8 black comic book creators and icons you need to check out
By Mark Lynch
Roxane Gay
My introduction to Roxane Gay was The Banks. A story about black women thieves. That is an oversimplification of what they do. They only steal from the people who deserve it. As the series goes on, we go back and forth throughout time seeing how they got into the game and the consequences they faced. For example, the mother and grandmother were in the game full time.
Meanwhile, the youngest was completely against and hated what they did. As the story progresses, we see how things change her mind and attitude towards the family business.
Not knowing what to expect, this was a stupendous ride. The series showed how different generations go about things in contrasting ways – even if it’s the same profession. The Banks also showed how families can be estranged and still have each other’s back. It was beautiful and relatable. One thing I wanted to point out was the flow. Despite going back and forth through time, it didn’t disrupt the course of the story. Not many writers can do that well.
Nnedi Okorafor
People who are only fans of Shuri from the Black Panther movie have no idea what they’re missing in the comic books. Thankfully, writer Nnedi Okoafor changed that. She’s the writer of Shuri – a book that followed Wakanda’s young genius and former Black Panther.
This series highlighted more than just her intelligence. It gave her a personality that was relatable. For example, in issue No. 2, she was hit with the weight of being looked at as “just T’Challa’s sister.” A lot of us know what it’s like to be in someone’s shadow; parents being disappointed, or winning a fight without fists. Like Dr. Eve Ewing with Riri Williams, it’s great having an African woman writing a book about an African female character. You can read this and feel the emotion written in every word. If you want to read more, check out her comic LaGuardia as well.