Courtesy of Ebony
Storm, Black Panther, Spawn — most folks who are at least vaguely familiar with comics can identify these three Black characters. But how many Black comic writers can you name? How about Jackie Ormes, who is considered to be this country’s first African-American woman cartoonist, or Billy Graham, who is best-known for his work at Marvel Comics. Today, there is a growing number of Black comic writers around the country that are challenging norms and offering their spin on serious topics, such as the country’s socio-economic structure, religion and even sex. Recently, the second annual Black Comic Book Festival occurred in Harlem, New York. There, comic book lovers and creators gathered to celebrate their favorite stories and discuss the state of the industry.