As part of our Black History Month features, we're celebrating notable Black comic artists and creators. There are so many creators that we want to highlight, so every Tuesday for the rest of February, we'll feature even more notable Black creators. For our latest article, we're celebrating some current and rising stars of the industry, focusing on Afua Richardson, Sanford Greene, Khary Randolph, and Nikolas Draper-Ivey.
Afua Richardson
Afua Richardson garnered acclaim for her contributions to comic book titles. Her portfolio encompasses cover art for 5 issues of Marvel's World of Wakanda and a short story backup in its inaugural issue, along with illustrating a Langston Hughes poem for NPR's Black History Month in 2014. Richardson created a wide range of variant covers for comics like All Star Batman for DC Comics and Attack on Titan for Kodansha, Mad Max for Vertigo, as well as covers/variant covers for X-Men '92, Totally Awesome Hulk, Shuri, and Captain America and the Mighty Avengers at Marvel Comics. Richardson was one of only two Black women employed by the Big Two when she entered the industry. How things have changed since!
Richardson, who honed her artistic skills independently, participated in the Ormes Society, which aimed to elevate African-American women within the comics field. In 2011, Richardson was honored with the Nina Simone Award for Artistic Achievement, recognizing her as one of the scarce Black female comic book artists employed by the industry's major publishers. Teaming up with writers Marc Bernardin and Adam Freeman for the comic series Genius (2007), Richardson took inspiration from her own background as a minority in the United States to shape the narrative through the lens of the protagonist, Destiny Ajaye. Her depiction of violence in Genius is recognized for its straightforward yet artistically stylized manner, providing readers with a glimpse into Ajaye's inner workings and earning praise for its comprehensibility and richness.
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Image from Afua Richardsons's Wikipedia page, posted by
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Sanford Greene
Sanford Greene, an American comic artist, is known for his vibrant and action-packed illustrations that highlight the significance of Black heroes within and beyond the comic book realm. Hailing from South Carolina, Greene boasts a rich career in the comic book industry, contributing art to major publishers like Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, and Image Comics. Not limited to graphic novels, Greene recently collaborated with Peloton, designing artwork for its 2021 Black History Month Collection, showcasing his versatility as an artist.
Inspired to become a comic book illustrator at a young age, Greene's journey began around 8 or 9 years old, sparked by a pivotal moment in a K-mart where he stumbled upon a spinner rack filled with comics. Since then, he has left his mark in the industry, working on projects like the webcomic 1000, written by Chuck Brown, and Bitter Root, co-written by Brown and David F. Walker. Greene's works have earned him multiple awards, including Eisners and Ringo Awards, underscoring his significant contributions to the field.
Beyond his artistic achievements, Greene emphasizes the importance of crafting characters of color that resonate with audiences, aiming to spark meaningful conversations and connections. Despite his professional success, Greene finds profound fulfillment in his role as a family man, highlighting the significance of his personal relationships alongside his artistic endeavors. Through his work, Greene fosters a supportive environment for emerging artists, leaving a lasting impact on the comic book community.
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Khary Randolph
Khary Randolph, an accomplished American comic book artist, and he boasts an extensive portfolio including notable series like Starborn, Charismagic, and Excellence. His work is spread out across various publishers such as Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Image Comics. Randolph's upbringing in a culturally rich environment heavily influenced his dynamic art style, which seamlessly blends elements from manga and hip hop, garnering widespread recognition in the industry. Graduating from the School of Visual Arts in 2000 with a BFA in Cartooning & Illustration, he embarked on his professional journey, making significant contributions to the world of comics.
Having made his debut in 2003 with Spider-Man: Legend of the Spider-Clan #5 under Marvel Comics, Randolph quickly established himself as a rising talent in the comic book scene. His presence at the 2006 Big Apple Comic Con's National Comic Book, Art, Toy & Sci-Fi Expo further showcased his work to a wider audience. Additionally, his involvement in projects like the Chaotic Trading Card Game in 2007 demonstrated his abilities beyond the realm of comics.
Randolph's career has continued to flourish in the last decade, with his contributions to high-profile projects like We Are Robin in 2015, collaborating with other notable writers and artists. His creative prowess extended to cover illustrations for DC Comics' Batman Beyond Universe from 2013 to 2015, further cementing his reputation as a skilled cover artist. In 2019, Randolph embarked on a new endeavor with writer Brandon Thomas, launching the creator-owned series Excellence, a compelling narrative about a secret society of black magicians, emphasizing diverse storytelling and representation within the comic book medium.
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Nikolas Draper-Ivey
Nikolas Draper-Ivey, an American illustrator for manga and comics from Lansing, Michigan, now resides near New York City. His artistic path was inspired by his father's introduction to Japanese animation, particularly Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira, fostering his passion for the medium. Draper-Ivey's deep dive into Shonen Jump Magazine as a young reader solidified his ambition to pursue illustration professionally. Eventually, this prompted his enrollment at the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) in 2010, where he focused on Sequential Art with a minor in Illustration.
With strong inking, and stark lights and shadows, he's received pause from other industry giants, like Editor Koji Yoshida and mangaka Takeshi Obata, have applauded his successful fusion of Eastern and Western influences. Draper-Ivey's distinctive artistic style, marked by skillful manipulation of light and shadow, seamlessly integrates afro-futurism, fantasy, hip-hop, punk culture, and cinematography. Currently immersed in his original work, Dream Vesper (among many others), Draper-Ivey remains steadfast in his belief that his unique Afro-Asian futuristic art style can influence positive change on a global scale.
I have the utmost faith and excitement for his newest projects, as his serialized more famous work XOGENASYS and Static (and his stellar character design skills) quickly made him a source of inspiration for artists in the Black Creator community. Not limited to comics and manga, he's even been commissioned to create album artwork for Marvel's "Black Panther: The Album," produced by Kendrick Lamar. Nikolas clearly has a record of success and inspiration behind him. As a creator dipping his feet back into creator-owned work, I'm inspired to keep working hard on my own projects too.
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If you'd like to read more articles and the history of Black Creators, here are some links for you: