(H)afrocentric Comics: Volumes 1–4 - Softcover

Smith, Juliana "Jewels"

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1629634484 ISBN 13: 9781629634487

Publisher: PM Press, 2017

Synopsis

This unflinching visual and literary tour-de-force tackles the most pressing issues of the day—including racism, patriarchy, gentrification, police violence, and the housing crisis—with humor and biting satire. When gentrification strikes the neighborhood surrounding Ronald Reagan University, Naima Pepper recruits a group of disgruntled undergrads of color to launch the first and only anti-gentrification social networking site, mydiaspora.com. The motley crew is poised to fight back against expensive avocado toast, muted Prius cars, exorbitant rent, and cultural appropriation. Whether Naima and the gang are transforming social media, leading protests, fighting rent hikes, or working as “Racial Translators,” the students at Ronald Reagan University combine their technically savvy and Black Millennial sensibilities with their individual backgrounds, goals, and aspirations.

About this title

About the Author

Juliana “Jewels” Smith is a writer, educator, and speaker. She is a Glyph Award winner and the honoree of the first annual Excellence in Comics and Graphic Novels Award from the African American Library and Museum at Oakland. Mike Hampton has been a self-published comic book artist and writer for more than 15 years. Ronald Nelson, who specializes in portrait drawing and sequential art, studied at School of Visual Arts, the Art Students League, and Cooper Union. Kiese Laymon is an award-winning black southern writer, the author of Long Division and How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America.

Reviews

Gr 10 Up—Naima is a student at Ronald Reagan University, where she strives to live up to her dreams of being a revolutionary, black, feminist activist. Determined and confident, Naima brings together the people in her life, such as her best friend Renee, who is queer; her apathetic brother Miles; and their Chicano friend El, to help her change the world. Packed with references to significant counterculture and African American movements, this graphic novel (begun as a webcomic) moves incredibly quickly among genres and topics. Intersectionality and the divide between privileged "enlightenment" and radical race relations are the backbone of the whip-smart, wildly original comic. Satire (an internship opportunity for black interpreters for white people, a protest sign—wielding fairy godmother) simultaneously diffuses and highlights the heavy reality of the issues discussed. The art is approachable but not predictable, with close-ups of angry faces and fluid backgrounds that add to the raw feeling of the work. The result of so many great things packed into a small package is that the book sometimes falters under its own weight, making some pages hard to follow. VERDICT While cultural references may leave younger teens and those unfamiliar with social justice frustrated, those discovering a desire for activism will be eager to learn from Naima. Highly recommended for collections serving older teens.—Amy Diegelman, formerly at Vineyard Haven Public Library, MA

Edition details

• Publisher: PM Press
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1629634484
• ISBN 13: 9781629634487
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Hampton Mike, Nelson Ronald
• Number of pages: 136