Commonly regarded as one of the great American novels, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has captured the hearts and imaginations of readers since 1885. But since its publication, critics have rightfully condemned Mark Twain’s troubling portrayal of Black Americans as stereotypes and caricatures, with contemporary fans searching for a modern update to this iconic tale.

Big Jim and the White Boy: An American Classic Reimagined (Ten Speed Graphic; on sale 10/15/24), by Eisner award-winning author team David F. Walker and Kwame Anderson (The Black Panther Party) is a radical retelling of this American classic, centering the experiences of Jim, an enslaved Black man in search of his kidnapped wife and children, along with his cheeky sidekick, Huckleberry Finn. Jim and Huck’s high-stakes adventures take them on an epic voyage across the antebellum South and Midwest, through Confederate war camps and runaway safe houses, into Old West standoffs, and on the road as covert Underground Railroad agents. Intertwined into the story of Jim and Huck are the stories of Jim’s descendants in the 1930s, 1980s, and 2020s, making this a multigenerational family epic as well as an adventure story. Big Jim and the White Boy takes readers on a journey through Jim and Huck’s past, present, and future, delving into their incredible friendship and years of adventures—a bond that transcends the gruesome racism of the Civil War era.

With compelling artwork and riveting storytelling, David F. Walker and Marcus Kwame Anderson push the boundaries of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in this incredible graphic novel, exploring the triumphs and tribulations of Jim and his family, and finally giving his due as a hero of American literature.

Books will be available for the purchase price of $28.14 ($25.99 + $2.14 tax) – check, cash, credit cards and Venmo accepted.

This will be a hybrid event, but in-person participation is encouraged. Here is the link for registering if you want to zoom in — https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtdu6qrjkoHtXp1irYoMwys9EoNtm6i3B8

ABOUT THE AUTHORS
David F. Walker is an award-winning comic book writer, author, filmmaker, journalist, and educator. His work in comic books includes Shaft, winner of the Glyph Award for Story of the Year; Power Man and Iron Fist, Nighthawk, Fury, Secret Wars: Battleworld, Cyborg, The Army of Dr. Moreau, and Number 13. He is also the creator of the critically-acclaimed YA series The Adventures of Darius Logan and the author of the Eisner-winning The Black Panther Party and Bitter Root. Recognized as a leading scholar expert of African American cinema, Walker produced one of the definitive documentaries on the topic of Blaxploitation films, Macked, Hammered, Slaughtered, and Shafted.

Marcus Kwame Anderson is an illustrator and fine artist. Much of his work explores the beauty and diversity of the African diaspora and often incorporates social commentary. He graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a degree in illustration. Anderson is the Eisner-winning co-creator of The Black Panther Party, the co-creator of the comic book series Snow Daze, and has illustrated stories in Action Lab’s Cash and Carrie and F.O.R.C.E. He is currently the Deputy Director of the Underground Railroad Education Center.

ABOUT TEN SPEED GRAPHIC:

Ten Speed Graphic is a new imprint from Ten Speed Press that publishes distinctive, high-quality graphic books from a diverse array of the industry’s top creators and emerging voices, including literary adaptations, global webcomics, biography, memoir, history, how-to, fiction, and licensed entertainment titles.