Did I anticipate that Black people would take over Comic Con? No. Am I mad about it? not at all. There were three excellent panels that were on the schedule that I was able to listen to over the past two days. I know we are all lamenting the fact that we couldn’t be together, but I appreciate how Comic Con has been able to pivot two years in a row to deliver a great program.
The first was for Shudder’s Horror Noire, an anthology series. I was familiar with the documentary and had no idea they were making a show, but I will be tuned in after watching this panel. I love that the show is going for an anthology vibe and adapting stories from Black horror writers for the show. The inudstry is all about IP so seeing a show elevating the work of Black writers is amazing.
Secondly was the Black Excellence panel moderated by my fellow HCA member Jazz Tangcay. This is a who’s who of Black people: featuring Anthony Sparks (Queen Sugar showrunner and executive producer), Araxi Lindsey (Emmy Award-winning hair department head of Black-ish and personal hairstylist to Tracee Ellis Ross), Dawn Porter (Award-winning director and producer of The Me They Don’t See and John Lewis: Good Trouble), Ekwa Msangi (Indie Spirit Awards’ “Someone to Watch” and director of Farewell Amor), Erika L. Johnson (NAACP Image Award-nominated writer and producer of The Good Lord Bird), Jihan Crowther (The Underground Railroad writer), and Pierce Austin (founder of Red Rhino Trailers and personal hairstylist to Will Smith).
Finally Black Nerd Problems had a really fascinating conversation about the book of essays of the same name and many of the issues therein. Especially on the heels of the Blerd Con, this was a refreshing discussion about the realities Blerds face in the world.