JOHN JENNINGS ON CREATING THE AFRICENTRIC GRAPHIC NOVELS IMPRINT MEGASCOPE AND THE MAJOR SUCCESS OF HIS KINDRED ADAPTATION (MF GALAXY 179)
Description
John Jennings is an amazing cat. He’s a designer, illustrator, writer, and lecturer at Eye Trauma Comix. He’s the artist and co-adapter, with Damian Duffy, of the celebrated hit Kindred based on the novel by Octavia Butler. His other works include I Am Alfonso Jones, Black Kirby: In Search of the Motherboxx Connection, Blue Hand Mojo, The Blacker the Ink, and Artists Against Police Brutality. With Damian Duffy, he’s the co-editor of the celebrated showcases Black Comix and Black Comix Returns.
Jennings is also a professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California at Riverside, the same institution where Afritopian trailblazer Nalo Hopkinson teaches in the department of Creative Writing.
And now, because of Jennings’ mega-success with Kindred, he’s starting a whole new career as the founding freelance editor for the Abrams graphic novel imprint Megascope. Megascope will feature works by creators of African, Indigenous, Latin American, Asian, and Oceanic backgrounds, with a special on focus on Africentric stories.
John Jennings spoke with me by web video on October 9, 2018. We discussed:
- The enormous critical, commercial, and academic success of his adaptation of Kindred
- The shocking reaction of Octavia Butler’s estate to the graphic novel
- How the book won success despite national under-distribution by Diamond
- Why Marvel and DC aren’t mainstream, and who is Who today’s underserved comics market is
- The fascinating Africentric story behind the name “Megascope,” and
- How, when, and why Abrams have him the chance to found Megascope, and what he plans to do with it
John Jennings interview – New York State University at Buffalo
John Jennings: Why Comic Art is “Brazen”
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON iHEARTRADIO
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE ON PLAYER FM
United States
