We Are Comics

I’m talking about this:

It has popped up in my dash all day. As of the time of writing this, the publication already has over 900 notes. That is nearly more than 900 taking this at face value. But the above statement is wrong.

See this fella?

That’s Felipe Smith. And he’s the writer of:

Smith is from Jamaican/Argentine/American descent, defines himself as afro-latino and he’s the only black writer working at either Marvel or DC.

And yes, I know what are you going to say right now;

"But that’s only one writer among who-knows-how-many. WE NEED MORE!"

And I agree with that. And you know what’s the best way to send the message to Marvel that we want more diversity among the people behind the comics? Supporting those few who are currently working.

All-New Ghost Rider is a fantastic series. This comes from someone who has never cared about GR, but, as a mexican with a multiethnic background, I decided to give it a chance after hearing that the protagonist, Robbie Reyes, is a latino and that the writer is also a latino with a multiethnic background. And I have to say, I don’t regret. I can’t afford many comics but ANGR is a must.

And guess what? The book is not selling very well and is facing cancellation. If its cancelled, THEN there would be no black writers at Marvel.

So I can’t stress this enough: want more diversity among the writers? Then support Smith and Ghost Rider.

If you’re interested in checking out ANGR the first trade collecting the first 5 issues was released fairly recently so you shouldn’t have a problem finding it at your LCS. If you read digital the first collection is available on Comixology, or just the first issue if you just want to try it. If you have a account the first 3 issues are available on Marvel Unlimited. Issue #10 is set to be released on January 14.

We Are Comics exists as a platform from which members of our community can speak for themselves. It’s about solidarity, but it’s also about visible diversity: hundreds of distinct faces and stories from across the comics industry and community. We are as different from one another as we are from that elusively narrow target audience.

Copies of The Dark Sorceress #1 are in!

The launch of IOF’s first comic series begins here with The Dark Sorceress #1. The story of a young girl who was resurrected for war, and who seeks her own path through life, starts first with a three-issue opening arc that follows the exploits of her parents and their friends, and the events leading up to her own death.

Every page of The Dark Sorceress, $5 in the IOF Store, is a hand-painted watercolor image, and this first issue also features hand-lettering. The book’s cover, also a hand-painted watercolor, is available as an art print for $18.

I Am Comics

Like a lot of just-starting creators, I loved comics as a kid. But not just the art and stories, but I wanted to create and show off my own worlds in the same way. I wanted to see my own name published and in the credits of a book, if not on the cover. I fell off from collecting for a little while during college, but I went through art school and came out thinking that I was going to be an illustrator.

Fast forward a few years and I finally decide to launch Illustrator Of Fantasies, my own artist brand, so that I could build my portfolio and sell my work. Somehow, the idea came back to me that I could turn a story into a comic. That comic became The Night Is Our Victory ($5 in the IOF Store, now seeing its second printing with a new cover this month, so go me!) and I realized I could do this.

So I looked around at all the stories I had told, and landed upon one of my first: The Dark Sorceress. I started plotting ideas and drawing for this story my junior year of high school, and started writing for it regularly on a story-sharing RP message board during college. I had such a fun time writing it, but I never thought about taking it any further than that.

But now, here it is! It’s fitting that the first series is one of my first literary adventures. The story has matured so much over the years, and so has my story-telling. I am so excited to have this going in my life, and my creativity is sparked enough that I’m in development for my second series, The Alexandrian Union, starting by the end of 2014, and a continuation of the story of The Night Is Our Victory next year.

Not only this, but I’ve begun some major development in the world I created where all these stories are from, and I’m working on many new illustrations to show-off that will bring it all to life. It means a major change to how I’ve been running IOF, but it’s a change that is necessary, and I think will bring about further growth for me as an artist and storyteller.

My Story

I have been reading a lot of blogs, and following many different creators in the industry, and one thing that these bloggers consistently point out in their writing is the need for different types of stories in the industry, and from different people. I want to be one of those different people. I want to tell stories that are more informed about issues within the framework of social justice, not to make a political statement, but to show that a story can be entertaining and not pander to destructive tropes.

I aim to tell different types of stories, not just because I have a message (I think it a mark of success of art has a message), but because these are the kinds of stories I want to read. These are the kinds of stories I want to tell. The Dark Sorceress is about a young girl who has to navigate a world she doesn’t understand, while trying to play to the expectations of the people around her, and must then reconcile all that with her own perspective and attitude. I want us to see her world through her eyes.

     I’ve read comics for 40 years. I still own my first comic.  It’s boarded in plastic.