20 Black Comic Book Creators on the Rise, Part Two

What happens when three roommates find magical weapons that weren’t meant for them? They become substitute superheroes — hence the name. In The Substitutes, Myisha Haynes creates a hilarious and engaging world that’s building up for a full-on adventure. Catch up to the ongoing series here as it’s updated bi-weekly.

Nilah Magruder draws “cute animals and zombies” according to her website. But the comic creator is also making an impact with her series M.F.K., which follows Abbie, a “social recluse,” who just wants to complete a simple journey to scatter her mother’s ashes. But nothing is ever easy for Abbie. With a Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity, under her belt Magruder is definitely an artist to be on the lookout for. Catch up with M.F.K. here.

There’s no doubt that Nas’ debut album, Illmatic is influential and Stephane Metayer’s series is a testament to that. Metayer's fresh manga series Tephlon Funk debuted last year after a successful Kickstarter campaign. Set in Queensbridge, the series takes its four main characters on an adventure inspired by Illmatic. The first issue is available for free here. Issue two was just released this week and is available for purchase here.

Micheline Hess has established her name as a colorist at the legendary Milestone Media, but now the comic creator is releasing her own series, Malice in Ovenland. It follows a tenacious young girl, Lilly Brown, who while trying to finish her chores gets pulled into another world through her oven. In the series, Hess creates a fun and interesting ride for the young character and readers. Snag the first issue here.

At first glance, Robert Jeffrey II’s Route 3 may seem like a classic coming-of-age superhero comic, but the comic creator takes it a step further. The series follows Georgia teen Sean Anderson, who gains a number of powers including telekinesis, but finds himself targeted by the government. There’s also a love story for the romantically inclined. Jeffrey’s second issue won the 2014 Glyph Award for best cover. Snag the first three issues here.

Chuck Collins struck gold when he took his real life experience as a bouncer and turned it into a comic series. Bounce is funny and real with a lot of heart. Not to mention, Collins makes sure to throw in a lot of sci-fi and movie references as his two main characters geek out in front of New York’s not-so-finest patrons. Keep up with the series here.

The Immortal Nadia Greene is dope — and we have Jamal Campbell to thank for bringing it to fruition. The vibrant series follows Nadia Greene as she successfully continues to cheat death. Campbell’s series is a breezy and enjoyable read with fierce and lovable characters to boot. No wonder it was nominated for Best New Webcomic in ComicsAlliance’s Best of 2015 Awards. The Immortal Nadia Greene is also available to read for free. Catch up to the series here.

Many may know Amandla Stenberg as the actress who played Rue in The Hunger Games, but the young star also created and co-writes a comic series, Niobe. The series follows an orphaned wild elf teenager on a quest to find her purpose in life — while also battling her demons. With illustrator Ashley A. Woods and co-writer Sebastian A. Jones, Stenberg creates a series full of wonder. The first issue dropped last November and issue two is due on March 2. Get a copy of the first issue here.

If you’re having fantasies about falling into a South Korean drama, Sharean Morishita’s Love! Love! Fighting!, about an expat living in South Korea, is definitely the series to get lost in. And with love in the title (twice!), it’s safe to bet that there’s a story to swoon over. Morishita also hits a few serious notes in another one of her series, Rescue Me, which follows a woman battling depression in a seemingly inescapable situation. Check out the two series here.

Loyiso Mkize’s Kwezi has been gaining a lot of traction lately and for a good reason. The fresh series created by the South African artist follows the title character who discovers that he has superpowers and must save the world from extinction. Mkize, who is the creator and illustrator for Kwezi, definitely developed a fun read with his series. Read the first issue here and get updates on the next issue here.