Black Comix Returns

by John Jennings (Editor), Damian Duffy (Editor)

In 2010, Professor John Jennings and Dr. Damian Duffy compiled and published a 176 page collection of art and essays celebrating the vibrant African American independent comics community. Black Comix featured over 50 contributors, including Dawud Anyabwile, Eric Battle, Kenji Marshall, Afua Richardson, Larry Stroman, Rob Stull, Lance Tooks, and many, many more. It met high praise throughout the industry and quickly sold through its respectable print run despite interest and demand—used copies now fetch $60-150 on Amazon and eBay.

Flash-forward 8 years: the comic industry has changed a lot since then, and the amount of African American talent continues to grow and amaze. While huge strides in diversity have been made, John and Damian felt the time was right for another spotlight on the topic. Rather than simply reprinting the first edition, considering the number of fresh new voices and changes in the industry, a whole new volume felt necessary.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Nonfiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Art, African American, Race

200 pages, Hardcover

First published February 17, 2020

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[Shai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Black Comix Returns is best recommended for those who are a fan of comic books and are in the graphic design/animation industry. This art book contains 91 artists that feature some sample of their work(s) and a short biography in the side.

Plenty of the illustrations included in this book are extremely good and impressive. I'm quite familiar with some of the artists included here, just like Whit Taylor, Christina Stellart, Shauna J. Grant, and Sean Mack. But I was also got to introduce to other amazing illustrators when I checked out this book.

For those who are pursuing a career in the creative design industry, this is a must-read because you will learn a lot from the diverse techniques used by the artists.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had expected an anthology of short comics. My mistake, I guess. It is a collection of artwork and a few essays on various topics. If that is what you are looking for, as a broad representation of African-American comic art, this could be a fabulous resource for you.

Some of it is great artwork, some is not. I did discover some interesting artists. I guess I expected more story telling. For me personally, this was not what I was looking for.









I received this free e-copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

[Diz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book presents the works of some of the black artists working in the comics industry these days. Each artist gets two pages that include a short work history, an introduction of their original work they are most well-known for, and art samples. A few select artists get a page or two more which contain a short essay of their experiences as a black comic book artist or fan. This is more of an art collection than a comic collection since the majority of art samples are illustrations rather than comics. As for the quality of the work, it varies widely. There are some amazing pieces, but there are also some that aren't very good. The part that I liked the most were the short essays. If a third volume of this series is made, I would like to see more of those.

[Dev · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley

I, like many other people it seems, originally thought this was going to be an anthology of short stories. It is actually an art book featuring very short profiles and samples of work from several black comic artists. I still enjoyed it and I actually put several of the featured comics on my to-read list, but I find it difficult to give anything without a cohesive 'story' more than 3 stars. I know a lot of people like art books but for me this is more just 'something you read to figure out what else you want to actually read'. It's still an interesting book though and features a wide variety of art styles from many different genres and even features some webcomics and several essays about the comics industry as well.

Bonus: this really made me laugh

[Jena · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

This book is a portfolio of sorts, spotlighting various Black artists/creatives. This would be of particular interest to someone in the comic or animation industry, or a young creator who is interested in becoming an illustrator/animator/comic creator, etc. As someone who is neither of those things, it was still highly enjoyable. Each section features a 2-page spread showcasing that artist's work with a URL of their website, a blurb about the artist and a featured blurb of one of their comics (if applicable). As I was flipping through the book, I was inspired by a lot of the art - there's such a wide array of styles that you're bound to find something you like. It also was very easy to track down the artists to follow them on social media or check out their published comics. Throughout the book are some essays from various creatives that were all very good reads. I've got this book in my back pocket as a gift idea for an artistic child/teen (esp one who is Black) - I think someone in that position would get a TON out of this book in terms of creative inspiration and hearing from some artists on their own experiences. I also loved that this book was oversized - made it really easy to dig into all the artwork.

The only reason I gave this 4.5 and not 5 is that I reserve my 5 star ratings for books I consider to be my favorites. I don't know if I would go so far as to put this book into my all-time favorites list as it is more surface-level (in terms of just being largely a portfolio, although I would say the essays are not surface-level at all). Highly recommend checking out if you enjoy art, comics or animation!

