CAN COMIC books communicate history? For lifelong friends Stan Webb and Dion Lee, the answer is definitely! Webb and Lee are Lynchburg natives who met in the third grade. Both entered an art contest at school, where Webb was well-known for his animation and graphics skills. Lee ended up winning the art contest, but that event brought the two boys together and launched decades of friendship and collaboration. Webb’s graphic art skills and Lee’s adept storytelling led them to create their first comic book in middle school.
Lee commented that Webb’s graphic talent continues to amaze him.
“It’s uncanny. I will describe something to [Webb], as far as what I had in mind when I’m writing it,” Lee explained. “But when he draws it, it’s exactly how I envisioned it!”
Webb’s artwork soon found its way into telling the compelling historical story of the Buffalo Soldiers. In high school and later in college, Webb said he would go to the house of one of his teachers and listen for hours to the teacher and his friends tell stories of the past. One that stood out was the service of the Buffalo Soldiers.
The Buffalo Soldiers were two all-Black regiments of the 9th and 10th United States Cavalry established by Congress in 1866, just after the Civil War. Buffalo Soldiers, most of whom were freed enslaved people, were tasked with helping to rebuild after the war, fighting on the Western frontier, helping to develop national parks, and protecting many of the citizens, towns, and railroads during the country’s Western expansion.
Just after the turn of the 20th century, Buffalo Soldiers fought in the Spanish-American War and both World War I and World War II. Many of the Buffalo Soldiers received the Medal of Honor for their valiant service. They also worked as guides, construction workers, firefighters, and poaching patrols in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.
Webb’s teacher wanted to write a book about the Buffalo Soldiers, but Webb was so captivated by their stories that he suggested creating a comic book instead. When the teacher agreed, Webb called on his friend Lee to join him as the story writer. In the early 1990s, the two released the first of a 10-book graphic novel simply titled “Buffalo Soldier.” Both men developed fictional characters whose lives and actions were based on actual historical Buffalo Soldiers. The books contained the comics kids would enjoy and understand, as well as pages providing information on the real soldiers’ stories as well as general information about the two regiments.
Gradually, Webb and Lee set the “Buffalo Soldier” comic book project aside as they got married, had children, and moved on in life. Just three years ago, amid the unrest happening in several American cities, the two men realized it was time to bring back the Buffalo Soldiers’ stories. This time, they knew they needed to modernize their delivery.
The new 10-part comic book series still features incredible graphics and storylines, but now is accompanied by a scan feature where kids can use the Zapper phone app to see animated content and hear the characters tell their story in their own voices. They also published comic book cards that engage interactive visual content when scanned with the app. ‘
While those upgrades were significant, the duo knew they could go one better.
Webb is the president and CEO of Webb Graphics. In his daily work, he’s seen and created video books. These slimline books feature a small built-in video display and controls where the reader can select several episodes of the “Buffalo Soldier” comic book story. When Webb and Lee met with two Buffalo Soldiers groups from Los Angeles, California, and Seattle, Washington, they left the video books to hand out to area children. They believed their video comic book was the best way to connect the historical story with children.
In 1992, U.S. Army Gen. Colin Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, dedicated the Buffalo Soldier monument at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. The monument features a Buffalo Soldier astride his horse galloping down a river in the Midwest.
Why is the Buffalo Soldiers’ story so important? Lee, a former U.S. Marine, summed it up in one word: patriotism.
“The level of patriotism they had … to be shunned, disrespected, and overlooked the way they were, but to still have the will and dedication to fight for this country and to follow orders … Well, it is amazing,” Lee explained. “To have that level of discipline is incredible.”
Any story about “how the West was won” is incomplete without them. GN
