Way back in 1989, I attended my first-ever WonderCon in Oakland, California. It was the year Tim Burton’s Batman was coming to theaters. I left the convention inspired. Downtown Oakland had a handful of futuristic skyscrapers that sparked my imagination enough for me to create my first Def Squad X comic. That comic earned me first place regional drawing category of the NAACP ACT-SO (Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics). The following year, I would compete at the NAACP national convention in Los Angeles.
The urban crime and cyberpunk themes in Def Squad X were a mix of cliches from both genres, but also representative of me trying my best to reconcile the prideful social consciousness that characterized African-American identity in the late 80s early 90s with the mind-blowing visuals showing up in manga and anime. The former valued accessible contemporary fine art that “uplifted the race” through mostly figurative genre work. The latter brought to life dystopian futures with amazing tech and impeccable design.
The advent of “afrofuturism” and related initiatives intended to add diverisity and BIPOC voices to these entertainment genres has been bittersweet. I am still an industry outsider in spite of having dedicated countess hours to the craft of comics, characters, props, mechs, and illustrations. I distinctly recall the tepid response of Tor’s art director when I showed her my work during the Illustration Master Class. Today, the same illustrators who consciously avoided including black or brown characters in their portfolios (unless they were drows, demons, or aliens) get hired paint them for covers.
WonderCon 2022 being my first major convention was a comedy of errors, but I am glad that I went. The biggest challenges were in being seated between two industry pros with large followings. Groups of their friends and fans had a tendency to spread out and block my table. In spite of this, it was good to see where working for Marvel or DC can get you. They seemed to make most of their sales from originals, autographs, and commissions. You have to really understand the market and the behaviors of buyers to know how to price your work.
I learned that it would be best to be placed among independent artists in parts of the convention where attendees are looking for original stories and art. Copies of the Afromancers Primer Book I and II sold very well and my HXMP series was well-received.