BHM Spotlight: Afua Richardson of 'World of Wakanda' And 'Run'

by Troy-Jeffrey Allen

In celebration of Black History Month, PREVIEWSworld asked multiple creators within the comics industry to talk about their personal history with Black History Month and their personal history with comics. In our eighth installment in this series, we talk with Afua Richardson, the artist behind the recently announced March sequel RUN!

Give us the rundown on a recent comics project you're excited to be a part of.

I am incredibly excited to be working on this new graphic novel project with Abrams Books. John Lewis, Andrew Ayden and Nate Powell, the team that brought you the New York Times best-selling series March is adding me to their all-star crew. I will be illustrating the interiors for the sequel to March entitled Run. It will continue the journey of John Lewis and his quest for civil rights, facing the threat of violence, enduring loss, internal battles, triumphs and travesties that he and other Americans faced on the path to freedom in the Civil Rights era. It honors some of the stories lost to history's pages that live in the memory of those who lived it. We're in divided times right now. Hearing the stories of those who have endured so much and have the bravery to be kind and giving and selfless despite horrific treatment is something that really resonates with me. I've drawn heroes from the wells of imagination. Now I have the opportunity to draw living legends who walk among us. Reading the script, I laughed and cried and felt angered and proud from page to page. It will take you on a trip! Get ready for Run. It will be amazing. I hope to do it service.

When did you become interested in comics?

I'm not sure when it happened. One of my oldest friends said that when he introduced himself in class, my response was "I can shoot my nails out -- SNIKT! " But I really started collecting around eight or nine with Alan Moore's Swamp Thing, Excalibur, Giant-Sized Xmen, Ghost Rider and anything that involved blue characters. Nightcrawler, Beast...Mystique was a bad guy then, but she was still cool. I'm not sure why exactly. Maybe it's a color that just makes me happy. Then I got into the Image/Top Cow stuff. Then Fathom and Witchblade. After that, I meandered over into anime and manga with Blade of the Immortal and anything Grant Morrison's Invisibles, Warren Ellis' Transmetropolitan, and Neil Gaiman stuff.

How was Black History Month introduced to you growing up?

My father was the founder of the civil rights division of the U.S. Coast Guard that was stationed on Governor's Island in New York City. Black History to me was just history. I'd ask about my great grandparents or even just my dad's life growing up as a farmer, sculptor, oil painter, and physicist in Alabama. He'd relay the things he'd seen and the events of the time and reminded me that you shouldn't be proud of what you are but what you DO. You had no choice in choosing this body. Never be ashamed of who you are, but pride without effort is hollow. Remember the musicians and poets, but also the engineers and frontiersmen that may have been forgotten in the stories we get fed as history. In school, it was one month to remember someone Black who did something awesome. Which is important, but it didn't encompass the greats. We just shove in some names to memorize for the month, and forget how they've impacted our lives the rest of the year. I'm always open to learning more about what the actual story is. We all just end up as stories anyway. Might as well learn as much as we can to make sure we tell it correctly.

Does that line up with your take on Black History Month in 2018?

I use to think about it with a hint of sadness. Just thinking about the trials and difficulty of life even just 100 years ago without modern convenience or perspective on the greatness of humanity. It is a cloud that people carry with them. It can be stifling and stops people from trying out of fear of difficulty. These days I look at their struggles as a testament to their strength — to persevere despite their life's trials. That's the hero's journey, isn't it? They leave their village or their comfortable place, find adventure, and decide they need to change in order to evolve. A spark of invention, a fire of adversity, a desire for change all fueling their innovation. What use to make me forlorn now fills me with pride. I didn't come from a weak people. The world was so different then. Beyond the 3% of 1%, life was tough for everyone. Considering what they had to overcome just to be able to conceptualize a change in the standard motivates me. With their effort and sacrifice, I am able to carry that torch and pass it on to the next if I can. I think it would be wonderful to dedicate each month to a culture's accomplishments. Each set is like an operating system that developed different ways of viewing the world and have added to our existence. I'd like to learn more to have an appreciation for my history as well as others.

If you could work on any comic next, what would it be?

I'm kind of excited to be working on my own comic right now. With this current project in hand, it pushed back my timeline on Aquarius The Book of Mer. But I'm not regretting that at all. It will give me more time to do research and plus I get to be part of a monumental book! I will be able to draw exactly what I want the way I want to without reservation. I am excited to tell the stories of my heart through mermaid mythos and legends braided with history and MY story. I'm delving into my lineage and telling the story of my ancestors as well as the tales of others existing today who save everyday lives. I'm just rewriting them to be inspired and assisted with divine (and watery) help!

What comics are you reading right now?

We Can Never Go Home, Saga and March volumes #1-3.

Why Black History Month?

Could be "Brown History Month," but I'm not sure that sounds too catchy.

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Troy-Jeffrey Allen is the Consumer Marketing Digital Editor for PREVIEWSworld.com and Diamond's pop culture network of sites. His comics work includes BAMN, Fight of the Century, and the Harvey Award-nominated District Comics.