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By Luis Henrique
“I exist and I want people to see me as I am.” The phrase, uttered with a firm voice, is that of Jeremias, a black boy and a character of the Brazilian comic Turma da Mônica (Monica’s Gang). Created in the 1960s by Maurício de Sousa, the series of comic stories influenced generations of children in Brazil and around 40 other countries, having been translated into 14 languages.
Jeremias — who was created in 1960 and is the first black character of the group – had never led his own story. Until 2018. With the series Graphic MSP, creator Maurício de Sousa revisited his classic characters with the contemporary outlooks of new artists, who then told stories under different perspectives.
In the case of Jeremias, this was manifested in the works of Rafael Calça (script) and Jefferson Costa (art and colour), two black artists, inspired by so many other youths and adults for whom skin colour has already been a subject of debate.
School age is a time of tough trials, a time of turbulent hormonal changes when one builds convictions and creates their own personality. If it is hard for most people, for a black child the journey is even more difficult, as there is one other component: racism.
Jeremias – Pele [Skin], as well as entertaining, could help children and families deal with this situation.
The authors managed to create a work that is very tough in some of the stories that it tells and very sensitive in its essence and the sweetness that endures at the end of the comic. It is a read that certainly would have helped this writer to face his days at school.
I spoke with scriptwriter Rafael Calça to learn about how he created the story and the feedback he has had from the readers since:
Global Voices (GV): In the creation of the comic, you investigated stories, events, and insecurities of a black child of school age. How has this process impacted on you?
GV: For you, what is representation?
GV: There is something powerful in the effects of your work, which is the feedback by people who have felt connected with the book. Like the rapper Emicida, who has praised the story in the comic’s back cover, you must have received a lot of responses from readers. What can you tell us about this?
GV: Does Jeremias – Pele have potential for international distribution? Do you think that these stories would resonate in other societies?