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautiful collection highlighting black comix. Every few pages is a biographical note about a black comic or graphic novelist and some of their artwork in whatever style they use.

It's absolutely like standing in front of an awesome cafe or candy aisle and getting to take in all of the beauty of what's before you except you're a little closer to the art, yet you can still smell, touch, and feel the complexity, beauty, simplicity, thoughtfulness, and artistic talent of these amazing artists. It's truly a celebration and it has several extra pages throughout discussing the significance of a collection like this. So, so beautiful.

[Radwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an eArc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review, so thanks to them.

I first heard about this book on one of the Book Riot podcasts, and when I found it on netgalley, thought I'd try it. and it wasn't like I expected.

I expected a short story or comic from each 50 black artists illustrating their art and style, but it's like a very short profile with 4 pages of examples of their art. Some of the art was brilliant, others weren't that good. but I'm glad I tried it out.

[tysephine · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting primer for several Black comic artists and writers. Men to women ratio is uneven (about 3:1 or maybe 4:1) but full of amazing artwork and a couple interesting essays.

[Deidre · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for black comic artists to follow this is a book you should check out. This isn't a comic book like I initially thought. Black Comix Returns gives a spotlight to artists and gives you a sample of the work.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

This is an art book.

It’s a fantastic art book.

The only reason I’m surprised is because I thought it was going to be a collection of comics - of stories, etc.

But it actually highlights several comics artists and their work.

And their work is wonderful.

The great thing about this is the diversity of the work. There are superheroes, and indie comix, humor, high art, all kinds of stuff.

These artists are amazingly talented.

The trouble is, many of these are really hard to find. Wait, I take that back. They aren’t too hard to find with a little bit of digging; I’m just probably not going to find them at my local library or on Amazon.

Except, I did read Joel Christian Gill’s Strange Fruit from my library about 2 years ago - check it out; it’s powerful, horrifying, and inspiring. Also retrieved from my library - Jeremy Love’s Bayou was riveting - and was beautiful.

I love Afua Richardson’s art! I put World of Wakanda (written by Ta-Nehisi Coates) on hold at my library - she did the cover. And I’m definitely going to check out Genius.

And I just bought Whit Taylor’s Ghost Stories! The first story in this book blew my mind!

And I did read Black, by Kwanza Osajyefo, and which Jamal Igle did the interior art for. (Both of whom are in this book.) I thought Igle’s black and white art was great - and the comic was an excellent commentary on our world.

I wish I could have gotten in on the kickstarter for Is’Nana the Were-Spider. Matthew Clarke’s work looks amazing - especially Hardears. I’d love to read DayBlack by Keef Cross. I can’t believe I just passed on volume 2 on NetGalley! (H)Afrocentric by Juliana “Jewels” Smith looks interesting. And I’ll be checking out C. Spike Trotman’s work!

I may have to get Dave Crosland’s Ego Rehab. I’m also going to have to check out Tony Puryear’s Concrete Park.

Stacey Robinson’s Kid Code: Channel Zero looks surreal. I’m going to have to pick that up for my girlfriend. Also, Niobe: She is Life by Ashley A. Woods.

The essays were wonderful, too. I loved Enrique Carrion’s essay Comics as Hip-Hop. And Brandon Thomas’s You Have to Buy It really hit home. I’m going to be purchasing some of these.

And at the end is a list of conventions and events “…dedicated to highlighting and celebrating the black and brown creators, characters, and content…”

Thanks to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for a copy in return for an honest review.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley

This was a beautiful collection of artwork black comix. It isn't a Comic book but a book of artwork. Every few pages is a biographical note about a black comic or graphic novelist and some of their artwork in whatever style they use. It was fascinating to read about their artwork and their inspiration.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damian Duffy, John Jennings, and their collaborators have produced a magnificent piece of book art that you should know, and if you have even a spark of curiosity about comic art, you should own it or have ready access. I am writing this post as a paean/review of Black Comix Returns, published 2018 by the Lion Forge, LLC. I had access to this title courtesy of #Netgalley.

My stamp of approval is such that halfway into to reading it online, I knew I had to have a copy of my own. Fortunately, this oversize, full color book is very affordable because the organizers held a Kickstarter campaign to assist in covering costs. However, don’t wait in getting your copy because this is the kind of book that will only increase in value when it is sold out.

