Hey Comic Enthusiasts! February is not just about hearts and chocolates – it's also the perfect time to dive into some incredible graphic novels that celebrate Black history and culture!
Afar by Leila Del DucaIn a post-industrial desert wasteland, 15 year-old Boetema develops the ability to astral project to other planets. On her own planet, with her parents gone, she and her 13-year-old brother, Inotu, must cross a dangerous desert to flee a cyborg bodyguard.
Bingo Love by Tee FranklinWhen Hazel Johnson and Mari McCray met at church bingo in 1963, it was love at first sight. Forced apart by their families and society, Hazel and Mari both married young men and had families. Decades later, now in their mid-'60s, Hazel and Mari reunite again at a church bingo hall. Realizing their love for each other is still alive, what these grandmothers do next takes absolute strength and courage.
Bitter Root. 1, Family Business by David WalkerIn the 1920s, the Harlem Renaissance is in full swing, and only the Sangerye Family, once known as the greatest monster hunters of all time, can save New York -- and the world -- from the supernatural forces threatening to destroy humanity. But those days are fading and the once-great family that specialized in curing the souls of those infected by racism and hate has been torn apart by tragedies and conflicting moral codes. A terrible tragedy has claimed most of the family, leaving the surviving cousins divided between by the desire to cure monsters or to kill them; they must heal the wounds of the past and move beyond their differences ... or sit back and watch a force of unimaginable evil ravage the human race.
Black History in Its Own Words by compiled and illustrated by Ronald WimberlyPresents quotes of dozens of black luminaries with portraits & illustrations by Ronald Wimberly. Featuring the memorable words and depictions of Angela Davis, Jean-Michael Basquiat, Kanye West, Zadie Smith, Ice Cube, Dave Chappelle, James Baldwin, Spike Lee and more.
Black Panther. 1, a Nation Under Our Feet by Ta-Nehisi CoatesWhen a superhuman terrorist group named The People sparks a violent uprising in Wakanda, the kingdom famed for its incredible technology and proud traditions will be thrown into turmoil like never before! Black Panther knows that if Wakanda is to survive, it must adapt but will he be able to make it through the transition alive? Heavy is the head that wears the cowl!
Harlem Hellfighters by Max BrooksWWI's Harlem Hellfighters had spent more time in combat than any other American unit, never losing a foot of ground to the enemy, or a man to capture, and winning countless decorations. They fought courageously on and off the battlefield to make Europe, and America, safe for democracy. Yet, though they returned as heroes, this African American unit faced tremendous discrimination, even from their own government. From the enlistment lines in Harlem to the training camp at Spartanburg, South Carolina, to the trenches in France, this is the heroic story of the 369th in an action-packed and powerful tale of honor and heart.
Hip Hop Family Tree. 1, 1970s-1981 by Ed PiskorThis encyclopedic comic's history of the formative years of hip-hop captures the vivid personalities and magnetic performances of old-school pioneers and early stars like DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, plus the charismatic players behind the scenes like Russell Simmons, Debbie Harry, Keith Haring and other luminaries make cameos.
Hot Comb by Ebony Flowers"Hot Comb" offers a poignant glimpse into Black women's lives and coming of age stories as seen across a crowded, ammonia-scented hair salon while ladies gossip and bond over the burn. The titular story Hot Comb is about a young girl's first perm a doomed ploy to look cool and to stop seeming too white in the all-black neighborhood her family has just moved to. In "Virgin Hair" taunts of tender-headed sting as much as the perm itself. It's a scenario that repeats 15 years later as an adult when, tired of the maintenance, Flowers shaves her head only to be hurled new put-downs. Realizations about race, class, and the imperfections of identity swirl through Flowers' stories and ads, which are by turns sweet, insightful, and heartbreaking.
Octavia E. Butler's Kindred : A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Damian DuffyOctavia E. Butler's bestselling literary science-fiction masterpiece, Kindred, now in graphic novel format. More than 35 years after its release, Kindred continues to draw in new readers with its deep exploration of the violence and loss of humanity caused by slavery in the United States, and its complex and lasting impact on the present day. Adapted by celebrated academics and comics artists Damian Duffy and John Jennings, this graphic novel powerfully renders Butler's mysterious and moving story, which spans racial and gender divides in the antebellum South through the 20th century. Butler's most celebrated, critically acclaimed work tells the story of Dana, a young black woman who is suddenly and inexplicably transported from her home in 1970s California to the pre-Civil War South.
Run: Book One by John LewisContinuing from the bestselling "March" series, this graphic novel delves into John Lewis's life after the Civil Rights Movement. Although the signing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 marked a milestone, Lewis faced ongoing challenges related to civil rights and equality. Expelled from the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, he joined Robert F. Kennedy's campaign and witnessed the tumultuous events of 1968. Seeking to rebuild the movement, Lewis had the idea to run for Georgia's 5th Congressional district seat. "Run" narrates his journey into politics, community engagement, and the campaign that eventually secured him a significant role in Congress, starting with the tragic death of Martin Luther King Jr.