Untitled

VCDM 219

Fall 2024 Semester

Portfolio Review and Assessment

Thesis Proposal

(Revised)

Randous Wallace, Jr.

ID 2270949

Bowie State University

Concentration: Animation Motion Graphics

December 14, 2024

Introduction

I have always enjoyed reading graphic novels like Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Manga/Anime. Reading has always helped me use my imagination to escape and opened my mind to a different world. For my senior thesis proposal, I will create a comic book which focuses on an African American teenager who is a superhero. I want my comic book to relate to young African Americans who struggle with expressing themselves.  Although I want to represent the African American youth, it is my hope that all people will be inspired and entertained.  I want to create art that will make people laugh and enjoy my work so much that my artwork will carry on for future generations.

Theme

When I was about 11 years old, I read a book called, “The Million Dollar Shot” by Dan Gutman which tells the story about a teenage boy who has an opportunity to win one million dollars by shooting a basketball into a net. Not only did the boy win the contest, but he was also able to purchase the company that sponsored the contest.  The book taught me the importance of practicing basketball frequently to get better and better as well as inspiring me to create my own company.

The theme of my comic book series is overcoming obstacles.  I believe many people can relate to being an underdog.  A recurring theme of being a winner despite all odds is a relatable topic. For example, I can write stories about a young teenager trying to make the basketball team or being bullied in high school.  There are many ways to demonstrate through a comic book or strip scenarios young people experience as they navigate adolescence.

Research

To prepare for my senior thesis proposal, I read comic strips such as “The Boondocks” by Aaron McGruder and watch the television series based on this comic strip.  Also, I am a huge fan of The Spiderman comic book series by Stan Lee.  The comic book entitled, “Ultimate Spiderman Miles Morales” by Stan Lee which features an African American portraying the new Spiderman character has inspired me to create my own African American character.  The story line focuses on an African American teenager who is the son of a police officer and has witnessed the murder of his mother by a police officer.  Social issues such as “Black Lives Matter” and police brutality are addressed.  The comic book has been turned into a video game series and a movie.

Sample Books, Films, and Comic Strip Links

Gutman, D. (2006). The Million Dollar Shot. vol. 1. New York: Hyperion Paperbacks for Children.

Links to Spiderman Films and The Boondocks Series

Concept

I plan to create a comic book that can be accessed online. The comic book will have a story line involving a young African American 13-year-old student in the eighth grade who lives in a fictional city like Silver Spring, Maryland.  The name of the comic book is Baller Hero.  I would like to digitally create Baller Hero and promote access to reading the book online via a website.  The book would be accessible to all Bowie State University students.

Cover Page of Baller Hero Comic Book

Budget

I propose a budget of $500.00 to create an animated online comic book, website, and print flyers.

Create

During the Spring 2025 semester, I plan to join Bowie State University’s Animation Club.  As a member of the club, I will create a website and get approval for all Bowie State University students to have access to reading my comic online.

Promote

I plan to create flyers promoting my comic book as well advertising the book on social media sites such as Tumbler, Instagram and Facebook so that people can read the comic book.

For More Information:

[email protected]

I viewed the online exhibit by the Museum of Modern Art, entitled “Words and Pictures” by Dorothea Lange.   Lange’s exhibition has been placed online since the COVID-19 pandemic because visitors were not allowed to go to museums.  According to  Meister and Taylor the exhibit captures Lange’s belief that photographs can be fortified by words (Meister and Taylor, 2020, para. 1) Lange’s exhibition in the form of photobooks, government reports, newspapers, magazines, and poems reflect the everyday life of people and their experiences.  

Lange cared a lot about words and pictures and the relationships between the two.  Lange put her subjects’ minds at ease by asking them what they did for a living and telling them about herself.  She wanted her subjects to feel comfortable before taking their photographs.  Lange’s pictures show a lot of empathy as she took pictures of ex-slaves, indigenous people, poor people, and Asian children who were inducted to concentration camps during World War II.  Her pictures were so powerful because it showed people what was happening in the United States during the Great Depression and World War II.   One of Lange’s most famous photographs called “Migrant Mother,” taken in 1936 shows a stressful mother during the Great Depression in California worrying about how she will care for her three children.  During this time, many people were out of work and hungry.  When the public saw Lange’s photograph, they were so moved that many people sent money to help the pea pickers in California.  The photograph proves the power of pictures and the differences that they can make.  In 1942, Lange was sent by the government to document in pictures the placement of Japanese individuals living on the West Coast in concentration camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  Lange’s photograph, entitled “One Nation Indivisible” shows several children reciting the pledge of allegiance to the American flag.  At the front of the picture is an Asian child appearing loyal to the United States, but there is irony in the photograph because Lange is aware that this child will soon be taken to a concentration camp.  Lange wanted to show the injustice of the child’s loyalty to a country that is willing to place innocent citizens in a concentration camp. 

