Black nerds rejoice: Supernatural collection celebrates overlooked heroes

Afrofuturism entered the mainstream in 2018 with the Marvel blockbuster “Black Panther.” Black audiences everywhere thronged to see a technologically advanced Africa, untouched by colonization and led by a Black superhero. 

While “Black Panther” is a shining star in both Afrofuturism and Black comic book characters, there are many more icons in Black Nerdism. 

“The Future of Black: Afrofuturism, Black Comics and Superhero Poetry” is a collection of more than 60 poets, artists and writers immersing themselves in a different reality. It not only celebrates but centers Blackness. Edited by Len Lawson, Cynthia Manick and Gary Jackson, this collection features poetic powerhouses Lucille Clifton, Nikki Giovanni, Tracy K. Smith and Terrance Hayes. 

The term Afrofuturism was coined in 1993 by Mark Dery in his essay “Black to the Future.” He noticed common African American themes being put in a technologically advanced time setting. Editor Len Lawson describes Afrofuturism as “invading spaces that purport Blackness as inferior.” Incorporating elements of science, technology and fantasy, Afrofuturism is a cultural movement that looks to the past in order to imagine different futures. 

This collection includes decades of work, from 20th century powerhouses to debut artists. It opens with four poems by Clifton that are dedicated to Superman—or, as she prefers, Clark Kent. Starting an Afrofuturism collection with a section dedicated to the most iconic white superhero in pop culture can be jarring for readers. 

These poems face Superman head on. The “Man of Steel” is an idea from a different time, when one man could beat up the bad guys and save the day. 

Clifton is amazed by Superman’s abilities in “note, passed to superman,” but can only see “that choirboy clark.” She observes that Superman can save people from burning buildings but can do nothing to fix the injustices that run deep in humanity. She ends her notes to Clark with “there is no planet stranger than the one i’m from.” Her poems perfectly toe the line between the glamor of superheroes and the disillusionment many would feel if they were real. 

‘Would you bet on us?’

Much like the real world, fictional worlds often leave Black people and Blackness by the wayside. Black characters have always been few and far between in fantasy castles and sci-fi space stations. Steven Leyva in “Ode to Lando Calrissian” asks, “Where are all the Black people in the galaxy? Would you help us? Would you bet on us?”

I was a high school freshman when I found out a Black stormtrooper named Finn would be leading the new “Star Wars” trilogy. Every Black nerd sat at the edge of their seats when a lightsaber lit up in his hands. Yes, everyone loves Lando Calrissian, but he was an antihero with little screen time. Finn would be Luke Skywalker — but cooler. The simple shot of a Finn with that lightsaber sent chills down my spine with every trailer rewatch. 

But movie after movie, fans grew disappointed and frustrated when Finn’s character became less important to the story. By the end of the trilogy, Finn character arc is not satisfying and “Star Wars” answers Leyva’s question “Would you bet on us?” in the negative.

A heady mix of past and future

“The Future of Black” looks into Black history as well.

“Frederick Douglass is Dead” by Joshua Bennett imagines Douglass as a vengeful spirit in waiting. He haunts the halls of the White House, daring someone to use his name in vain for their own agenda. This poem is juxtaposed with “city upon a hill” by Karo Duro, a collage piece imagining a futuristic New York City. 

Art complements many of the poems in this collection, elevating the ideas. The Bennett/Duro pairing is particularly striking because of how futuristic the art is next to a poem about an iconic historical figure. The book is constantly juxtaposing past and present, history and pop culture. To me, this highlights the cycle of history and what we can learn from our ancestors. History informs our future the same way real life is reflected in pop culture. 

“The Future of Black” is a love letter to the forgotten Black characters of sci-fi, horror, fantasy and beyond. When people are excluded from a genre, it becomes less rich. 

When going through the collection, it’s hard to imagine pop culture without these characters. What’s “X-Men” without Storm? “The Walking Dead” without Morgan Jones?

Marvel without Black Panther? Less rich.

“The Future of Black: Afrofuturism, Black Comics and Superhero Poetry” is available for purchase at Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Centre, in store and online.

Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Centre, 647 E. Market St., is a queer, Black, woman-owned independent bookstore located in Akron, designed to amplify and celebrate marginalized voices. Their catalog highlights, promotes, amplifies, celebrates and honors the work of Queer, Transgender, Black, Indigenous, People of Color (QTBIPOC) writers, who are often excluded from traditional cultural, social and academic canons. Through curated collections of personal narratives of people from underrepresented groups, Elizabeth’s seeks to educate and re-shape the lens of readers as they see themselves and how they view the world.