DC Public Library System

John Jennings, conversations, edited by Donna-lyn Washington

eng

contains biographical information

illustrations

index present

non fiction

John Jennings

1125130016

edited by Donna-lyn Washington

Conversations with Comic Artists

conversations

"John Jennings (b. 1970) is perhaps best known for his collaboration with Damian Duffy on the New York Times bestseller and Eisner Award-winning graphic novel adaptation of Octavia Butler's Kindred. However, Jennings is also a graphic designer and comic book scholar who, throughout his career, has conducted several interviews that shed light on the importance of Black Speculative narratives. The most enlightening of his interviews are brought together in John Jennings: Conversations. As a collective these interviews explore folklore, systemic racism, his Mississippi roots, and the phrase Jennings cocreated, the Ethnogothic. Jennings discusses the necessity for black heroes, not just for the sake of diversity, but for inclusiveness, touching on the conventions he has cofounded, such as the Schomburg Center's Black Comic Book Festival in Harlem. He addresses the struggle to be financially compensated for work, and he speaks at length about how being a professor informs his craft where he continues to examine black stereotypes in popular culture with courses of his own design. As a group the interviews in John Jennings: Conversations give a picture of a black man forging a way where comic books have afforded him a means to carve out an important space for people of color"--, Provided by publisher"Collected interviews with the graphic designer and comic book scholar who is best known for his collaboration with Damian Duffy on the New York Times bestseller and Eisner Award-winning graphic novel adaptation of Octavia Butler's Kindred"--, Provided by publisher

Introduction -- Chronology -- Fantastic blackness with John Jennings / Raymond Morales -- Black Kirby now: an interview with John Jennings / Julian Chambliss -- "But they're ours:" John Jennings talks about black superheroes / Noah Berlatsky -- Diversifying comics with John Jennings / Greg Anderson Eysee -- Black art: why the artistic commentary of John Jennings is so important / Sheena E. Howard -- The soul of black comics: an interview with John Jennings / Julian Chambliss -- From Dark Water to Dark Matter: an interview with John Jennings / Tiffany Barber -- King and faith: art and the urgency of now with John Jennings / Brian Watt -- Black Panther brings Afrofuturism to the big screen / Christopher Lydon -- John Jennings on adapting Kindred / Jessica Weber -- John Jennings: creating social change with comics / Rickerby Hinds -- Conversations at the Cohen Center: episode two an interview with John Jennings / Becca Evans -- From the podcast Film Sense: Afrofuturism and the ethno-Gothic / Frank H. Woodward -- John Jennings unpublished interview / Donna-lyn Washington. -- Index