Even if you THINK you don't like blaxploitation comics, you still oughta drop a little change to help the World of Hurt: The Thrill Seekers graphic novel get made. Though it's usually played for laughs in popular Blaxploitation films and comics, the 70s was a very rich time in black history. Civil rights left black people feeling empowered and self-reliant, and that is part of what fueled the fashion and overall vibe of the decade. If you've never read the ghettoManga Award-winning story of Isaiah 'Pastor' Hurt, a world-class mofo who can fix any problem if you can pay the price, World of Hurt is best consumed as a straight period action story that strives for authenticity, not parody of the era.
"World of Hurt attempts to combine the format and storytelling traditions of classic newspaper strips like Peter O’Donnell’s Modesty Blaise and Alex Raymond’s Rip Kirby with the visceral energy and iconography of the Black action movies of the 1970s, such as Shaft, Trouble Man, and Super Fly..." explains series creator Jay Potts. "Although some of the more lurid and over-the-top aspects of the Blaxploitation film movement certainly lend themselves to satire or humor, the intent of World of Hurt is to use the time period and setting as a departure point for dramatic, urban crime stories in the vein of some of the best Black action films of the 1970s." And it works. Potts has the artistic chops that are less and less common in modern comics where computer effects and expressionistic cartooning seek to replace good, old-fashioned draftsmanship. The solidity of the world Potts creates lends credibility to the peril he throws his characters into, and helps keep readers coming back for more!
I'd say most people who like blaxploitation genre films and comics would love World of Hurt, but it would also be a great surprise for many who lost interest in the genre. Potts manages to deliver all the badass-ness that blaxploitation is known for, without the shuck and jive. That's reason alone to want to see this book printed. So click here to check out World of Hurt's page on Kickstarter. Check out the cool rewards! I personally pledged $25, 'cause that's a STEAL to get a signed hardcover copy of the book before the rest of the world can buy 'em in stores, but even if you wanna wait, kick in a $5 pledge to get your name listed in the book as a supporter of Blaxploitation done RIGHT!
holla!
-samax.
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