The Blacker the Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art

A landmark collection of scholarly essays, The Blacker the Ink (2015, Rutgers University Press) examines the construction of Black identity in comics and sequential art across the medium's history. Edited by Frances Gateward and John Jennings, this single volume brings together critical voices to explore how race, representation, and visual culture have shaped—and been shaped by—comics from the early 20th century to the present. Its significance lies in its rigorous, intersectional analysis of a field long overdue for such academic attention, offering a foundational text for understanding Black creators, characters, and audiences in the world of panels and pages.