Black Speculative Fiction Month Starts Oct. 1

This month, our writer and artist friends are hitting the streets of Ohio in support of their projects. Here’s where you can find them:

Author/playwright Roger Collins will be signing copies of his debut novel Cities of Glass at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Norwood.

Comic book writer Aziza The Graphic Novelist will be selling print copies of her webcomics The Kaaiman’s Cry and Locket of Devise on Saturday, Oct. 8, and Sunday, Oct. 9, at Cartoon Crossroads Columbus at the Columbus Metropolitan Library. You can also catch her at Zinecinnati 2022 on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the Clifton Cultural Arts Center in Clifton.

Musician/artist (and Midwest BSFA member) Napoleon Maddox presents L’ouverture de Toussaint, featuring the Burnt Sugar Arkestra, during the annual UnderWorld Black Arts Festival on Sunday, Oct. 23, at the Woodward Theater in Over-the-Rhine.

Cincy Sanaa Festival Recap

We had a great time at the Cincy Sanaa Festival this weekend! We spent the afternoon telling people about what we do and showcasing comic books by Black independent comic creators. Thanks to Ricky Pleasant of Breakaway Comics and Aziza the Graphic Novelist for joining us!

Co-Founder To Be Featured in Local Comics Anthology

Our co-founder, Aiesha, is having a feature story she wrote about tagging along with local paranormal investigators turned into a comic for the third issue of the Cincinnati Cabinet of Curiosities anthology! Be on the lookout for the Kickstarter next spring!

Co-Founder Creates Playlist for Comic Book Character

Our co-founder, Aiesha, created a playlist for the MeSseD Comics character she modeled for a few years back! In the comic book, Fat Mucket manages the Metropolitan Sewer District and is an all-around badass. Check it out!

Projects I’m Supporting, Part Eleven

It’s been a minute since I did one of these. That doesn’t mean I stopped supporting projects throughout the pandemic — I just forgot to post about them! Here’s a list of projects I’ve supported over the last few months. There are some Kickstarters in there that are currently going, too, if you’re interested in backing something before the holiday season gets going!

Victor Dandridge Joins Queen City Black Comix Day Virtual Comics Creators Panel, Part Two

Victor Dandridge of Vantage:Inhouse Productions

We were lucky to snag “the hardest working man in comics,” Victor Dandridge, for part two of our Queen City Black Comix Day virtual comics creators panel at 2:30 p.m. EST on Saturday, July 31, on the Midwest BSFA YouTube channel! We’ll be choppin’ it up with him and Juice Lee so join us if you can! Below, Victor tells us about his start in comics, what he’s currently working on and the legacy he hopes will endure for years to come.

Midwest BSFA: How did you get into comics?
Dandridge: This is one of my FAVORITE stories: I HATED reading as a child. You couldn’t pay me to read a book. But I was a big fan of pop culture, so all of that changed the day they announced on the news that Superman was going to die! How do you kill Superman? WHO could even do it?? Immediately, my mind was abuzz with all the intrigue such an announcement was supposed to bring. I had no choice but to admit that I wanted to read that. Luckily, my mother overheard me, and the very next day, she started my comic collection with a stack of random books she picked up. I’ve been a fan ever since.

Co-Founder Models Comic Book Character

During the extremely long break we took from working on this blog last year and earlier this year, we were up to lots of things, including moderating a graphic novel panel at Books by the Banks and throwing a The Wiz-themed roller skating party for Halloween. One of us even served as a model for a comic book character.  MeSseD revolves around Lilliput, a Filipina sewer worker who fights monsters underground while trying to keep the sewers clear. Late last year, our co-founder Aiesha was asked to be the character model for Fat Mucket, a badass Amanda Waller type who’s the manager of operations at the sewer district where Lilliput works. Dylan Speeg (the comic’s illustrator) took a bunch of reference photos of her, which he’s using to draw the scenes the Fat Mucket appears in in the comic’s third season, which drops later this year. When she asked how she should dress for the shoot, Jay Kalagayan (the writer/creator) said to wear “office clothes.” Would Fat Mucket give the girls a wide leg trouser and a peplum top with a hint of boob window while lettin’ the choppa spray? YES, SHE WOULD! If you haven’t heard of the comic, you can check out  seasons 1 and 2 now at www.messedcomics.com.

Interview with Comic Book Writer Newton Lilavois

We recently talked to Newton Lilavois of Dream Fury Comics about his supernatural comic Crescent City Monsters. The story follows Jonas, a blues musician and sorcerer practicing Creole Magic, who’s determined to track down who put out a bounty on him.

Projects I’m Supporting, Part Nine

It’s Black History Month…excuse us, Black FUTURES Month…and what better time to run down the list of projects I’ve supported over the last couple of months.

 

 

 

 

Projects I’m Supporting, Part Eight

It’s Black Speculative Fiction Month and I wanted to highlight some of the projects I’m supporting this month!