WonderCon 2025

The lack of Black professionals in comics is staggering, though likely not surprising to those familiar with the complexities of the industry. More often than not, white people provide the primary decision-making concerning the representation of Black characters in comics. The risks of non-Black people crafting stories attempting to reflect Black experiences include inauthenticity, unintended reinforcement of stereotypes, and tokenism for any Black people who may be involved in the creative process. Professionals and scholars Vanessa Hintz (Carroll University), Victor Dandridge, Jr. (Vantage:Inhouse Productions), Ajani Brown (San Diego State University), and John Jennings (MEGASCOPE) discuss the value of authentic representations of Black lived experiences, created for Black people by Black people, and the dynamics and complexities of diversifying representation in both the comics industry and readership.