Today, FairSquare Comics is launching its most ambitious campaign to date. And for a very important graphic novel. It’s a book that I am not writing, drawing, coloring or even editing. It’s a book that I’m hosting at FairSquare Comics because it needs to exist. This project is called NOIR IS THE NEW BLACK. It’s a collection of Noir stories by Black creators.
Everybody knows I have a love affair with the Noir genre. Spider-Man Noir, Intertwined and the upcoming Over My Dead Body are all Noir stories. But when it comes to Noir, there’s a sub-genre that has been around for a while but never quite given the love it deserved. I’m talking about BLACK NOIR. Noir stories by Black creators.
This project spun off a series of conversation with TC Harris, a blogger and self professed “nerd”. We met in 2017 at the Baltimore Comic Convention. We never stop conversing. About life. About movies, comics and politics. TC had the desire to do more for the community, to also break into comics. I welcomed him at FairSquare Comics. We came up with this idea that he’s going to be spearheading. 25 comic book creators, both established like Brandon Thomas (Excellence), N.Steven Harris (Michael Cray), Brandon Easton (Judge Dredd, Star Trek), Afua Richardson (World of Wakanda), Koi Turnbull (Fathom) and on the rise like Melody Cooper (OMNI), MD Marie (Vindication), Regine Sawyer (the Ice Witch) or Greg A. Elysée (Is’Nana: the Were Spider), to name a few, have agreed to band together to produce a collection of unique Noir stories. All creator-owned. All new. All different.
Hosting this book at FairSquare is just an incredible opportunity and humbles me. What’s the point in being creators or editors if we’re selfish? If we don’t open doors for others. Sharing the little we have? The message of the comic book founding fathers is that comics are universal. Comics have a long tradition of open-mindedness. Of empathy. Of solidarity. I’d add that contrary to a common belief, comics will NOT break your heart. Comics are life. NOIR IS THE NEW BLACK is a small contribution to the rich History of our medium, but hopefully a significant one. I bow down to these creators. To their stories. To their incredible talent. I’m lucky to be their ally and promoter. Yes, #Blacklivesmatter folks. #Blackheroesmatter. And as N.Steven Harris said it in his introduction to this project: “Black Noir is Black Black without trying, just being. Pushing and breaking boundaries we use to be told were there, because Black won’t sell, whites won’t understand, not what they want see. Well, but what about what I/we want to see? Our visons matter! Black visons matter.” If you can, please support and pledge this project.
Click here to be a part of this exciting new adventure: https://tinyurl.com/NITNB
Thanks a lot everyone.
–Fabrice