            I visited The Alexandria Black History Museum in Alexandria, Virginia and learned the museum began as a segregated library for the African American citizens of Alexandria.   Later, the museum became the site of America’s first sit in strike and home to leaders of the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement.  In 1990, the library expanded to preserve the African American history of the residents of Alexandria and was changed into a museum. 

            When first entering The Alexandria Black History Museum, I noticed the museum is divided into three parts.  To the left of the museum, there is an exhibit entitled, “Before the Spirits are Swept Away.”  The exhibit features an art collection of works by Sherry Z. Sanabria whose works reflect individuals who have experienced trauma.  The paintings are shown next to actual photos of buildings that housed people such as victims living in enslaved quarters and concentration camps.  One piece I found particularly interesting was the painting entitled, “The Life of an Enslaved Child,” which shows different activities an enslaved child is allowed to do depending on the height of the child.  The middle section of the museum shows pictures of the steps taken to convert the library into the museum.  To the right of the museum is a collection of artworks by Moss H. Kendrix, an African American public relations business owner.  The Kendrix art collections shows how Kendrix changed the negative stereotypes portrayed of African Americans in advertising campaigns.  Kendrix was the first person to have African Americans advertise products such as Jackie Robinson selling Coca Cola.  The exhibit has examples of products that use African Americans in negative images such as Aunt Jemima on a pancake box by the Pearl Milling Company and an African American male on a box of Uncle Ben’s Rice and Cream of Wheat.

            The designs of the exhibits I saw helped viewers imagine what the artist was trying to convey.  The title of the exhibit “Before the Spirits Are Swept Away” is written in italics font which creates an image of being swept away.  The exhibit is designed to preserve the painful history experienced by African Americans so that people do not forget.  The painting entitled, The Life of an Enslaved Child,” uses bright colors and large fonts to demonstrate children playing, but the images of height in the art piece reminds the viewer that enslaved children were allowed to play for a limited time.  The advertising exhibits shows the large font used by newspapers to recruit slaves and domestic workers.  Pictures and models of Aunt Jemima demonstrated the idea that African Americans were supposed to be servers and cooks. 

            When looking at the different art collections at The Alexandria Black History Museum, I experienced a variety of emotions. I felt sad to see how the childhood was taken away from enslaved African American children who did not realize they were slaves until they reached a height of which they were put to work.  Also, I experienced anger at the paintings of the small rooms where multiple slaves were forced to live.  The advertising exhibit that showed negative stereotypes of African Americans made me feel anger and pride at the same time because it demonstrated how far we have come but we have a long way to go in removing negative stereotypes.

            I visited The Alexandria Black History Museum in Alexandria, Virginia and learned the museum began as a segregated library for the African American citizens of Alexandria.   Later, the museum became the site of America’s first sit in strike and home to leaders of the Civil War and the Civil Rights Movement.  In 1990, the library expanded to preserve the African American history of the residents of Alexandria and was changed into a museum. 

            When first entering The Alexandria Black History Museum, I noticed the museum is divided into three parts.  To the left of the museum, there is an exhibit entitled, “Before the Spirits are Swept Away.”  The exhibit features an art collection of works by Sherry Z. Sanabria whose works reflect individuals who have experienced trauma.  The paintings are shown next to actual photos of buildings that housed people such as victims living in enslaved quarters and concentration camps.  One piece I found particularly interesting was the painting entitled, “The Life of an Enslaved Child,” which shows different activities an enslaved child is allowed to do depending on the height of the child.  The middle section of the museum shows pictures of the steps taken to convert the library into the museum.  To the right of the museum is a collection of artworks by Moss H. Kendrix, an African American public relations business owner.  The Kendrix art collections shows how Kendrix changed the negative stereotypes portrayed of African Americans in advertising campaigns.  Kendrix was the first person to have African Americans advertise products such as Jackie Robinson selling Coca Cola.  The exhibit has examples of products that use African Americans in negative images such as Aunt Jemima on a pancake box by the Pearl Milling Company and an African American male on a box of Uncle Ben’s Rice and Cream of Wheat.

            The designs of the exhibits I saw helped viewers imagine what the artist was trying to convey.  The title of the exhibit “Before the Spirits Are Swept Away” is written in italics font which creates an image of being swept away.  The exhibit is designed to preserve the painful history experienced by African Americans so that people do not forget.  The painting entitled, The Life of an Enslaved Child,” uses bright colors and large fonts to demonstrate children playing, but the images of height in the art piece reminds the viewer that enslaved children were allowed to play for a limited time.  The advertising exhibits shows the large font used by newspapers to recruit slaves and domestic workers.  Pictures and models of Aunt Jemima demonstrated the idea that African Americans were supposed to be servers and cooks.