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The Future of Black

Afrofuturism, Black Comics, and Superhero Poetry

Gary Jackson editor Len Lawson editor Cynthia Manick editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:John F Blair Publisher

Published:16th Dec '21

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The Future of Black cover

•Events in editors’ hometowns in Brooklyn, NY, and South Carolina

•Appearances (virtual or physical) at comic conferences, featuring artists and poets

•Goodreads Giveaways

An anthology of poems and art exploring Afrofuturism, science fiction, and speculative fiction by Black writers and writers of color.

The expansion of Marvel and DC Comics’ characters such as Black Panther, Luke Cage, and Black Lightning in film and on television has created a proliferation of poetry in this genre—receiving wide literary and popular attention.

This groundbreaking collection highlights work from poets who have written verse within this growing tradition, including Terrance Hayes, Lucille Clifton, Gil Scott-Heron, A. Van Jordan, Glenis Redmond, Tracy K. Smith, Teri Ellen Cross Davis, Joshua Bennett, Douglas Kearney, Tara Betts, Frank X Walker, Tyree Daye, and others. In addition, the anthology will also feature the work of artists such as John Jennings and Najee Dorsey, showcasing their interpretations of superheroes, Black comic characters, Afrofuturistic images from the African diaspora.

"A formidable collection of talent...The Future of Black is a necessary compendium of early 21st-century Afrofuturistic verse and thought."—Los Angeles Review of Books

"Superstars of poetry have created work around both real-life and fictional superheroes in this innovative collection of poetry and art... This unique volume is a wonderful addition to library collections invested in the celebration of Black voices and Black visual art."Booklist

"The Future of Black is a marvel. Some of the best Black voices out there deconstructing subjects we've all come to know intimately. But not like this. Superheroes and superheroism, pop-culture and genre media are transmuted into poetry that is sharp and staggering. Pick this book up and savor it. You won't regret it."—Cadwell Turnbull, No Gods, No Monsters and The Lesson

ISBN: 9781949467673

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

210 pages