This is an in-depth and comprehensive look into an alternate universe of comics history that I never even knew existed.

For anyone interested in making a positive contribution, there are many opportunities here to branch out and add to the growing scholarship. Many of these people have been overlooked far too long in mainstream histories and even some within African-American Studies scholarships.

It’s been a pleasure reading this and learning more about so many different people.

These entries are each self-contained and rewarding on their own, and as a whole they are an essential part of a better appreciation of what the real history of comics was like back then.

At first when I got this I was overwhelmed by the information. But after a while I found that I was referring back to it for various topics and authors. This is an a must have but you won’t regret having it on your shelf.

Encyclopedia of Black Comics is a well researched book chock-full of good information and much needed written histories.

Howard's Encyclopedia of Black Comics is a fascinating, well-researched resource that can be used as a reference book or read from cover to cover.

The book delves into the history of Black comic creators and books that have shaped the medium, complete with vivid examples/illustrations of the works being discussed.

Diversity and representation are hot-button topics in both comics scholarship and fandom, and this Encyclopedia is essential reading for fans of diverse and inclusive comics, and academics alike.

A very informative book that shines a light on all the wonderful Black artists and writers that contributed to make the comic book world that we know now. A must have!

This was an amazing find!
An absolute treasure for generations. I will happily share this with my children and their children! Look forward to see updated versions as new creators are discovered. The brief bios are a wealth of knowledge.

I have lost the copy of this book so I am really sorry I won't be able to give feedback on this book. I wanted to read this book but the copy got deleted from my phone. Really sorry.

This is more of a reference book than something you want to (or can) read cover-to-cover, but it is fantastic, and I highly recommend that everyone who is interested in comics buy it. There is SO much I didn't know about black comics history.

Encyclopedia of Black Comics

Non-fiction ARC TEMPLATE.

Why did I chose this book:
Interesting topic and the cover caught my eye.


Platform:
Free ebook from NetGalley


Blurb
Literally an Encyclopedia of Black Comics. An A-Z look

What I Loved:
-format of the pages and book
-Illustrations
-topic

What I Wished Were Different:
- this definitely needs to be purchased hard copy in order to be fully appreciated

My Ratings:

Informative-
5/5. I knew zero about this topic before reading it.
Relatable-
1/5. For me not as much but the history is powerful.
Transitions and Flow-
5/5. the set was beautiful and the comics/artwork were well placed.
Overall-
4.75/5. I have zero artist abilities and really don’t read comica but this book was well written and informative.

Would I read this again:
No because this is not really an area of interest for me. As a woman of color, the history is what attracted me to read. I can honestly see this being a required reading for a multicultural or arts college class.


This book was reviewed based on my honest personal preference.

Kudos to the author for being bold enough to share their creativity with the world.

🤓ARC REVIEW. I did receive a free copy of this book for my honest review.

by Sheena C. Howard, from Fulcrum Publishing. Review copy provided by NetGalley.

I cannot express how needed and necessary this book is, and how much that will continue over the years. In addition to our shelves of graphic novels and rows of long boxes, most comic readers also have a sub section devoted to the history of the medium. Comics is still a niche interest and has come close to extinction numerous times. Fans already have a mindset that the creators and the history needs to be saved before it is lost. Well, get ready fan boys, because the creators and history of Black comics has been even more disrespected and slighted. This book is an eye opener for writers, artists, editors, and the characters they created. I've been reading and studying comics for over 30 years and most of this book was brand new information to me. I came out of this book with pages after pages of who and what I want to read next.

Creators that had to hide they are/were Black. Characters that were hugely popular but kept to the Black newspapers or not displayed on the magazine racks in the white part of town. I was amazed by how many of these stories have always been out there, have existed my entire life, but never crossed my path before. This isn't discovering one new book, one new artist, this is like discovering an entire other planet worth of content.

By all means, buy this book, sit down and read every page. Don't skim for what is familiar. I learned so much on every page and I would guarantee every other reader will have the same experience. The people I learned about and became the most interested in will not be the same for any other reader. Brandon Easton's ShadowLaw. Orrin Cromwell Evans and All Negro Comics, the first comic written and drawn by Black artists in 1947. Bertram Fitzgerald and Golden Legacy comics, plus the tie-in with Coca-Cola. Vernon Grant's A Monster is Loose in Tokyo, possibly the first American artist to use the Japanese manga style. Did you know Krazy Kat, one of the first comic strips to be taken as serious and intellectual - showing that this can be an art form - was created by a Black man, George Herriman.

