Buddhism and graphic novels have crossed in the past, but Osama Tezuka’s take on the story of the original Buddha struggles to fit the description of biography, since its mystical elements and drama rely more on how the stories have passed through the generations than worrying about how much of it is truth.
The story of the 14th Dalai Lama and exiled spiritual leader of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, is a fascinating subject for a manga-style graphic novel, which can rely more on primary sources for its retelling thanks to the recency of the subject matter. Illustrated by Tetsu Saiwai, a Japanese managa illustrator, but presented in a western (left to right) style, this should prove to be a fascinating and accessible insight into the life and politics of an incredible individual, and his fight against the world’s fastest-growing superpower.