9 Awesome Comics Represented at the Black Comix Arts Festival To Add To Your Collection

Last month, The Afronauts launched by attending the inaugural Black Comix Arts Festival presented by the Northern California Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Foundation. The Black Comix Arts Festival’s mission is to celebrate the creativity and subjectivity of African-Americans in the comic arts and popular visual culture, and it included a grand exposition, kids’ activities, special guest artists’ presentations, film screenings, cosplay events and much more. The event was held at the San Francisco Public Library, the Children’s Creativity Museum and City View at METREON. The Afronauts were the only media visibly in attendance, and we were able to interview half of the 28 artists/writers in attendance.

Here are some of the comics we would like to highlight from the event:

‘Siba’:

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Siba is a young girl who is known for her huge appetite, kind heart and loyalty to her friends. Her two childhood best friends, Kevin and Jeff, are troublemakers. They always get into fights, stealing from shops and pulling pranks on people. Together they enjoy their childhood sharing the good times in the neighborhood.

Christopher Garner and Sebastian A. Jones:

‘Dusu’

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Hidden from his kin and sheltered from his future, Dusu is raised among the Galemren (Wild Elves) in the secret heart of the Ugoma Jungle, a world in which he does not belong. But Dusu is not entirely human either. He is on the path to something more. Dusu must focus his rage and become the savior of Ugoma before all he loves is destroyed.

Graphic Novel ‘Legend of the Mantamaji’ Pushes Ahead With Second Book

With the release of Book Two of the “Legend of the Mantamaji” graphic novel series, television director Eric Dean Seaton continues to appeal to superhero fans of all ages with multicultural characters and a thrilling plot full of action and fun. “Legend of the Mantamaji: Book Two” is available for pre-order ahead of its Dec. 11 release, just in time for the holidays.

Superhero and comic book culture shows no sign of slowing down, and with the announcement of more diverse characters on screen, parents of kids and teens who love superheroes are quietly hopeful the trend continues. The wait for a Black lead in a franchise film will be three years, leaving parents still looking for quality media with heroes of color. Enter “Legend of the Mantamaji,” a three-book graphic novel series by Eric Dean Seaton, top director of hit shows like TBS’s Ground Floor, NBC’s Undateable, Disney Channel’s Austin & Ally and Nickelodeon’s Ricky, Nicky, Dicky and Dawn.

Launched Oct. 8 and available on all platforms, the series features African-American male and female leads; a multicultural cast and strong storytelling from Seaton. Book One begins with hotshot Assistant District Attorney Elijah Alexander at the top of his career and the height of his selfishness. Little does he know his career success is directly connected to a secret that will put it in jeopardy. When a mysterious stranger appears, Elijah learns something incredibly shocking – he is not even human. Suddenly he has superpowers and is thrown into a world of magic, mystery and legendary evil.

“I’m just like the rest of the comic-loving world – I’m excited for the upcoming Black Panther movie,” Seaton said. “I’m a huge Black Panther fan, the comic was part of what inspired me growing up as a kid in Cleveland, Ohio. I always knew I wanted to create a comic book with a big back story and I wanted to create a superhero that looked like me. People of color have been an afterthought in superhero and sci-fi/fantasy stories. I also wanted to create a story that appealed to a wide range of comic book and graphic novel fans – that is why the book has no swearing and the story is layered and nuanced for adult comic and graphic novel lovers.”

“Legend of The Mantamaji,” a 2014 San Diego Comic-Con exclusive, is perfect for comic and graphic novel enthusiasts, ages 9 and up.

Read more from Eric Dean Seaton at legendofthemantamaji.com