If you’re a comic book fan or creator, you’re living in an amazing age. People are no longer beholden to only two major comic book companies to read issues or create something of their own. Among the companies you can rely on is Ahoy Comics. One of their titles is a phenomenal series called Ancestral Recall.
Ancestral Recall is written by Jordan Clark (Samurai Sonja and Red Sonja / Hell Sonja) with art by Atagun Ilhan (Poison Ivy) and it follows a talented artist and kind man named Melvin Waring. After his wife disappears, he has to fight his memory issues to save her. When confronted with violence, he reaches deep into the past to gain the skills of one of the greatest swordsmen in history, Jean-Louis Michel.
I was lucky enough to have writer Jordan Clark talk about his series and so much more. The first thing I needed to know was how he came up with the powers of their lead character.
“The inspiration for Melvin's powers came from the way I feel Black History gives me power in day-to-day life. Thinking about some of the incredible historical figures in Black history, I wanted to find a way to turn that feeling into an actual superpower and explore some of the lesser-known stories in Black history.”
With the vast amount of historical Black figures to choose from, this led me to ask if there was anyone Jordan wanted to add but couldn't or didn't? He said that "having to decide who to include" and who to cut "was one of the hardest parts of the series," adding:
"One person I would have loved to find a way to add is Anna Olga Brown, a circus acrobat from the 1800s, who traveled Europe doing amazing feats of strength. Hopefully, if we do more issues, we can find a space for her."
When writing characters from different walks of life, it couldn’t have been easy to write jargon for characters. “We only get a little bit of time with each of the people Melvin channels, so I definitely wanted to do them justice. A majority of them didn't do interviews, so I wanted to give them as close to an authentic voice as possible. Hopefully, that comes through."
Before everything was done, Jordan was nice enough to mention what’s next for him. “I'm working on a few pitches as well as some crowdfunded projects that hopefully will be up and running early next year. I just want to continue to tell stories that help expand readers' views on history, culture, and our relationships with each other.”
Issue No. 5 of Ancestral Recall was released on December 5, 2025. You can find writer Jordan Clark and artist Atagun Ilhan on Instagram.
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