When Black Mask Studios released Kwanza Osajyefo, Tim Smith 3, Jamal Igle, and Khary Randolph’s Black, they unleashed a political comics force on the often homogeneous landscape of our local comic shop. The book imagined a world where only Black people have superpowers, introducing a network of corrupt officials and shady government agents desperate to oppress anyone who happens to be born with a gift. The series was a massive success for the burgeoning publisher and has already been optioned for adaptation on the small screen. So we were really excited when we heard Kwanza Osajyefo was back with a new Blackverse story focusing on the first Black superhero, a young woman named Eli. I got to sit down with the artist behind Black [AF]: America’s Sweetheart to talk about creating representation in art, political storytelling, and making her very first comic.
Johnson is a full-time game artist and illustrator from Toronto with a penchant for sci-fi, comics, and film. As a concept artist, she produces illustrations that help game designers realize their vision, determining the overall look and feel of the game. In the past few years she’s also provided art direction and illustration on numerous media projects. She became involved with Black [AF]: America’s Sweetheart after the creative team reached out to her. “I was very fortunate to be approached by the incredibly talented team of America’s Sweetheart. I adored the character of Eli, and I knew right away that I wanted to be involved in this project,” Johnson told me.
I’ve read Osajyefo and Johnson’s new OGN and it’s an utter pleasure. A rare comic that paints a teen hero as an actual teen, Johnson’s art is engaging and vibrant. Her design for Eli is almost instantly iconic. “I wanted to ensure that Eli was likeable, complex, and relatable. Most importantly, I wanted her to be believable as a young, naive teenage girl. To do this, I had to make design choices that reinforced Eli’s character. Her clothing style communicated her outgoing personality while her messy bedroom reinforced her youthful enthusiasm. Eli’s body language and warm demeanor are all indicative of her character. Conveying a personality through body language is just as integral as showing emotion through facial expression,” Johnson explained.
There’s a famous Marvel saying that the company was always trying to create the new Spider-Man; a young ground level hero who’s relatable and authentic. I honestly feel like Osajyefo and Johnson have created that in Eli. For Johnson, it was an exercise in finding just the right inspiration and making it her own. “As a comic artist, I’m constantly drawing inspiration from TV, film, video games, art, photography, and comics. Teen superheroes such as Spider-Man and the Young Avengers were excellent references when developing Eli’s character.”
Black [AF]: America’s Sweetheart is a vividly political and unapologetic book. It feels monumental to see a young Black woman posed as the most powerful person on Earth. This radical choice was conscious and deliberate. “Eli is a headstrong character who relies on her wits and strength to help those in need, and this kind of representation is especially important to me. The story of America’s Sweetheart is unapologetically true and relatable. Given our current political climate, human morals are constantly at risk due to political expediency. I could easily understand Eli’s motivations and goals throughout the story. I loved that Eli finds the courage to defend the weak and innocent, not hesitating to stand up to authority or powerful beings. Eli is a true hero, more than willing to sacrifice herself to protect others,” Johnson expanded on her young protagonist.
