The creators of Scotland Yardie, published by Knockabout as a full length graphic novel back in 2015 have announced that all proceeds from a sale of the book will be donated to raise money for #blacklivesmatter in the UK.
Scotland Yardie, written by Bobby Joseph with art by Joseph Samuels, features the character who sprang to fame (or should that be infamy?) in the pages of the 1990s indie title Skank Magazine.
With institutionalised racism at an all-time high, the Metropolitan Police embark on their yearly drive to recruit more ethnic people in the police force. With little or, no success they bring over Jamaica’s most feared policeman – Scotland Yardie, a ganja smoking, no-nonsense bad bwoy cop who breaks all the rules to enforce his own harsh sense of justice.
But what happens when cultures clash? Can the average criminal handle the street-wise Jamaican Lethal Weapon rolling through downtown Brixton? Will south London ever be the same again?
With his reluctant partner PC Ackee-Saltfish, Scotland Yardie embarks on an adventure that deals with the disappearing drug trade in Brixton, corruption, the death of innocent people at the hands of racist cops, assassinated cats, immigration fears, and the emergence of the addictive blue chicken!
Written by the voice of urban UK comic books, Bobby Joseph, Scotland Yardie is one of the creators of the cult, comic classics Skank Magazine and its controversial 2001 sequel, Black Eye. Bobby has written satirical pieces for vice.com, Loaded Magazine, The Voice newspaper, BBC1’s Lenny in Pieces and Radio 4.
He is credited on the BBC website as instrumental in featuring some of the “first comics by black creators featuring black characters.”
Scotland Yardie is illustrated by Joseph Samuels, credited as one of the most popular comic artists to grace the pages of Skank Magazine and Black Eye. He is the co-creator of the popular “Afro Kid” comic strip on vice.com.
Skank magazine was the first adult comic to controversially explore the Black British experience. It pushed the boundaries of taste but also explored political satire, racism and police brutality through comic strips, photo strips, joke articles, and celebrity references.
With its cutting edge humour, those behind the title say it went on to be regarded as the ‘voice of the youth’ and created a new genre in UK black publishing as it was the first black satirical magazine.
• Read a 2018 interview on downthetubes with Bobby Joseph
• Follow Black Lives Matter in the UK on Twitter
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: British Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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