Description
An aquatic reef held down by an oppressive regime of blood-thirsty herons struggles to rise up in this harrowing tale of self-discovery, heritage, and revolution.
We follow The Little Red Fish as they journey deep into themselves and blossom into the leader they were meant to be. Guided by a magical orb and the will of the people, our hero strives to help a small reef in the Persian Gulf regain its freedom. The Little Red Fish is a creative retelling of the events of the Iranian Revolution from the perspective of those actually involved. A stunning mixture of political allegory and magical realism, The Little Red Fish collects the 6 part comic book series into one trade, including artist features and process notes. The Little Red Fish vividly captures an often-overlooked part of history, channeling folk history, oral histories from first-hand accounts, and academic research.
About the Author
James Moffitt is a writer and teacher living in Richmond, Virginia. He holds an MA in Writing & Rhetoric from Virginia Commonwealth University. He has published two collections of short stories, Swamp Gospels and What to Do When You Give Up. Moffitt has also been published in several academic and fiction journals and as a freelance journalist. James sees writing and teaching as a means to facilitating social change at the structural level. His publishing company Sink/Swim Press embraces a DIY ethic and strives to remind people of the value of tangible art. Bizhan Khodabandeh (The Day the Klan Came to Town) is a visual communicator who moves freely across the professional boundaries as designer, illustrator, artist, and activist. His works vary from small graphic art projects to major public campaigns. Khodabandeh is particularly fascinated by how art and design can catalyze social change. He has received numerous international and national awards for his work, including: a silver medal from the Society of Illustrators, a silver medal from the International Design Awards, a finalist in the Cross-Cultural Design Competition, and best in show through the American Institute of Graphic Arts. He has received numerous international and national awards for his work as both an illustration and designer through various institutions such as: The American Institute of Graphic Arts, Creativity International, Adbusters, and Creative Quarterly. Khodabandeh has had work featured in publications such as Print, Creativity International, Adbusters, and Comic Bastards among others. Currently Khodabandeh teaches full-time at VCU's Robertson School of Media & Culture and freelances under the name, Mended Arrow.
Reviews
"A powerful tale of resistance, told in the most unexpected way. The fish, no matter how small, demonstrate our own fight for freedom. A fight that never ends. This story will break your heart, and immediately mend it through the spirit of revolution."
-Aimee de Jongh, author of Days of Sand
"The Little Red Fish is an elegantly crafted and profound comic book experience."
-Farel Dalrymple, creator of PopGun War, Wrenchies, and Omega the Unknown
"The Little Red Fish story is anything but little. This stunning visual narrative shows the reader everything comics can do and then some. Khodabandeh and Moffitt take the classic fish out of water trope (literally) to depths we never knew possible with pictures and words."
-Henry Barajas, author of Gil Thorp, Batman: Urban Legends, and Creepshow
"The Little Red Fish reminds us all of the power of storytelling and its ability to showcase the human condition and the inhumane conditions that we as a society and a species perpetuate upon one another. The amalgamation of words and art asks us to never forget what a real story can tell or inform us about the world."
-Alverne Ball, author of Across The Tracks: Remembering Black Wall Street, Greenwood, and the Tulsa Race Massacre
"A visual feast with an enduring story-a real coup for the team behind The Little Red Fish."
-Navid Khonsari, creator of 1979 Revolution: Black Friday
"A beautiful, ornately detailed story where every panel is a work of art."
-Theodore Taylor III, creator of Off The Wall and illustrator of Garvey's Choice
"With an allegorical nod to modern Iran's turbulent political history, Moffitt and Khodabandeh's The Little Red Fish captures the sacrifice, betrayal, and heroism at the heart of every struggle for freedom. Khodabandeh's graphic design sensibilities and obsessively detailed illustrations transform every page and panel into a stained glass window of dazzling colors and deft composition. Like the resistance tracts concealed in the fish merchant's algae kabobs, the story is delightfully layered with hidden meanings and symbolism that rewards the curious reader."
-Dara Naraghi, author of Persia Blues, Vol.1: Leaving Home
"James Moffitt and Bizhan Khodabandeh have crafted a subtle yet multilayered story that keeps you gripped to the page. And just when you think you know where things are going-Wham!-an unexpected turn emerges. You're sure to return to these pages to peel the layers and gaze at the beautiful illustrations."
-Matt Dembicki, creator of Trickster, Wild Ocean, and Xoc: The Journey of a Great White
"Reminiscent of Watership Down, The Little Red Fish is a multilayered look at the complexities of humanity and survival, offering a glimpse into what the will to live means for a society and the heavy price to pay. Its allegorical storytelling, along with the engaging art, assures that this is a comic that will endure."
-Marguerite Dabaie, author of The Hookah Girl
"With an evident deep appreciation for comics as an art form, Khodabandeh and Moffitt have crafted a story which feels both grounded in history and currently relevant, giving The Little Red Fish a supernatural quality of ever-presence."
-James Callahan, illustrator of The Auteur and creator of Rotting in Dirtville
"James Moffitt and Bizhan Khodabandeh do more than tell an effective story through an Orwellian lens. They launch the entertaining, gripping, and effective plight of a school of fish struggling to live peaceably. Don't let the cute underwater protagonists fool you: The Little Red Fish is allegory at its best."
-Christopher Irving, author of Leaping Tall Buildings and Cliffhanger! Cinematic Superheroes of the Serials
"Allegory reminiscent of Animal Farm, action reminiscent of Watership Down, and a comics' craftsmanship on-par with Mouse Guard, Moffitt and Khodabandeh deliver an exciting and beautiful story about oppression and the dream of peace, even when the dream leads to the taking up of arms."
-Jason Rodriguez, co-editor of APB: Artists Against Police Brutality and creator of Colonial Comics
"The Little Red Fish is a masterpiece of allegorical storytelling. Khodabandeh and Moffitt have created a gorgeously stylized world that packs a powerful punch."
-Noah Scalin, creator of The Skull A Day Project and League of Space Pirates performance art project
Book Information
ISBN 9798986614625
Author James Moffitt
Format Paperback
Page Count 168
Imprint Rosarium Publishing
Publisher Rosarium Publishing
