WDtS Mattapan: Black Comics and Sequential Art - Remote!

Please note: this class will be rescheduled for a later date. Registrants will be notified once the new date is announced.

As part of GrubStreet's Write Down the Street community program, writers based near the Egleston or Mattapan Branches of the Boston Public Library can take this drop-in class. In Frances Gateward and John Jenning’s The Blacker the Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art, the duo writes that “because the black body has been historically linked to physicality and not intelligence, the depictions of Black superheroes already have inherent issues built into the very conventions of the genre.”

And yet, Chris Claremont, writer for Marvel Comic’s X-Men series said that, after some time passed following their assassinations, a “Malcolm X-Martin Luther King-Mandela resonance came into” inspiring the heroic adventures in the comics, because the stories of their lives “just fit.” 

Comic writing is a world far larger than superheroes in tights, from using Black Nationalism as a comedic tool in Aaron McGruder’s Boondocks to exploring fashion and the aspirations of African American women in the works of Jackie Ormes. In this 90-minute drop-in, we’ll discuss comic writers of color, their work and industry experiences, as well as the techniques used to tell a broad array of stories. By the end of this class, students will have an entry-level understanding of how to approach writing a comic as well as a list of works created by artists and writers of color which have escaped mainstream attention. 

Who Should Register?

Write Down the Street has a special focus on making the creative writing workshop more accessible to those who face challenges due to cost, language skills, lack of access to transportation, and other barriers. We believe that all voices must be spotlighted with the range and fullness they deserve.

These programs are offered tuition-free thanks to the support of generous donors who are committed to our mission of ensuring all voices are heard.

About GrubStreet Remote Classes

GrubStreet will be hosting all of our classes remotely from now through the end of the summer. We’ve decided as a staff that the best thing we can do for our community is to follow the advice of public health experts, and participate in the social distancing that’s recommended to help slow the spread of disease. You will be able to participate in class via Zoom videoconference from wherever you’re most comfortable. All you’ll need is a laptop or a phone! You’ll receive an email from your instructor on the day your class is scheduled with a link to join the class meeting via Zoom–no need to download anything or sign up for Zoom in advance! If you have questions about remote learning, please feel free to reach out to [email protected] for more information. 

For a glimpse at how remote learning works, look no further than the deep Zoom discussion of writing and literature below: