Philly’s favorite comicbook artist Jamar Nicholas is a super friend of this webpage. You might remember some of his work featured here from the Detective Boogaloo series. That was great stuff.
With the true story of Geoffrey Canada’s life called ‘Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History Of Violence’, Nicholas has created a graphic novel which is more graphic than novel. Nicholas captures the essence of Canada’s story which is the coming of age inside of the urban ghetto. Canada barely survives growing up in the Bronx as he comes to learn the lessons of the power of violence.
Nicholas’ artwork in this book is reminiscent of Jack Kirby in its conveyance of drama and bombast. The panels are in black and white and Nicholas uses the voids and shadows as characters in the story. Nicholas gives Canada’s life story the movement and spirit that makes this book an instant classic. Jamar Nicholas adaption of Canada’s story should be added to the curriculum of public schools in Detroit, Dallas, St.Louis and Chicago.
‘Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence‘ adapted by Jamar Nicholas
