All Skinfolk Aint Kinfolk

The need for representation is such to where people want representation, not only from the hero side but from the villian side as well. It's one of the dumbest things ever but hey, it does make life as a Black comicbook reader interesting. Last night, I sat down and watched the first episode of Hawkeye on Disney+. There is a scene where Clint Barton aka Hawkeye is in a restroom relieving himself at a urinal. He goes about his business and looks down at the urinal where he is and sees a small bit of grafiti on the urinal. It read "Thanos was right". Now let's be honest. This was a nod to the sentiment about another villian in the MCU, Killmonger. In the Black comic community, some people are of the opinion and there are those in the wider scope of the Black community in general, that the character, Killmonger, in the Black Panther movie was right. How is that possible? How can a villian be right about anything?

Here is something to consider. When a people have been oppressed, naturally whomever tends to side with the oppressed become sympathizers, allies, or advocates. However, like anything that is messy and convoluted, the truth gets choked out. Sometimes our inability to see clearly lies in the obvious. People are oppressed, therefore they want to be free. It's the cost that tends to be bothersome. Killmonger's father in the Black Panther movie saw the oppression of American Blacks and wanted to help them fight the oppression. In his striving to do so, he helps an enemy of Wakanda steal vibranium. As a result, he is killed by the Black Panther T'Chaka. However, in T'Chaka doing so, he makes an orphan of N'Jadaka aka Killmonger. The kid grows up fueled to take revenge not only those who oppressed his American brothers and sisters but those from his native land of Wakanda. He knows that vibranium can and will liberate Black people. It's a noble cause with calculated collateral damage. This goes back to the cost I was talking about. In war, there are not heroes and villians on both sides. Listen, here's the truth about war. There are no heroes or villians. There's just war and the bitter fruit it produces, death. One side might be more right than the other but in the firefight, in the exchange of battle; Honestly, its hard to tell. As a Black man who has experienced the oppression of the United States through the lens of war, police brutality, enviromental racism, etc. If someone wants to come along and free the land, who am I to disagree? To many of us, Killmonger was right. Sister Souljah speaks passionately along these lines in the her song 'The Hate that Hate Produced' "Two wrongs don't make a right but it damn sure makes it even!" This mindset is fair. Why? All is fair in love and in war. At least that is what they said. They been saying a lot and they been wrong a few times and they is like a broke clock. It's right at least twice a day.

Now Killmonger isn't the only Black villian that is mired in conflict from a sentiment side. There are others but for the sake of time. I just want to focus on one other villian. Moses Magnum. Now Moses Magnum is not the most well known Black villian but he is one of the most powerful and most impactful. Moses Magnum, however is a flawed individual who saw to destoy his enemies but in truth like Killmonger in a lot of ways, had no real allies. His first victims, were his own people. His first appearance in comics takes place in Giant-Size Spider-Man #4. When Italy invades Ethiopia, Moses joins with the invaders against his own people. It is interesting because what makes Moses Magnum a true villian in my humble opinion is that he inflicts evil not on what he percieves to be the enemy of his people but he inflicts that desire to do evil on his own people. How is it that in this day and age we salute and honor drug dealers? How is it that we can romanticize, politic, and protest for leeches in the Black community? Before they became beloved, they victimized people that look like them. Alas, Black death is a fetish in America and it rewards the victimizers by making them billionaires, celebrities, podcasters and mainstays in the pop culture atmosphere.

So while Moses is a dirtbag out the gate; We see that he improved his lot in life by invading Canaan. In doing so, he gets diplomatic immunity and makes Canaan his base of operations. He is villian, not a politician and since villians gotta villian he steals from Wakanda. You can read this great story in Deathlok by Dwanye McDuffie in issues 22 through 25. It is in this story that he proclaims that Canaan was for African-Americans. Yep, Black villians need PR too. So while we can get all misty eyed behind the thought of Africa's lost children returning to their homelands, let us not forget that all of that was a smoke screen. The oppression of our people have always played a role in the politics of the motherland. While good gestures and sympathy matter, it is propaganda at the end of the day. It is propaganda to get the people on your side. It doesn't matter what side it is because both sides are not on our side. Like the old saying goes when it comes to justice, it really is "just us". Yet, that's another story for another day. Zora Neale Hurston is credited largely with the phrase "all skinfolk aint kinfolk". However, as Solomon reminds us in the bible. There is nothing new under the sun, we have to take it with a grain of salt. Why? While the phrase in and of itself is true. It has a bitter taste. It's one of those things where, you just wish it wasn't true. So while the Killmongers and Moses Magnums of life gain sympathy, traction, and credibility because of where we reside in Babylon. Let us remember to not ride with the devil because trust and believe, he is going to want to drive. Either way, he is going to steal, kill and destroy because villians gotta villian baby! -Richard J Wright

"A Black Guy Walks Into a Comic Shop..."

