Bumpkins

Archive, #18 Regional Voices, The Regional Review, #18 Art & Comics / By
Brenton E McKenna

Brenton E McKenna is a Yawurru man from the coastal town of Broome. He is the author and illustrator of the Ubby’s Underdogs graphic novel series. He has also illustrated several picture books and has been invited to national and international book festivals as a special guest speaker and to conduct his comic book workshops. His past visits include the US 2019 National Book Festival in Washington DC, the Edinburgh International Book Fair in Scotland, and the Bangalore International Book Fair in India.

COMIC: Bumpkins by Brenton E McKenna. Almost the entire comic is coloured in neutral spin tones, with warm greys and washed out orange for details. Page 1. Panel 1: A flock of birds fly over a quaint country town set against rolling hills and fluffy trees. A group of human-like creatures with round, bulbous heads smile cheerily and wave. One of their kind has a bindle over their shoulder and is waving back to them. He has a rope tied around his waist. We’ll refer to him as the Tethered Bumpkin. To the right of panel we can see an elderly figure with a white beard walking forward, an orange-glowing jar in hand. Narration - ‘Bumpkin Land, land of the Bumpkins. We are just in time to see you journey on your own.’ Panel 2: The Elder Bumpkin holds out the jar of orange, glowing energy. Narration: ‘Before you leave, your elders give you… a gift of knowledge.’ Panel 3: The Tethered Bumpkin appears shocked at the sight of the gift. Narration: ‘For you to share with the world.’ Panel 4: The Tethered Bumpkin accepts the gift gratefully. Narration: ‘Which you will take with great hope and responsibility.’ Panel 5: The Tethered Bumpkin sets out on its journey down a winding path towards a distant wall of skyscrapers, the rope trailing behind. Its bindle glows orange. Narration: ‘You will leave home but you will always be connected to home.’ Panel 6: The Tethered Bumpkin has arrived in the city, smiling broadly with excitement. Crowds of square-shaped figures pass by without glancing down. Towers loom on either side. Narration: ‘In the land of Slickers, your stride is unwavering.’ Panel 7: A crowd of six square-headed Slickers look around disinterested. A couple lookout their shining phones. Towers loom on either side. Narration: ‘But your presence may be lost in their dull glares.’
Page 2. Panel 1: The Tethered Bumpkin kneels down to reach into his glowing orange bindle. He smiles up at the crowd. Narration: ‘But you carry on, with your gift ready to share.’ Panel 2: He smiles softly as he opens up the fabric to reveal the jar of glowing orange energy. Narration: ‘With the rest of the world. You savour the moment...’ Panel 3: With a warm smile he begins to open the jar, light spilling out. The square-headed Slickers around him don’t even look in its direction. Narration: ‘You unleash its glory.’ Panel 4: He opens up the jar unleashing swirls of glowing vapour. We can just make out the words hello howdy hi good day written in yellow across the white and orange swells. The Tethered Bumpkin looks overjoyed. Narration: ‘And back in it.’ Panel 5: He holds the jar up proudly presenting it to the disinterested Slickers. The glowing swirls continue to rise. Narration: ‘How fortunate we all are to have this moment.’ Panel 6: He still holds up the jar but his hands are a bit lower, he’s starting to realise that no one is paying attention. The glows seems to be fading, retreating. Narration: ‘Together.’ Panel 7: The bumpkin stands by himself, a look of confusion. The jar is barely bubbling anymore, the glowing swirls have almost vanished. Narration: ‘To witness…’ Panel 8: He quickly clasps the lid back on and looks around, almost embarrassed. The disinterested Slickers have their backs to him. Narration: ‘Your gift.’ Panel 9: He sits down on the ground holding the slightly-glowing jar, an expression of confusion. Legs walk by in the background. Narration: ‘And in a moment of confusion’ Panel 10: Behind the Tethered Bumpkin a Slicker walks by and snaps the rope tied around his waist. Narration: ‘You start to question everything.’ Sound effect: ‘SNAP!’ Panel 11: He grabs the broken rope in shock. Narration: ‘Before you find yourself lost.’
Page 3. Panel 1: A panel of five of the square-headed Slickers. One of them holds up his fist with a furious expression on his face. Narration: ‘And sooner or later the Slickers will not be happy.’ Panel 2: Another group of Slickers, one of them points angrily. Narration: ‘And they may oppose each other.’ Panel 3: A crowd of the Slickers, the two angry ones point at one another, seemingly about to fight. Narration: ‘They will clash! And the world will seem…’ Panel 4: All the Slickers break out in a fistfight. The Tethered Bumpkin holds his jar and looks at them, helpless. Narration: ‘Ugly.’ Panel 5: He holds the jar in one hand and the broken rope in the other. Narration: ‘But if you look closely you will see home is closer than you think.’ Panel 6: Same, but a lightbulb has appeared above his head – he has an idea! Panel 7: He begins trying to attach the broken rope to the bottom of the jar. Narration: ‘So re-invent.’ Panel 8: With the rope attached he tugs it desperately. Narration: ‘Re-connect!’ Panel 9: We see the rope stretching from the city all the way back down the winding path to the countryside where he began his journey. Narration: ‘All the way home.’ Panel 10: The Bumpkins in the village are surprised when the rope suddenly goes taut and begins softly glowing. They all look at it. Narration: ‘Anytime’ Panel 11: The Bumpkins smile and raise their hands in joy. The Elder Bumpkin holds the rope in both hands. Orange begins to glow all around them. Narration: ‘We’ll be waiting.’
Page 4. Panel 1: All the Bumpkins smile and sing with joy, orange sparks erupting around them. The rope in the elder’s hands shines brightly, imbued with the glow of their voices. Narration: ‘To give you our voice’ Panel 2: Back in the city the crowd of quarrelling Slickers has been divided in two by the now-vibrantly glowing orange rope. Narration: ‘And no matter how far away you feel’ Panel 3: The Tethered Bumpkin dashes through the quarrelling crowd clutching the orange jar and rope. Narration: ‘You’ll hear us’ Panel 4: He thrusts the jar into the air with a broad smile, orange and white energy pouring out of it—the voices of his people. Narration: ‘With enough voices’ Panel 5: The crowd of Slickers look up at him and the fireworks display erupting from the jar. Narration: ‘To share with the world.’ Panel 6: The square-headed Slickers look up the glow seemingly confused. Narration: ‘Some may like what they hear, some may not.’ Panel 7: The confused crowd slightly parts revealing three figures behind them. Narration: ‘All that matters is that they are there.’ Panel 8: The three figures step forward—they each have a differently shaped head, and each holds a jar. One lilac, one teal, and one lime green. Narration: ‘And for those Bumpkins who may have lost connection.’ Panel 9: The three figures smile and hold their glowing jars out. Narration: ‘You can help them be heard.’ Panel 10: The three figures join the Tethered Bumpkin and unleash the colours from their jars. Blues, purples, greens and yellows pour across the crowd of Slickers who raise their arms and cheer together. Narration: ‘Galiya.’

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