ISSUE #1: BAREFOOT BOY

One is always on the look-out for projects that stand-out as being a high standard and Trombone Man: the Don Drummond Story is just that. Adapted from an historical biography by Heather Augustyn, it’s a comic book series written and published by Adam Reeves, from Brighton, UK, with illustrations from Constantinos Pissourios, who started the first reggae sound system in Cyprus. Issue #1 in this seven part series is titled Barefoot Boy and is now in print, fifty pages in length. The comic art uses both coloured and black and white images to portray the different eras in the tragic life of one of Jamaica’s greatest musical talents.

For fans of Drummond’s band The Skatalites this is a must-have collector’s series about the origins of a sound that changed Jamaican music forever. It will appeal to comic fans who like true-life, powerful, emotional stories.

Issue #1 features a cast of characters including producers Prince Buster and Duke Reid, and also the Wailers and Joe Higgs make a brief appearance. Alpha Boys School’s head of music, Sister Mary Ignatius, also features.

This comic book series is the hard work of Adam’s team of collaborators, who worked hard to get the publication off the ground. Respect to all involved as the well constructed story is possibly the first comic-style publication connected with Jamaican music history to see the light of day. Just to mention that without the many people who generously backed the Kickstarter campaign in November 2022, I would not be doing this review! Congratulations to all involved.

This digital edition of this first issue of Trombone Man will be available as a free download, or a signed and numbered print copy can be purchased direct from the publisher at hearsaymedia.co.uk