Review: Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection Volume 1

Title: Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection Vol. 1
Editor: Hope Nicholson
Book Layout & Design: Andy Stanleigh
Publisher: Alternate History Comics Inc.
Pages: 174
Format: Graphic Novel/Comic, Anthology
Review copy: Borrowed from the library
Availability: On shelves now

Summary: Produced by AH Comics Inc. (Titan: An Alternate History, Delta, Hobson’s Gate, Jewish Comix Anthology) and edited by Hope Nicholson (Brok Windsor, Lost Heroes, Nelvana of the Northern Lights), MOONSHOT brings together dozens of creators from across North America to contribute comic book stories showcasing the rich heritage and identity of indigenous storytelling.

From traditional stories to exciting new visions of the future, this collection presents some of the finest comic book and graphic novel work in North America. The traditional stories presented in the book are with the permission from the elders in their respective communities, making this a truly genuine, never-before-seen publication. MOONSHOT is an incredible collection that is sure to amaze, intrigue and entertain!

Here are some of the talented writers and artists who have contributed to MOONSHOT:

Claude St-Aubin (R.E.B.E.L.S., Green Lantern, Captain Canuck), Jeffery Veregge (G.I. Joe, Judge Dredd), Stephen Gladue (MOONSHOT cover artist), Haiwei Hou (Two Brothers), Nicholas Burns (Arctic Comics, Curse of Chucky, Super Shamou), Jon Proudstar (Tribal Force), George Freeman (Captain Canuck, Aquaman, Batman), Elizabeth LaPensee (Survivance, The Nature of Snakes, Fala), Buffy Sainte-Marie (Fire & Fleet & Candlelight, Coincidence & Likely Stories), Richard Van Camp (Path of the Warrior, Kiss Me Deadly), David Robertson (The Evolution of Alice, Stone), David Cutler (The Northern Guard), Menton J. Matthews III (Monocyte, Memory Collectors, Three Feathers), Jay Odjick (Kagagi: The Raven), Ian Ross (Heart of a Distant Tribe, Bereav’d of Light, An Illustrated History of the Anishinabe), Lovern Kindzierski (X-Men, Wolverine, Incredible Hulk, Thor, Spiderman), Arigon Starr (Super Indian, Indigenous Narratives Collective), Michael Sheyahshe (Dark Owl, Native Americans in Comic Books), Fred Pashe (SpiritWolf) and more!

Review: The cover art for Moonshot is simply stunning. When I saw that image, I knew this was a must read. So yes, I did judge the book by the cover, but this powerful painting is just a hint of the treasure hidden within the pages. The many images are vivid and pack a punch. This was a collaboration between Native and non-Native contributors resulting in a spectacular collection of stories from indigenous voices. The art and stories contained in this volume are at times breath-taking, chilling, thought-provoking, amusing, and just plain entertaining.

Hope Nicholson, the editor, explains in the foreword, “There is no single, homogenous native identity and MOONSHOT is an extensive exploration of the vast variety of indigenous storytelling in North America.” In this volume there are many different voices sharing stories that represent their heritage. In his introduction, Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo) explains that there are many stereotypes about Natives in mainstream comics. “The MOONSHOT collection, and perhaps others like it, provide a wonderful venue for indigenous storytellers to shrug off these misrepresentations and amplify our collective voice: here we are.”

With collections, the stories are often hit and miss, but here, each piece was a solid contribution. The words and artwork combined to make a feast for the eyes, heart and mind. I really appreciate the mix of stories. They included tales from the past explaining how things came to be, contemporary stories, steampunk and futuristic science fiction too.

I applaud the design of the book. Every page is used to communicate and tell stories even if there isn’t a single word there. Opposite the table of contents there is an illustration featuring caribou. Opposite the foreword, there is a picture done in blues titled “Water Spirit.” You may see both illustrations on the publisher’s website. Before the first official story, there is a two page spread by Jeffrey Veregge showing a basket weaver. There is a story within decorations on the basket, but animals are also flowing out of the basket into the sky. A brief explanation is included, “Weaving images into the material is a way to capture and preserve their stories and culture.”

The first comic is the story of Maya Lopez, also known as Echo. It’s an excerpt from the Daredevil Vision Quest series. Maya is deaf and she shares how she developed ways to communicate. The comic itself uses many ways to deliver the story. There is text, but there are also representations of sign language and unique ways of manipulating the text and images. There are many layers in the graphics and it reinforces the idea that there are countless ways to communicate our stories. The rest of the collection proceeds to demonstrate this thought.

The stories have entertainment value, but may also share things like history and truth. Coyote and the Pebbles is one example. It shares how something came to be (history) in a slightly amusing way (entertainment), but also delivered a truth: people often find it easy to see the selfishness of others, but overlook it in themselves.

In this collection readers will find tales of love, terror, transgressions, forgiveness, loss, and more.  There are thirteen stories surrounded by vibrant images that also speak volumes. The title of the book came from the song Moonshot by Buffy Sainte-Marie (Cree) and the lyrics are featured after the final story. On her website, Sainte-Marie notes Moonshot was “Written after a conversation with Christian scholars who didn’t realize that indigenous people had already been in contact with the Creator before Europeans conquered them.” The song shatters stereotypes and embodies the purpose of this collection. A sketchbook section adds a deeper look into some of the illustrations. Brief biographies of contributors are also provided.

Recomendation: Buy it now particularly if you enjoy comics and graphic novels. Even if you don’t typically read that format, I highly recommend this volume to anyone who loves a good story.

Extras:
Selected images may be seen here.
Review (including many images) at Indian Country Today
7 Indigenous Comics Creators… (includes more images)