Comic Books, Cartooning, AfroFuturism and Women Cartoonists
Many of us regularly read syndicated cartoons online or in print publications. Others enjoyed reading comic books as youngsters and have done so later on as well. And some of us also like graphic novels and other illustrated reading material. In Europe, there is a long and respected culture of comics and graphic novels. Although there are people who roll their eyes at adults reading these kinds of materials, there is a devoted portion of readers who like, love and live for them.
Comic Cons are extremely popular. Creators and fans of comic books and cartooning are more and more outspoken about their devotion to the illustrated stories of culture. And the African-American community has made considerable contributions to this realm of literature and art.
“Boundless” at the Schomburg Center
That’s why an exhibition such as “Boundless” at the Schomburg Center is so exciting and even surprising: it’s earnest in its sense of documentation as well as fun and spirited. It’s an energetic and educational embrace of African-American efforts in comic books, cartoons, graphic books and various related areas. You can geek out on the items displayed here, or you can take a more laidback approach, and still absorb so much about the history, efforts and genres of cartooning, the men and women involved in the creation and development as well as the fandom aspects.
Who is the intended audience for this show? African-Americans who are interested in their popular and artistic culture; any comic’s fans who adore superheroes; daily cartoon strips and engaging graphic works; and admirers of contemporary art and craft. All will benefit from seeing this exhibition and using it as a steppingstone to learn more about this, or rather, care to indulge. Creators and collectors, academics and casual readers, this is for you.
And this exhibition is also remarkable for its highlighting the work of women cartoonists and female characters, making it a solid entry for Women’s History Month.
History of titles featuring people of color
When most of our home-grown fans think of comic books, they tend to focus on the most famous titles such as Superman, Batman, Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk. As for syndicated comic strips, among the best known are Peanuts, Garfield, Dilbert, and Family Circus. Notice that the starring characters of all these are European fictionalized “people” — the default in cartooning. But there is a history of titles featuring people of color, and since the 1980s there has been a growing number of such characters who are African-American, African, or other diasporan African characters. “Boundless” proves that there is more to the “Black Comic universe” than Black Panther, Luke Cage and the Boondocks (and this is not meant to knock those three titles, which are beloved for good reasons).
It’s obvious that the curators of this show at the Schomburg Center are fans of this work, and the layout is well done. Although at times the number of artifacts is a bit dizzying, overall, the configuration of the displays is engaging and not overwhelming. It is colorful and respectful of the comics, books, photographs and other ephemera collected here.
African-American Women in Comics: Octavia Butler, Jackie Ormes
In general, over time there have not been many women comics artists and writers, and this also holds true for the world of African-American comics and cartoonists. However, this exhibition makes a strong effort to show some of the important women in this field.
Octavia Butler was one of the most influential female and African American science fiction novelists, and some of her work has been turned into graphic novels. On display here is a copy of her book Kindred, with the graphic novel rendition by Damian Duffy and John Jennings.
Jackie Ormes is considered to be the first African-American Woman Cartoonist, and she is best known for her strip Torchy Jones, later known as Torchy in Heartbeats. Her work was seen regularly in the Chicago Defender and the Pittsburgh Courier. This exhibition has not only reproductions of some of her Torchy Jones work, but also a photograph of Ormes with a group of children, who flank her as she shows them her comics.
Born Zelda Mavin Jackson, Ormes (1911-1985) was cartooning during a period of time when not only were African-American men a relative rarity in comics, but so were women. Thus, her output and her influence are doubly remarkable. She was also known for the one-panel cartoon Patty-Jo ‘n’ Ginger, featuring two African American sisters. A Patty-Jo doll by the Terri Lee Doll Company was sold beginning in 1947, a cute and realistic girl doll that was a stark contrast to more stereotypical “Black” dolls.
Golden Legacy comics
There is a thoughtful display of several titles from the Golden Legacy series, originally published in the 1960s and 1970s. Calling themselves an “illustrated history series,” the comics featured the stories of notable African-Americans and others of African descent. With visuals attractive to children and subjects like Harriet Tubman, Benjamin Banneker, Black Cowboys, Ancient African Kingdoms and others, this was a staid, educationally minded publishing endeavor.
All-Negro Comics
A pioneering publisher was the All-Negro Comics line, and it is represented here with a book and a distinctive cover, framed like a piece of art. And it is a piece of modern art, title #1 and rendered in splashy colors. Sadly, there was only one issue, published in 1947; it was ahead of its time but has proven to be an influential and inspirational entry in the comics universe.
Afrofuturism
Afrofuturism is a definite aspect of African-American comics and cartooning, with titles such as Shuri (a Marvel comics princess), Harriet Tubman: Demon Slayer by David Crownson, and others. “An intersection of imagination, technology, the future and liberation,” this subgenre of comics has been much talked about recently in the worlds of music and film.
Books On and By African-American Women in Cartoons, Graphic Novels, and More
In recent years, African-American women have been penning comics, as well as writing academic works on this subject. Women’s interest and desire to delve into this field is pushing at boundaries in the field. Among the books delving into this study are The Content of Our Caricature by Rebecca Wanzo; Black Women in Sequence: Re-Inking Comics, Graphic Novels, and Anime by Deborah Elizabeth Whaley; and Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture by Ytasha Womack.
Online Panels from the 10th Anniversary “SchomCom2022”
Even if you cannot visit this amazing exhibition in person, you can check out the online panel discussions from the SchomCom2022. Among the archived talks from Black Comic Book Festival are “How to Draw Black Superheroes & Comics,” “Creating Powerful Women in Comics,” “Black in Anime” and others. [Note that they have included an ASL signer in each talk!]
There are some other rather intriguing pieces in this exhibition. A section called “Indie” features artwork from a title called “After Laughter.” This section highlights self-published and small press works, but many of the African-American comics have fallen into this category in the past.
There is a two-page color spread featuring a drawn Muhammad Ali, shaking hands with Superman. Ali is not dressed in boxing garb, but in a white dress shirt and slacks. He gets to say “Superman, WE are the greatest!” This atypical depiction of the legendary African American boxer, shaking hands with an All-American fictional icon is priceless.
Find time to visit this exhibition. It’s enjoyable, enlightening, and one of a kind. And free!
“Boundless” will be on display through mid-December 2022.
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture * 515 Malcolm X Blvd. at West 135th Street * NY, NY 10037 * (212) 491-2200
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture | The New York Public Library (nypl.org)