On to the book itself: it is a broad survey of African American comic talent ranging from recent self published breakouts to established syndicated strips. The book is a follow up to the 2010 Black Comix: African American Independent Comics, Art and Culture. Each artist has a two page display that includes a biographical entry and several images. From sweet superheroes like Jamar Nichols’ Leon to sleek steampunk figures created by the Gibbs Sisters, there is a panorama of artwork to explore. The spectrum of comic characters, from movie inspired superheroes to pin up style beauties, and styles of artwork--sketch, full color, fairy tale, movie poster...in trying to write this review I simply revert to turning the pages slowly and soaking in the colors and stories. But despite my inability to resist the joyful distractions of these pages, I would be remiss in telling you that it also includes artists that tackle history in comic form, like Joel Christian Gill, and artists like Keith Knight that address current social issues one box and panel at a time.

The richness of images and artist information is supported by essays about the industry, taking to task the consumers and the mainstream media. Joseph Illidge shares what it is like for an artist of color to break in and hold space in a media world that values sameness and financial security. Enrique Carrion takes the measure of comics as an art style like hip-hop and a place of identity. Comic artist Brandon Thomas offers the challenge to readers to support this art--to support it in the most meaningful way, which is to buy it. So where do you buy comic art? There is a helpful section labeled “Conventional Wisdom” that describes the locations and scope of what are called Comic Cons across the country. You might have heard about the massive San Diego ComicCon, but in addition to events like the Black Comix Art Festival in San Francisco and Onyxcon in Atlanta there are also specialized book fairs and small press events around the country where you can buy comics, books, and artwork. Thomas’ essay addressing the basics of supporting diverse artists applies to library collections. You can’t have a truly diverse collection if you don’t buy those materials, and if your library has “policies” about not buying materials that don’t arrive pre-catalogued or that can only be purchased from a specific distributor...well, guess what? You are going to have to work a little harder to get these meaningful materials into your collections and into the hands of readers who seek representation.

I would also like to praise the book designers for the beauty of this book. To pack so much content into one book and make it a seamless reading experience must have been a tremendous task. The harmony of the layout, fonts, and borders make an excellent package. The heavy, coated pages rest inside sturdy covers with a sewn binding, and to add an additional flourish, a purple ribbon bookmark.

Start with acquiring this book. The ISBN is 1942367376 and you know what to do, get it from your favorite independent bookseller or ask your favorite librarian to get it for your local library.

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Representation and Inclusion"

This is like a huge, grand gallery show of the widest possible selection of black independent comics artists. It is a followup of sorts to Jennings and Duffy's wildly successful 2010 art book, "Black Comix: African American Independent Comics Art & Culture".

This time around we survey the work of over 40 artists, some established and some up and coming. Each artist gets a two or three page spread with examples of past and current projects. There are also very brief and sort of idiosyncratic bios. As I say, it's a survey and a sampler, and a jumping off point for looking for more work from artists who really catch your eye. Peppered amongst the collected art you will find various essays addressing different aspects of the craft. The curators of this book have distinguished scholarly credentials and numerous academic works to their credit, but the emphasis here is more celebratory than scholarly. The work is of almost unimaginable variety - there is humor, anger, action, romance, superheroics, history, myth, legend, urban grit, bayou wonder, struggle, victory, and defeat.

The tone of the various essays is aspirational and encouraging. The point, one of many, is to invite struggling black artists to enter and to remain in the fray, and to make their work visible and viable. The effect is inspiring and the work itself eye-opening and wonderful. A great find.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[mad mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet your new TBR list!

(Full disclosure: I received a free electronic ARC for review through Edelweiss.)

New to the world of comic books? Want to diversify your reading list? Looking for some STUNNING art by African-American creators? You've come to the right place: Black Comix Returns is collection of illustrations, comic strips, and essays by black artists.

Tbh, when I cracked this open, I was expecting to find an anthology of sorts, maybe a sampling of stories from up-and-and coming graphic novelists. This is almost as good, though: while we only get the briefest glimpse into the imaginations of each of the ninety-three artists featured in these here pages, nearly every two-page spread will leave you wanting more. Many of the illustrations are simply breathtaking, and the series descriptions had me adding titles to my Amazon wishlist like it was going out of style. The cover, easily one of the most jaw-dropping I've ever seen, is just a taste of the visual delights you can expect to find inside.

Additionally, the essays interspersed throughout give an added layer of context, exploring what it's like to be an artist - and fan - in an overwhelmingly white (male) industry. Black Comix Returns isn't necessarily the sort of book you read cover-to-cover, but do yourself a favor and make sure you hit all the essays.

I read Black Comix Returns as a pdf, but I'm sure it makes one helluva coffee table book. According to its Goodreads listing, the first title - Black Comix, which has since gone out of print - is somewhat of a collector's item on ebay. The $29.99 list price of Black Comix Returns seems like a steal in comparison.

http://www.easyvegan.info/2018/02/20/...

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good survey of black comic artists by the creators of Kindred.

Black Comix Returns contains a short biography and representative art from over 70 comic artists of color. Both established and emerging talents are showcased. Most of the artists have the plot of one of their comics or graphic novels summarized too. There are also short essays about being non-white and/or non-male in a white male controlled industry.

While this book would be a great gift for any comic/graphic novel fan, it is especially useful to young artists. Not only empowering to kids of color, the varying styles of art within this collection show the sheer volume of choices available to young artists. From manga to fine art to illustration to newspaper comics, the variety is impressive. Most readers will find several artists interesting enough to locate at their comic book store, local library or online.

Initially, I thought this was more of an anthology of short comics than the survey of black comic artists. I would have preferred more in depth coverage of each artist. However, I did find several artists to look into further.

Thanks to the publisher, Lion Forge, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

[Tawallah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confession: I left comics behind in my early teenage years. Not that I read extensively. And I was not interested in superheroes style, as it seemed to require that I catch up with long series. I figured that comics were for childhood. But then due to YouTube most people seem to read some sort of graphic novel. And after a while your biases can slide. Picked up Maus and March Book 1, and eager to find my own aesthetic.

I picked up this anthology on Black Comic never knowing there was a prior version. This does not provide you with short comic strips which based on marketing suggests. This is more a who’s who in comic industry both mainstream and independent. Perfect for newbies as a resource material as well as for avid fan looking for new artists to read. I like the mix of writers, cartoonist, and the essays included. Whilst not every style will be to your liking, you should be sure to bookmark a few comics to find.

(As an aside pleased and embarrassed to see my country comic creators mentioned here).

I received this from NetGalley for an honest review. Happy to have picked up this treasure. Just need to pick a comic to buy. Online.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first pulled this out to read, I thought it was going to be excerpts from different graphic novels. I was wrong but I'm still not disappointed. There are tiny glimpses into the different graphic novels and artists that are featured but this is more of a guide of where to find stories involving black characters or artists. There are a few series in here that I'm actually quite excited about and the misunderstanding at the start was entirely my own. Even so, this is an excellent guide and introduction to some amazing artistry. For those who follow my reviews for family-friendly advice, there is a bit of swearing and violence in here but only as descriptions to series. For the actual series'themselves, I can't comment without reading the individual series, as always. Either way, if you're looking for some diversity in a vastly white-washed graphic world, this is definitely a great start to your journey.

I would like to thank the publisher, authors, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Black Comix Returns' edited by John Jennings and Damian Duffy is a not so much a sequel to their 2010 book Black Comix as it is an update.

This A to Z volume focuses on the amazing African American artists working in the field of comics. From Leisl Adams to Ashley A. Woods there is a wide variety of styles. There are short bios of each artist and samples of their art. In some cases, the artist has a creator owned series, and these also get a paragraph or two within the artist's entry. In some cases, the entry is an essay by the artist. The end of the book has a list of black comics conventions in the US.

I liked the book. The layout is good, the art is great. While it all wasn't my favorite, I found some artists I was pretty familiar with, and it was nice to learn a bit more. If you are looking for more representation in the comics you buy, this is a good resource of people that you can support.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

[Adam Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been using the 2010 version of this book as a resource to widen the scope of which creators I seek out in both webcomics and physical comics. This new edition is considerably larger (not just thicker and filled with more up-to-date information, but physically larger) which makes the art pop even more.

Most of essays about each creator are simple one paragraph descriptions of their style and some of the projects they've worked on. These little paragraph pops left me wanting more, but, hey, I know how Google works, I can get the rest of the information that way. The longer essays within the book taught me a bunch of things about creators that I hadn't previously heard, which makes this the most useful essay book on comic creators that I've read.

