Festering Season

Festering Season

Covers of the hardcover (left) and softcover (right) editions of Festering Season, published by Stickman Graphics.
Publication information
Publisher Stickman Graphics
Format graphic novel
Genre
    Publication date September 2002
    Main character(s) Renee DuBoise
    Paul Whythe
    Isabelle Desanto
    Creative team
    Writer(s) Kevin Tinsley
    Artist(s) Tim Smith 3
    Colorist(s) Kevin Tinsley
    Creator(s) Kevin Tinsley
    Collected editions
    Softcover ISBN 0-9675423-2-4
    Hardcover ISBN 0-9675423-1-6

    The Festering Season is a graphic novel created by Kevin Tinsley with artist Tim Smith 3. It was published as a first-run graphic novel by Stickman Graphics in 2002.

    Plot

    After the owner of an East Village botanicas is killed in a bizarre police shooting, her daughter, Rene Duboise is summoned back to New York from Haiti, interrupting her Vodou training. Upon her return, Rene realizes that she is being watched and that there is something more sinister going on in the city.

    At the same time, Paul Whythe, a cultural anthropology professor at New York University is asked to consult with the NYPD’s Cult Related Task Force on dead body unearthed in Brooklyn Heights. He recognizes the ritualized nature of the burial to be related to the religion of Palo, but becomes suspicious of the East Village shooting’s relationship with the similar religion of Vodou.

    Rene realizes that a drug smuggler by the name of Gangleos is behind a series of ritualistic crimes, including her mother’s death, after a confrontation with Isabelle Desanto, whose brother had also been murdered after seeking counsel with Rene’s mother. After a meeting with Paul shortly thereafter, Rene is able to piece together a far greater threat being orchestrated against the entire city. However the extent and purpose of which remain a mystery until near the end of the story.

    Influences

    The Festering Season is an extremely polemical story that is particularly critical of the Giuliani administration and highly politicized police procedures that were implemented during his tenure in office.[1] It was described “no light read,”[2] “highly original” and “socially conscious”[3] in reviews and even received an extensive write up in the New York Times.[4]

    In the afterword of the graphic novel, Tinsley cites numerous incidents and news reports on police brutality, racial profiling, weakened constitutional rights and Vodou curses that influenced and inspired his story. There are footnotes throughout the afterword that reference numerous Village Voice articles and, interestingly, an article from the New York Post that was emblazoned with a front page headline that read: Black Magic Woman.[5]

    Art Style

    Tim Smith’s art is heavily influenced by Japanese Manga, but is reproduced from his original pencils, occasionally appearing rough, and revealing sketchy construction lines. Photographic backgrounds of actual locations are used often throughout the book to varying degrees of success.

    The coloring is notable in that utilizes a two-color printing process that was originally used during the early 1900s. Tinsley stated in an interview that The Festering Season was begun using a grayscale palette, but that he felt it was lacking impact. At this time he “remembered an old art history lesson about Norman Rockwell’s” early work on the Saturday Evening Post which was reproduced in two-color. Tinsley has gone on to use this same process on subsequent graphic novels.[6]

    Notes

    1. ↑ "The Festering Season". Publishers Weekly. 2002-09-23.
    2. ↑ MacPherson, Don; Lander, Randy. "Two-in-One Review: The Festering Season". The Fourth Rail. Retrieved 2008-09-24.
    3. ↑ Tiruchelvam, M. Mayuran. "The Festering Season". Belief Net. Retrieved 2008-09-24.
    4. ↑ Gustines, George Gene (2002-11-03). "The Amazing Adventures of New York City". New York Times.
    5. ↑ Tinsley, Kevin (2002). The Festering Season. Stickman Graphics. pp. 228–231. ISBN 0-9675423-2-4.
    6. ↑ Baker, Bill (2004-03-03). "Tales of the City". Bakers Dozen. Retrieved 2008-09-24.

    References

    Comics Buyer's Guide #1499, by Maggie Thompson, August 9, 2002

    Comic World News, posted 03/07/03 @ www.comicworldnews.com by Scott Woods

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