Press Release
For Immediate Release:
January, 27, 2021- Comic books have generated billions for dollars for video games and movies, but not for comic books themselves. A store owner, an editor and a journalist have come together to release the first of a series of guidebooks that introduces people to the world of comics which is rich in storytelling, ideas, and creators of color.
The Access Guide to the Black Comic Book Community 2020-2021 is the book from Anyone Comics owner Dimitrios Fragiskatos, Heavy Metal’s Executive Editor Joseph Illidge, and Comics Beat/ Black Sci-fi.com journalist and contributor George Carmona 3rd. The purpose of the book is to showcase Black creators who have comics or graphic novels that have come out in 2020, as well as showcase publishers themselves and the ideas and goals they are setting in the new year. Additionally, the book will highlight stores and conventions that are Black owned or run. The book will be a vehicle for casual readers, who feel overwhelmed by the options the comic book industry provides, or from store regulars who may want to expand their horizons.
“Our goal, and what everyone in the industry’s goal should be, is to get more people into comics,” Dimitrios emphasized. “Comics books are a medium that benefits from more perspectives contributing to them, and of course, with more people reading them. To us the Access Guide is something that is needed.”
For those people in the global Black community who want to get into comics but are afraid they may not see themselves represented in their favorite genres, this book will open a door to show them a variety of comic books and graphic novels, along with the stores and conventions where they can be found.
“Working on this project could have been just a job for me, but it’s become a new source for comics that even in the age of optimized search engines, without the proper algorithm driving your request, you might not discover some of the people and places in this guide.”, said Carmona. “The research we’ve done has helped me as a reader find new talent and quality books to support.”
“Black creators and executives have been movers and shakers in the comic book industry for the last fifty years.”, said Illidge. “Now that their voices and contributions have become more prominent, it’s our honor to spotlight Black creativity in what we hope is the yellow brick road to today’s imaginative and courageous Black comic book entrepreneurs.”
Look for The Access Guide to the Black Comic Book Community in comic book stores on February 17th. Proceeds from the publisher will be donated to the Dwayne McDuffie fund.
You can presently order your copy here:
