The American comic book industry has struggled over the years to produce characters that accurately reflect the backgrounds and experiences of its readers. However, having a diversity of voices behind the scenes is just as important as a diversity of images on the page. Writers, artists, and editors of color provide perspectives often lacking in mainstream comics.
Here is a small sampling of works by African American writers and artists to explore.
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Updated May 4, 2024.
Written by Christopher Priest and drawn by the late Mark D. "Doc" Bright, depicted in Priest's signature nonchronological style, the title characters are estranged childhood friends brought back together after their fathers die under mysterious…
A story about an orange man with rocky skin signing up for a supernatural dating app isn't the kind of thing one might expect from hard-boiled mystery writer Walter Mosley. Nevertheless, Mosley delivers a classic superhero story involving wild…
Kyle Baker stretches his cartoonist muscles in this series about DC Comics' most cartoonish hero. Criminal "Eel" O'Brian turned over a new leaf after gaining polymorphic powers, reshaping himself into the hero of Mammoth City: Plastic Man. Things…
In his first major comics work, the late Dwayne McDuffie asks "Who cleans up the city after superheroes and supervillains finish wrecking everything?" The answer is Damage Control, the company you call when a giant robot has collapsed on top of…
One of the most significant developments in African American comics was the founding of Milestone Media in 1993. Frustrated by the lack of diversity on the page, as well as their own marginalization behind the scenes, writer Dwayne McDuffie…
In the newly established mutant nation of Krakoa, the X-Men's former trainee team takes it upon themselves to educate the next generation. Doing so involves death and resurrection, journeys to a D&D-esque fairyland, and attempting to redeem one of…
Perhaps Christopher Priest's best-known work, much of the MCU's version of Black Panther can be traced back to this character-defining run. Hapless State Department employee Everett K. Ross is tasked with escorting a foreign dignitary around New…
Writer/artist Keef Cross uses his experiences as a former tattoo artist to deliver a story about... a tattoo artist. Merce isn't a traditional tattoo artist, however; he's also a 400 year old vampire. Setting up shop Dayblack, Georgia, a city of…
While not actually a comic book (thought it does reprint many comic strips), this is an invaluable and singular source for information on African American comic book creators in the early days of the medium. It gives extensive biographical details…