"A Black guy walks into a comic shop, right?" Sounds like the beginning a bad joke. Yet, everyday this happens. Why even talk about it? Good and bad question. Here's the deal. Black people like comic books. Black people like manga. Black people like board games. Black people like anime. Here's a little secret. *whispering* "Black people like everything people like". I have a book in my library called "I Wonder Why..." by Shirley Burden. It is a small book filled with pictures and words set in a poetry fashion. The first page of this book is only eight words. "I wonder why some people don't like me". The writer goes on to list a number of things she likes and yet she's faced with this unfortunate reality.The book also ends with these same words.

In comic book fandom, Black people have always been apart. When the comic book stores had nearly nothing featuring Black superheroes, we were there. We was there when the images of Black characters were less than favorable. Now, times have changed. Or have they? Pay that no mind, I was just messing with you to see if you was still paying attention. Yes, there are lots of Black characters in the comic shop now. But... where are the lots of Black people? It is almost odd to see more than one Black person in a comic shop. Let me be honest, for years. I was that only Black guy. Now this isn't to say Black folks do not frequent said establishment. I just know they haven't been there, when I was there. However, we know that the presence of Black characters generally mean the presence of Black dollars. We not stupid over here. We are thankful for the beautiful covers featuring Black characters. Yes, and I'm sure Boom! Studios, Image, Scout, Marvel and DC are thankful too. Their thankfulness lies in our coin. Sure, some are there to promote diversity and all that but we know at the end of the day. It is all about the money.

Now, the funny thing is there are different types of Black folks in these spaces. You have the lone wolf, who just observes and buys what's on the wall. He or she doesn't engage the shop personnel, they just quietly go about their business grabbing Black books. Then you have the Black guy who doesn't want to be known as the Black guy. This bamma goes out of his way to not buy Black. He's the guy that will buy a book but he wants to know if the story or the art is any good first. After all, color doesn't matter even though it matters to the "civilized" world. Then you have the hokey dopey guy. The one Black guy at the shop always playing board games who basically is there like all day. He is comfortable, sometimes too comfortable. Dude needs an afro pick and new T-shirt because the charcoal gray shirt he is wearing used to be black. Come on bruh, step it up a notch. What's weird about all these guys is that its a literally a chore to strike up conversations and talk about Black characters. Sure, Bobby the guy behind the counter is game to talk Black comic characters but sometimes that conversation has parameters and is surface level. Yet, you kind of want to chop it up with someone who looks like you. Sometimes though, you just have put yourself out there and initiate conversation. Sometimes it goes somewhere, sometimes it doesn't. Either way there is no etiquette or protocol for seeing people who look like you in a comic shop. As Black people many of us have all had that experience of going into a restaurant you are not familiar with. You go in hoping to have a good meal but before that, your eyes search the establishment. You survey the landscape and as William H Foster alludes to, I am looking for a face like mine. Thank God for the internet. I have meaningful conversations about Black comic books and characters all the time now. Yet, God made us social beings. We need face to face interaction. Maybe I can the get the lone wolf to look up from the long box, or the sell out to grab Killadelphia by Rodney Barnes or chat up the dopey guy and recommend a dope T shirt. Maybe its just wishful thinking. -Richard J Wright

We Don't Need Another Hero (the exodus from the superhero genre)

People are wondering why is Manga kicking comics in the butt. Is it the stories? Is it the art? Is it the pricing? What is it? I don't know. What I do know is that whenever my mind gets to spinning and my noodle starts baking, I can come up with some pretty interesting or questionable thoughts. Take for instance tonight, why the world is Tina Turner's song "We don't need Another Hero" downloading into my jukebox for what I call a brain. I mean you know, I prefer a little Eddie Hazel, a little Rolling Stones, some Led Zeppelin but no. My mind has other plans. I mean this isn't a flashback to the mid 80s. If it is, can a brother get some Men at Work, Peter Gabriel, a little Yes maybe. Now don't get me wrong, I like Tina Turner but I'm a throwback to Nutbush City Limits if I'm messing with Tina.

