself reminded me of old comic books I used to read as a child, Spirou, and Asterix. Since I read Djeliya right after reading Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali by Djibril Tamsir Niane, tr. G. D. Pickett, I could simply immerse myself in the universe created by Juni Ba. This made for a great read.

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art design and use of color was enough to move this into 3-star territory, but I admit the main draw here for me was reviewing those designs and coloring choices, not the main story, which was a little too weak and periodically confusing for me. Gorgeous work, though.

[Sachi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Djeliya

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Pleasantly surprised by this graphic novel. The illustrations were beautiful, I loved the ambience that was set with the carefully chosen colour scheme.

The subject choice appealed to me because I am interested in West African stories, and this story was highly original, full of lore and witty at times. I have never read a fantasy novel told through the graphic medium, but I am so glad I chose to read this because I was able to become fully engrossed in the story without feeling overwhelmed by description.

Overall I really loved the art style and I think a lot of people should give this graphic novel a chance :)

[Puck Gauldfeldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

African Folklore meets Modern Sci-fi

Loved every panel of this book. The best part was the glossary in the back to tie it all together. Loved it!

[Zee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely. This was everything I hoped it was.