We love graphic novels. Over the years, we have published two graphic novels for young readers by Luke Molver on the life of legendary Zulu leader, King Shaka. We’re excited to release another graphic novel exploring another piece of African history— Madame Livingstone: Congo and the First World War. This historical graphic novel for adult readers is a story of war, adventure, and friendship.
Gaston Mercier, a lieutenant in the Royal Belgian Army, arrives at Lake Tanganyika, Congo in 1915 on orders to sink a critical German warship, the Graf Von Götzen. To aid him on this mission, he is paired with a local guide, an enigmatic mixed-race African and the supposed son of the famous explorer, David Livingstone, nicknamed “Madame Livingstone” for the Scottish kilt he wears. Together, while the pair hunts down the ship, Mercier learns more about the land around him and discovers the irrevocable and tragic effects of colonialism on the local people.
Madame Livingstone is written by Christophe Cassiau-Haurie, illustrated by Barly Baruti, and translated from the French by Ivanka Hahnenberger. Christophe is the author of several comics and graphic novels, and is a library curator and comics specialist. He is currently Director of Public Services for the National and University Library of Strasbourg. Barly is is a renowned Congolese cartoonist, and the co-founder of the Atelier de Création et de l’Initiation à l’Art (Creative Workshop for an Initiation to Art) to encourage talented youth in Kinshasa. Ivanka is a translator who has translated notable books such as Blue is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh, and recently, the award-winning Catherine’s War by Julia Billet and illustrated by Claire Fauvel. We chatted with all three to talk about their work, the comic scene across the African continent, and what it was like to bring this work to a new audience.
Continue reading “Q&A with the Authors and Translator of Madame Livingstone”