Anyway, it did get me to thinking about Marvel and DC. These companies have been around a long time. For generations, the big two have dominated the comics scene. It wasn't always like this but after war comics became passe, characters like Batman and Spiderman became the rage. Fast forward a few generations and superheroes have become pop culture royalty. Yet, like anything that becomes cool, it slowly becomes uncool. Now don't get me wrong. I'm buying comics weekly many of which are superhero titles but I am starting to see the change in my buying. I have science fiction, horror and true crime stuff. While I am happy to see Black Superheroes getting some shine; I am currently right now considering walking away from the big two for a next calendar year. Yes. I know. That means walking away from the new Black Panther run, and whatever other Marvel and DC books that may come out. Why am I considering leaving the big two? I could tell you that I have a noble plan to support independent Black creators and independent companies and that would be correct.

... my ego is attached to this. Like Kanye I am just the first to admit it. Comic book collecting is addictive. Collecting Marvel and DC books is also very expensive. I'm at a point when I just want to not fool with them because they keep raising prices and like my fellow collectors we keep falling for it and keep buying it. I gotta stop this. This crap reminds of being at a diner 2:30 in the morning half drunk looking pathetically into eyes my buddy while he tells me "we gotta stop this Rich" but no. A day or two later we back in the same club, hitting up the same diner, sitting the same booth and saying same crap. "We gotta stop this Rich" So now I'm reaching into my bag of "we doing something different and I can show you better than I can tell you". Will I really miss DC and Marvel? Probably for a minute but in a little time, the comics will be an after thought. That after thought being "you cant miss what you don't have" [sure, Rich tell yourself anything] Of course that only works when the alternative is satisfying. Therein, lies the rub. After reading hugh amounts of comics from Marvel and DC, I have come to realize that hey "we dont need another hero" Sure I want original characters and Marvel and DC are always dragging their feet. So maybe I take my reading talents to Scout, or Boom! Studios, or Black Sands Entertainment, or Konkret, or Millenium Comics, even Image. Maybe Tina has a point.

Maybe we dont need another hero. Yet, I would be crazy to think that other superheroes from independent creators are not intriguing. Maybe I will rock a Darkstorm shirt instead my faded out Black Panther night shirt. Maybe its just a passing thought. I cannot say for sure but what I do know is that the volume on my jukebox is set at mininum volume. To tell you the truth though, my hand is on the dial trying to turn it up. Could I permanently walk away from DC and Marvel? Not even sure I want to but this experiment for a year is growing legs. Why? Bad stories. Bad writing. Bad prices. All the things Manga isn't. Yep, I'm starting get that feeling. "Shoot! Turn that Tina Up!"

When the Anticipation Leads to Frustration

Sighs. When a new Black comic book comes out, we usually are excited for it. We are stoked for the art and the story. We wonder to ourselves; will this be a hit? New comic book day comes around on a Tuesday or Wednesday and we grab our shiny nickels and dimes getting ready for the come up. We look at the fresh copies on the shelf and if you are like me, you go after those around the middle or back. [We dont like a gang of fingerprints on our precious] We get cover A,B, and C, just because. We make small talk with the guy at the counter and grab our bags to make our way to the confines of the Black Cave. We. Are. Ready. Its. Go. Time.

You crack open the book and begin to teleport to another dimension in time and space. You brace yourself because you are getting ready to have your mind blown. The art is fire. Oh my goodness, (bruh, I need this on a shirt). So then as the words download into your cerebral cortex you experience a mild sensation. Almost lukewarm but you are not too bothered because its gotta get better right? Right? Then some 13 to 14 pages later, the mild sensation turns into pile of meh. Meh for the uninitiated is the thought you have towards something that you could basically do with out. Kind of like the plastic bags you get from the grocery store that wind up under your kitchen sink. The writing is meh. Meaning that you did not really get a bang for your four dollars and ninety nine cents plus tax. Don't forget that twenty dollar one in twenty five variant that you had to have. Yes,you have been duped. I say you been had. You been runamock. You been led astrayed. All the excitement you had now has been banished to speculation purgatory. Yes, your anticipation has been reduced to a hope that somebody options, some celebrity gets a role on tv show or a movie. Now that comic goodness you been running your mouth about in these internet skreets takes on a new role. Long box life. It sits and sits and sits and every now and then you pull it out to try to get a whiff of that excitement you once had before you bought it. Yet instead, you get slow emitted pungent gas. Reminds you of that green chili burrito you bought from the roach coach at your job. It never fails to deliver. Yet, like all farts that have to be released. I just want to let this go. Yet, I cannot. Why because I am seeing it too much. You know you are in trouble when the story about the story is more compelling than the story itself. This happens way too much for comfort. Get it together because anticipation that leads to frustration creates a new situation. -Richard J Wright

