Dieter told me that in the U.S. we call this the Purple Smurf and with our troubled racial history I can understand the unintended symbolism and why the U.S. publishers would have changed it. Weeks ago when I put it on the schedule I did not realize that it would fall the day after Martin Luther King Jr. day and those symbols might be reinforced. Try to look at it the innocent way it was intended in Europe.
If anything the above covered is a great symbol of the black community rising up and taking down their ignorant Blue oppressor. While MLK didn't advocate violence, his contemporary Malcom X would be okay with it.
Just to make things clear... I didn't know about "the purple smurf" until I had done this cover. So it has no racial intent whatsoever. I despise racists, black & white.
Love Dieter's version! I had the honor of digitally turning each black smurf purple (in addition to 'tightening' the cover smurfs placement) for the American edition... in my defense i must say i was only following orders ^_^ http://www.papercutz.com/smurfs/smurf_1cover.html
Dieter is clearly a non-smurfist, and needs not defend himself. It is befitting that this was posted on Marin Luther King's day; Indeed, we might ask him, "Are we there, yet, Poppa Smurf?"
Dieter told me that in the U.S. we call this the Purple Smurf and with our troubled racial history I can understand the unintended symbolism and why the U.S. publishers would have changed it. Weeks ago when I put it on the schedule I did not realize that it would fall the day after Martin Luther King Jr. day and those symbols might be reinforced. Try to look at it the innocent way it was intended in Europe.
ReplyDeletethat's one scary looking smurfen
ReplyDeleteIf anything the above covered is a great symbol of the black community rising up and taking down their ignorant Blue oppressor. While MLK didn't advocate violence, his contemporary Malcom X would be okay with it.
ReplyDeleteGNAP! GNAP!
ReplyDelete:-)
ReplyDeleteJust to make things clear...
I didn't know about "the purple smurf" until I had done this cover. So it has no racial intent whatsoever.
I despise racists, black & white.
In Poland this comics was published in 1990, and we also had the title "black smurfs" (In Poland album is called "Czarne Smerfy")
ReplyDeleteLove Dieter's version! I had the honor of digitally turning each black smurf purple (in addition to 'tightening' the cover smurfs placement) for the American edition... in my defense i must say i was only following orders ^_^
ReplyDeletehttp://www.papercutz.com/smurfs/smurf_1cover.html
Ha!
ReplyDeleteGreat one, Dieter.
ReplyDelete...and wow, Diego!
Dieter is clearly a non-smurfist, and needs not defend himself. It is befitting that this was posted on Marin Luther King's day; Indeed, we might ask him, "Are we there, yet, Poppa Smurf?"
ReplyDeleteOk, so I have a stupid question... In this time in USA you don't have color "black" in your vocabulary or what? This is stupid you know!
ReplyDeleteThis is the book that turned me to comics, at the tender age of three. Great job, Dieter!
ReplyDelete