Not only did we get the #28DaysOfBlackCosplay movement this month on social media, but also #BlackComicsMonth. It was created by Vixen in order to bring attention to black comics creators, who are often sadly overlooked. When asked by Black Sports Online why she started it, she said:

“There was an announcement of bringing back Milestone Media. I was excited, but then I saw a lot of people were asking “Who are Milestone Media?” I was perturbed that people didn’t know about these great men, which followed with them asking about black superheroes. Right there was when I knew I had to highlight these great creators because they aren’t getting the spotlight. They spent so much time creating and no one is aware of their work. This was my opportunity to provide a platform and a voice to them.”

I hadn’t heard of Milestone Media either, so I went and checked it out. It was founded in 1993 by a coalition of black artists and writers: Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis and Derek T. Dingle. They were published by DC Comics, and at that time, it was unheard of to get a publishing/distribution deal with them. Their first series were Hardware, Icon, Blood Syndicate, and Static. A reboot is likely, with involvement from the two surviving founders Denys and Derek. They hope to have new stuff to show off at Comic Con this year!

You should explore the official #BlackComicsMonth website here. It will give you a LOT of new comics to read that you might not be aware of, as well as tons of interviews with creators. Aspen Comics has also been shining the spotlight on black comic creators all month. Also check out Misha’s profile of Jackie Ormes here.

Who are your favorite black comic creators and black comic book characters? Let us know in the comments!