Delta Dogs: A Comic Book worth Checking For

Delta Dogs. I want you to remember the name. Delta Dogs by Millennial Comics, is a comic book title, created and written by Vonnell Young. Mark and Marvin Marvida handle the art and color work. Delta Dogs is the story of a family of cousins who were on their way to a family reunion only to be sidetracked by an encounter with an alien being. This encounter causes them to develop superpowers. I do not want to give the story away because it is a fascinating story that should be experienced firsthand. The story in short, is a coming of age tale about a group of young Black men who must navigate through life with superpowers and potential threat of being exposed. They face difficulties in mastering their powers as well trying to develop their confidence through it all. These characters are relateable and have distinct personalities. The age range of these characters are from ages 11 to 17.

Vonnell Young has put together a group of characters that you can invest in. Delta Dogs current run has 18 issues. This is almost unheard of for an independent comic book title. It a book that you can get digitally and physically as well. All the Delta Dogs issues are action packed and book is definitely a page turner. As an independent book, Delta Dogs is professionally done but it does have an underground feel to it. I want you guys to know however is that book gets better and better with each issue. You can tell that Vonnell Young really desired to make Delta Dogs better with each issue. The first couple of issues in the run had some editing challenges but definitely improved soon afterwards. Millennial Comics worked hard to improve and you will certainly notice. Delta Dogs starts off fast and in fact you might say too fast but it comes to a cruising altitude where the story starts to really take shape and you begin the process of understanding the story and the characters themselves. In short, this book is worth your time and money. If you are looking for Black love in the form of Black family love, this is the book for you. The cousins are like natural cousins, they argue, they fight but at the end of the day; they have each other's back. What makes Delta Dogs a good buy is the fact that the story even though its up to 18 issues has room to grow. Some of the cousins you will get to know right off the bat and others are still layered to where you will want to know more about them. Too often we are told that we need our own stories told by our own people. Millennial Comics is Black owned and Delta Dogs is created by a Black creative. So do yourself a favor, go to Millennial Comics website www.millennialcomic.com order a couple of books or just be 10 toes down and buy the whole run, either way you will be glad you did! - Richard J Wright

When the Melanated Makes Excuses for Mediocrity

Ranting up ahead. This right here might piss off some people. Honestly, I hope that it does. In this space we talk shop about Black comics and Black characters in particular but before I go there, I need to go here. In life, one may do a number of things. Among those things, you have the opportunity to be below average, average, or above average. Make no mistake about it, the truth about people is this, we are what are because of what we do. If we do not push ourselves to be more than average, then we get the fruit of that mindset. Garbage in, garbage out. No deposit, no return. You get out, what you put in. Whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap. There are no hook ups. There are no short cuts. The reality of this generation in which we live in, seems not to understand that. At least from where it sit, that seems to be the case. What is mind boggling for me today is the excuses people come up with for why someone is below average or average at best. Today's modern women are told to not settle. (which beckons the question "what is settling? have they settle for average or below average guys?) Trouble with that mindset is that far too often those women are average or below average themselves. How we see things often cloud our vision. So what happens? Well, we just ignore red flags and place rose colored glasses on our faces. We promote "body positivity" and everybody gets a trophy no matter how little or impactful you were on the field. So today in the climate of "me too" "political correctness" we languish. Today's mumble rap is a clear indicator that skill is an afterthought. Who would have thought that a genre of music that gave us Rakim and KRS-One would degenerate to a point where average rhymers like Drake (he isn't a mumble rapper but he shines because he isn't one) are considered gods.

In he case of comics, specifically Black comic books and Black characters, I encounter many different artists and creators who want to promote and sell their wares. The trouble starts when you can clearly tell the artwork is less than stellar. Writing is another animal all by itself but it too takes skill. Let me start with artwork. Now to be honest, the starving artist has to compete with the 3 big houses, Marvel, DC, and Image among others. It might be considered unfair but hey you chose this field. Work with it! The big companies can afford to hire the best talent. You might be just another guy with a dream. However, if you are patient, work on your craft, push the limits of your self percieved talent then you may get a shot. You have to believe in yourself first and be your first fan before you win others to your movement. Do not let ego get in the away. Study the greats. Marcus Williams. Afua Richardson, Billy Graham. Denys Cowan. Khyry Randolph just to name a few. Observe their techniques. When they give advice. Listen. I don't care if you think you are the Black Alex Ross. You can and should always desire to improve.