I recommend it to anyone looking to read more comics, particularly by Black creators. And anyone who just likes looking at art books. And don't just read it for Back History Month either. This is a 365/365 resource.

[Nia Ireland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is like a directory for the best diverse artists and illustrators, which is exactly what I've been looking for, truth be told.

When you're just starting to get into comics and graphic novels, it's hard to know where to start. I know that I have definite preferences when it comes to artistic styles, so having a book that gives you a 4 page spread and a paragraph of introduction to different artists is the best thing ever!

As a result, I now have a handy dandy list of artists whose work I'll be pursuing and a little glow that I'd already read some of them so I'm not a 100% newbie to the world of comics any more! Just 99%.

*Thank you NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review*

[Rianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

12/52 books read in 2018.
Provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I expected this to be a collection of short stories or teasers for upcoming comic books. It wasn't that. It is instead a gorgeous collection of art teasers. You cannot read any of the stories, but through this anthology you do get a great overview of black comic artists and their work. Most of the artwork was absolutely beautiful & there are definitely a couple that I want to read in the future. This is a great resource for people who want to read comics by black authors, but don't know where to start.

[Jarrod Lacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Showcasing a cornucopia of outstanding talents of the black comic book artists and writers community. this amazing text is one for those black creators surrounding the genre, if for inspiration alone. I was enthralled, overly involved and taken aback by the geniuses on each page represented. With the likes of Deron Bennett, Eric Battle, Keef Cross, Avy Jetter, Uraeus, Enrique Carrion, Turtel Onli and Sean Hill, it is more than imperative that this book be recommended to those with superhero dreams and swim otherworldly streams.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic compilation of graphics, media, and essays from various African American creators. The art was stunning, and the samples of comics seemed very well thought out. While I was hoping for a more in-depth collection of comic samples, I enjoyed every second of this all the same - and even found some new artist and comic book artist to check out in the future.
This would be a great gift to anyone who appreciates art and comics.
Bravo for putting this gorgeous collection together!

[Nessa [October Tune] · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really thought this was going to be an anthology of some kind... and judging by the reviews on here, I wasn’t the only one. I did enjoy looking at the artwork, and I wrote down the names of people I want to check out further, but yeah can’t give this book more stars because honestly it wasn’t what I had expected. I do recommend checking this out if you want to find some more great (black) comic artists!

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has mostly 2-4 page spreads on approx. 50 Black artists, writers, etc. of comics and graphic novels. Is arranged in alphabetical order by name. I found a good list of people and titles to look into but sadly my public library has access to almost none of them. Maybe PSU has more of them; I still need to check the Summit catalog.

Back in the early 2000s we went to a lecture by these guys at the art museum on UIUC campus; as Damian had recently entered our grad department.

[MFCOMMAND · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for seeking Black artists & comics creators to check out.
Plenty of beautiful artwork included here.

The only drawback I noticed was a lack of redundant information about these creators.
Several of the listed websites were down. Some look like they haven't been updated in a year or more. Would have been great to see further information on where the creators work could be found, social media & such.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I, like others, was mistakenly expecting a comics anthology; this not that, but instead is a compendium of current Black artists throughout the comics industry, showcasing illustrations or excerpts from their work, and a few essays. I'm not unhappy that I checked this out, because I got to see art from people I already know and like, and discovered some new works I'd like to find, as well.

[Kayla Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5⭐) Before I read this I thought it was going to be a collection of short stories but with comics and I was wrong. Instead it was like a reference book or a show case for other black artist and creators. Which although its wasn't what I was expecting I still really liked it and just the whole concept of it supporting other black artist and their work.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic compendium of sample work and descriptions of newer black comics creators. Some essays are included, notably (to me) one on black women creators. A wonderful place to see what's going on in black comic art or comic art in general, and to find possible new graphic novels, comics and/or artists to find. Much of the art is as mind-blowing as that amazing cover!

[SA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really an art showcase/portfolio than an anthology of black comics, which is fine, but the book title and design were misleading, to my disappointment. I enjoyed the depth and breadth of artists featured in this volume, and I am pleased this exists. But I was hoping for something that offered more of an anthology of narratives featuring black creators.