‘Popeye’ Unveils Manga That Will Explore How The Strapping Sailor Lost His Eye
Image via Eye Lie Popeye
It’s been nearly a century since Popeye the Sailor Man first set sail in comic strips, but it seems his journey isn’t done yet. King Features Syndicate, the distributor of the Popeye franchise, has announced that the spinach-loving hero is back in the style of manga.
Eye Lie Popeye will lift the veil on a key feature of Popeye’s appearance: his non-working eye. Legend has it that he lost it during an epic battle. However, the series challenges fans to ask, did he really? In other words, is what dat myth says what he yam?
The refreshing art style, an unspoken hallmark of how deep the sailor has anchored his presence across the world’s seas, comes straight from Atlanta-based illustrator Marcus Williams, whose fan fiction of Popeye and Goku of Dragon Ball found social media acclaim years back. The publisher got in touch with Williams to continue Popeye’s story.
Popeye will be joined by Olive Oyl and Bluto, and together, they’ll battle an ensemble of monsters, which also sport neat appearances that draw from Japanese manga.
Williams tells ComicBook that the Japanese “action-packed, fighter-comic” style is fitting of Popeye’s adventures, since the storylines of the classic are centered around this genre.
The artist also finds that both Popeye and Goku are cut from the same cloth, as both are guided by their strong moral values to protect those in need. This makes Popeye “the perfect manga protagonist,” Williams tells the publication.
“As a huge fan of both Popeye and manga, I’m looking forward to combining both passions and bringing fans an all new format and style to experience the iconic character’s adventures,” Williams expresses in a statement. “I’m thrilled that my Popeye Goku art led me here and am excited to infuse the traditional shonen style with a modern twist and explore the mystery behind Popeye’s missing eye.”
Eye Lie Popeye will unravel in arcs online in the coming weeks. Fans can also place a pre-order now for the digital comic book, which will give them an exclusive variant cover.
[via ComicBook and Eye Lie Popeye, images via Eye Lie Popeye]
