But Black people swear Shango and Ogun came together to write the script, and Martin Luther King, Jr directed it, and it was produced by Malcolm X, and released for the sole purpose of celebrating Black people’s heritage. And to be clear, what I’m saying is that Disney as a company knows this and uses it to increase its bottom-line revenue. And most importantly, make money for its ownership board. That’s it.
All this pro-Blackness, all this so-called representation, all this marketing that Black people will support — myself included — will go to lining the pockets of the same folks who lobby against police reform, prison reform, and social justice… they have us as their base, and their avatars wear vibranium suits.
It’s hard for me — I am now considering taking my son to a movie just because it’s something I know will be “cool,” and most of my peers will be doing the same.
I just sit and sometimes wonder when Will Smith and Denzel Washington will collaborate to produce a film about Icon starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen as Icon and Yara Shahidi as Rocket, written and directed by Ryan Coogler, distributed by Code Black or something — why is that a dream? Why is that not the norm? Why are we not advocating for investment in Black production houses and theaters and streaming instead of acting in this insane way of begging white people for their attention and validation? I wish these were rhetorical questions, but I need some answers.
There is no such thing as Black Hollywood, and at this point, that’s on us.
Oh yeah, here are some links to Black comics and some Black mermaids — for the culture.
- Black Mermaids: A Goodreads list you should check out.
- Afrocomiccon: A website and event that “entertains, educates, and unites a diverse, global audience around comics, art media, technology, and culture.”
- Black Sands: “Black Sands only publishes titles that empower the community and youth.”
- An essential Comic Book Resources list: 15 Black Comics Writers Whose Work You Need to Read
- Another great list from Comics Bookcase: Great Comics By Black Comics Creators
