Comic books and strips have long been a vital part of American pop culture. From the legendary superhero brands of comics like DC and Marvel to light-hearted ones like the iconic Peanuts and Archie, they’ve made such an impact on the animated works we enjoy today. Sadly, Black artists and characters were rarely represented in the world of animation for quite some time but thankfully, things have drastically changed. It’s kind of hard to imagine what the world would be like without groundbreaking series like the “Boondocks” or even the local comic strip “Curtis.” The Schomburg Center team in Harlem has made it their duty to showcase the beauty of Black comics like the ones previously mentioned, illustrators, and enthusiasts with their Black Comic Book Festival.
According to their official site, The 2024 Schomburg Center Black Comic Book Festival “marks 12 years of bringing together animators, Blerds, bloggers, cosplay lovers, fans, families, illustrators, independent publishers, and writers to celebrate Black comic books and graphic novels and provides a platform to get the works directly to readers.”
Schomcom’s site added, “This annual event features panel discussions, workshops, cosplay showcases, and highlights the work of creators from across the diaspora!”
The two-day festival kicked off on Friday, Apr. 26 and ended today at Apr. 28th. It reportedly featured a variety of panel participants, including comic-book creators, artists, and authors from across the Black diaspora and had a marketplace filled with over 50 comics exhibitors. It featured a lengthy schedule of events that began at 11 am with a Graphic “Black Histories and Comics in the Classroom” panel on Friday and ended with “A Very Black Cosplay Showcase” at 5:30 pm on Saturday.
There was even a family-friendly masterclass on drawing Black superheroes and comics as well as a conversation on free writing.
“The event is critical because it provides representation, it provides the liberation of imagination,” the event’s curator and executive producer, Kadiatou Tubman, told Gothamist.
In case you missed it, keep an eye out at schomcom.org for next year’s Black comic book festival at the Schomburg Center.