As far as writing goes. Its the same thing except with writing you want to engage your audience with your story. Give the audience what they want but just not how they want it. Make sure your writing is fluid. In other words make sure that it flows from panel to panel. Rigidity and lack of connectivity can kill a book before given a chance. Again. Study the greats. Christopher Priest. Duane McDuffie. David Walker. My point about studying the greats is that you don't want to study the mediocre. You want to study cats who have mastered the art and add your flavor. Be open to constructive criticism and do not be afraid to be challenged by those who you admire. Don't sacrifice your story and art for an agenda or an idea. I don't care how noble or passionate you might be about it. It does not serve you. You serve it but you do not make it the center of what you are doing. Good story always has ideas and concepts floating in the backgrounds but it never shapes the story. I want to see cats win, so push yourselves to excellence. When you think about it, pushing yourself to excellence will in turn get you to not only "better" avenue, you will come across "good" street and even make your way to "great"boulevard. Before I get out of here, I want to you understand something. I am that cat you want to talk about your book. I'm that cat that will promote your stuff if I believe in it. I will spend my dough if its good. Im not the "buy Black man we gotta support each other matter what guy" Haaaalleee naw. I want dope art and dope stories. I am not into mediocrity, especially when it concerns the melanated. - Richard J Wright

Black Unity... Seldom Seen and Seldom Heard

The head space I am in is interesting. Like my favorite rapper Scarface once rapped in a song called "Sleeping with my Nikes On", "...everybody waiting on a cake, I'm waiting on a break". These last few weeks have been interesting needless to say. I saw some dope stuff happen and I saw sucka ish happen. All of which revolve around a complicated word unity. Or to be really honest a mind boggling ideal called Black Unity. There is nothing we cannot do when we are unified. The trouble though is finding like minded people who are willing to surrender personal agendas and checking egos at the door. Since this is supposed to be a Black comic book blog, I guess I had better talk about some Black characters and Black unity. First of all, it is not something we see all the time. We do not see Black characters together often. Usually its one or two, maybe three at the most. Most often, they are not unified around the liberation of their people. Its usually something alien or a wizard involved. You wont see Black characters together in a comic book fighting for justice. It just doesn't happen. Lets be honest and keep it a stack; its not something you might not ever see on a mainstream level. The only way you see a Black team come together is in a YouTube video or a facebook post. "Create a dope super Black team" "Create a dope Black X-Men team" Will you ever see that Black superhero team in a book? Probably not. Oh sure, Coates' Black Panther run did put out the Blackest cover in the history Marvel. The Black Panther #24 is historic in that regard.

Does it give you hope? Perhaps. Yet, the reality of the matter is this. Mainstream comic companies like Marvel and DC have historically always kept Melinated beings to a maximum of 2, maybe 3 when they are feeling wavy. Yet, putting them on the same team. Rare. The only real exception has been the Ultimates. The Ultimates had Black Panther, Blue Marvel, and Spectrum on the team along with Captain Marvel and America Chavez. This team was very powerful and not around that long for that reason. Some think that many Black Superheroes skill sets make them too powerful and they would not do well together because being able to beat the breaks off everyone just isn't fun for the fanboys. It is way past time for an all Black Team. Not a (People of Color) team. NO. I want to see an all Black Team. No token white characters, no other ethnic groups that don't recognize the struggle until a few of them get touched up by white supremacy. Nope. Until that minor miracle happens. I will go the indy route. Starting with The Almighty Street Team by Street Team Studios for example. Nobody is rushing to send their books into CGC or CBCS. Yet, they check the boxes. Well for me they check the best box. Black.

Delta Dogs by Millenial Comics is another. So the truth is out there, its just not at your local comic shop. Maybe I am asking to much from the big two.

However, I cannot help but feel that with the roster of Black superheroes at Marvel and DC. This isnt being unrealistic or a far reach. DC has put out some good Black comic book content a little while now but I need to see more. Shoot, as far as I'm concerned they playing catch up. Perhaps creating new heroes and new universes to cheer is the key. Part of me as an old head wants the old to become new. Yet like Slim Charles had to tell Bodie "...the thing about the old days, is that they the old days". Maybe I'm just hoping one day to hold a comic book that features an all Black team reading to put in work. A nigga could hope for nothing less. Until then, I'm rock with this Almighty Street Team and day dream about Black Unity in life and comics. Seldom Seen and Seldom Heard. - Richard J Wright