Joseph Illidge and Solarman. Jay Jackson worked for the Chicago Defender, an African American newspaper, and helped preserve the history of Black cartoonists while looking through the Defender's archives. John Jennings The Hole: Consumer Culture a scifi story about the buying and selling of a group's culture. "Scifi" indeed.

Jackie Ormes's Torchy! This is the biggest omission from popular culture. The first African American woman cartoonist. Successful strip. And so popular her work leads to the "first upscale African American doll, Patty-Jo in 1947.

If I keep going I'll repeat the entire book. A book I will look at again and again. A book that will inspire many future pieces. A book that already has me digging through libraries and archives to find more works from the names mentioned within. It also makes me wonder what else is left unrecognized by white culture. LBGT, Asian, Hispanic, Native, and more and more.

This is more than an Encyclopedia. It's a giant foundation upon which other works of research and inspired creations will be built.

This is the first book I've read when it comes to Comic history. With current events I thought it would be good to pick it up. It's an interesting and insightful read. Though It wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I had thought it would be in a comic format but this was truly a encyclopedia. Nevertheless this would be a very useful resource for those wanting to learn about Poc being in the comic industry. How Black author grew with the industry and their contributions.

This is such a unique and valuable resource. While I am a lover of graphic novels, I know little about the world of comics and the people who have shaped that world. This is an invaluable encyclopedia that will be vital for researchers, readers, and enthusiasts alike.

This is a greta resource detailing black comic artists. The book talks you through the artist's essientla works and boograhical information. Some art is included ehih break up teh blocks of text. I also appreciate HOwards insight at the end of teh book gicing a view poit the majority don't see..

As a teacher in Juvenile Detention, I am always on the hunt for books that demonstrate the successful careers of Black artists and professionals. This book offers profile of “ artists, creators, illustrators, inkers, writers, Black comic historians, convention creators, website creators, self-published comic creators, editors, archivists, and academics“ (xviii). With each new profile the reader is given a sketch of the life, education, and artistic growth of the individual. This work is a powerful example of celebrating the skill and successes of Black artists. I am looking forward to adding this to my classroom library as inspiration for my students to imagine themselves as creators and imagine their path to success as an artist.
This book is not light, or a quick read, but the skill of the artists and the respect that Sheena C. Howard displays for her subjects is a model for us to follow.

The history of black comics is revealed in this biographical representation, identifying many African American graphic artists.

Fantastic!!!
This goes through the history of black creators and contributors in comics. It's broken down in a fun way with great art work. It doesn't feel academic, in that it doesn't feel like you're reading a history book. It's broken down in a way that anyone could understand. It's brought A LOT of stories to my attention that I will be picking up soon!

This encyclopedia focuses on documenting notable Black American comic book writers, artists, publishers, reviewers, researchers, store owners, and convention organizers. It's important to keep in mind that this book was published in 2017. As I was reading, I had questions about why certain people, facts, or events weren't included, and that explained several cases. For example, Vita Ayala is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns but wasn't out at the time this encyclopedia was published. I was surprised that Tom Floyd didn't have an entry. It includes samples of some of the comics the creators mentioned worked on. There were some entries that felt incomplete. Based on the comics provided, it seemed like a figure had some unsavory characteristics that should be mentioned but weren't because of the general tone of positive history and notable firsts. Generally an informative read.

I've been trying to read more diverse and due to current events and the BLM movement, I decided to pick this one up. I don't really know what I expected, but it's literally just an encyclopedia of black authors who make comics. Each artist features facts about them and a sample of their art. These authors are really talented and I'm going to look into some of them later on. To be honest: I haven't fully read this book. I scammed through some authors because it was just a lot of information at once. I'm also NOT going to rate this one for this particular reason (NetGalley requires me to give it a rating, so I'm going with the middle way). I would really recommend reading this one if you LOVE comics and are trying to read more diverse as well.

Thank you so much for this arc! This was such a cool graphic novel! This is a great resource if black comic book artists, and the history of them that you don’t really learn when learning about the history of comic books. Definitely a must read for any comic book loving fan!

A really great resource on the histories and careers of some notable black people within the comic book industry. This book examines contributors to many areas of the creative process beyond the illustrators and story-writers.

A little dense to be written cover-to-cover with less artwork than I was expecting, this book is still an exceptional resource.

I wasn't very keen on the A-Z format however that is the traditional format of encyclopedias and it avoids issues with chronology.