The Untold History of Black Comic Books

By: Nicole D'Andria

IDW Publishing and Yoe books will be releasing The Untold History of Black Comic Books. This collection will include black characters from 1940s comic strips to black characters in modern day comic books. The book will include 200 pages of comic book stories that have never been reprinted before.

One of the author’s, Professor William H. Foster III, is an authority on black cartoonists and comics, according to him, “This book is important to me on several levels… “It is not just the culmination of years of research. It is the latest chapter in my efforts to illuminate the forgotten corners of comic book history. Despite the fact that I have been a fan, collector, and historian for comics for many years, I still meet people in and out of the comic industry who say they have never seen, or heard of Black comic books. Incidents like that used to depress me. Nowadays I just smile and say, ‘Well, let me tell you a story…’”  The other author is Craig Yoe, a comic book historian.

The Untold History of Black Comic Books will be available in February 2015. The collection will be 9” by 12” and is a full-color hardcover.  The price tag is $39.99. I like how this collection reprints never before reprinted materials as it will increase our exposure to black characters portrayals over the decades. This adds to the growing publicity black superheroes are getting. Hopefully the upcoming comic book movies starring Black Panther and Cyborg will be received well.

I’d also recommend picking up Black Comics: Politics of Race and Representation edited by Sheena C. Howard and Ronald L. Jackson which won the 2014 Will Eisner Award for Best Scholarly/Academic Work.