On the wild African savannah, a tiny mouse named Sengi struggles to survive. Will he be eaten by lizards or trampled by Tembo, the old elephant, who is on his last journey to the land of his ancestors? 
From Scout Comics’ Scoot! Imprint comes an epic tale of African wildlife: Sengi and Tembo. The five-issue mini-series written and illustrated by Giuseppe Falco (edited by Andrea Lorenzo Molinari) has been collected in a beautiful 132-page trade publication.
The African savannah is a tough environment to survive. To endure as long as possible in the ‘circle of life’, as others have stated it, is challenging. The intense heat, the lack of moisture and water, the hard work necessary for the animals find food, to continually outrun one’s predators, all make for naturally occurring drama.
Giuseppe Falco’s writing takes us into the micro world of Sengi the mouse, and of his daily struggle. He’s torn between his need for food and the need to run and hide from lizards. But then something happens. He stops being timid and takes a stand. But that simply antagonizes the other animals, placing Tembo the elephant and Sengi in greater danger!
It’s not all about science and survival, however, and this is where Sengi and Tembo excels: the unlikely friendship between mouse and elephant that starts off as symbiosis and progresses to a deeper mutual appreciation.
The illustrations are amazing. Perhaps rendered by hand with coloured pencil or pastel, they glow and illuminate the page. There is a really vibrant colour palette at hand here too. Falco captures the beauty and ruggedness of the African landscape, from sunrise to sunset. He portrays the animal shapes, their moods, and attitudes, their bends and twists.
It’s a special story, full of growth, reflection, and dreams, and well worth checking out.
Scout Comics, Scoot Imprint; Sengi and Tembo, $14.99 for 132-page trade collection
Newsdesk