BLACK KIRBY is a shared pseudonym that is Stacey Robinson (Associate Professor of Graphic Design and Illustration, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign) and John Jennings (Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, UC Riverside). Black Kirby functions as a rhetorical tool by sampling and remixing comic legend Jack Kirby’s bold forms and energetic ideas combined with themes centered around Afrofuturism, social justice, representation, magical realism, and using the culture of Hip Hop as a methodology for creating visual communication. It also utilizes the notion of an alter-ego as a symbolic allegory for DuBoisian “double-consciousness” theory. This collection of work samples from Kirby’s style but also remixes it with the formal and conceptual influences from many other artists, pop culture, and artistic expressions. In a sense, Black Kirby uses the comics medium as a conceptual crossroads to examine identity as a socialized concept through bricolage, pastiche, oppositional juxtapositions, and deconstruction. It is the artists’ hope to destabilize various ideas of “blackness” in order to promote a broader spectrum of black subjectivity. Article
Stacey A. Robinson, graphic novelist, curator, and DJ is an Associate Professor of Graphic Design, and Studio at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was a 2019-2020 Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellow at Harvard University’s Hutchins Center for African & African American Research who completed his MFA at SUNY Buffalo in 2015. His work discusses decolonized Black futures, their obstacles, and securities. Books include: ‘I Am Alfonso Jones’ from Lee & Low Books, written by Tony Medina, and ‘Across the Tracks: Remembering Greenwood, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre’, from Abrams Books, written Alverne Ball. Exhibitions include: Ascension of Black Stillness (CEPA Gallery) and The Black Angel of History (Carnegie Hall).
John Jennings is a professor, author, graphic novelist, curator, Harvard Fellow, New York Times Bestseller, 2018 Eisner Winner, and all-around champion of Black culture. As Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California at Riverside (UCR), Jennings examines the visual culture of race in various media forms including film, illustrated fiction, and comics and graphic novels. He is also the director of Abrams ComicArts imprint Megascope, which publishes graphic novels focused on the experiences of people of color. His research interests include the visual culture of Hip Hop, Afrofuturism and politics, Visual Literacy, Horror, and the EthnoGothic, and Speculative Design and its applications to visual rhetoric. MORE
Black Kirby Exhibitions | Events
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Whatever Happened to Dyno-Woman
Culver Center of the Arts
02.10.2024 > 08.18.2024
Whatever Happened to Dyno-Woman
The Alternative History of an Afrofuturist IconDyno-Woman was introduced in television series Good Times (1974-1979) by Jimmie Walker’s James “J.J.” Evans character. Creating the character gave “J.J.” enough means to move out of the notorious Cabrini Green housing project in the series finale “End of The Rainbow”. Black Kirby use this fantastic premise to invent a superhero narrative for Dyno-Woman throughout the various eras of mainstream comics.
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Black Kirby X: Ten Years of Remix and Revolution
Black Kirby X / EBON
Two exhibits at UCR Arts, "Black Kirby X: Ten Years of Remix and Revolution" and "Ebon: Fear of a Black Planet" (March 19 to June 19), highlight the digital artwork of Afro-speculative trailblazers John Jennings, a professor of Media and Cultural Studies at UC Riverside and Stacey Robinson, professor of Digital Arts at University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, as well as underground comix pioneer Larry Fuller, the original creator of Ebon.
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EBON: Fear of a Black Planet
Ebon was conceived as an analog for one of the first superheroes; Superman. He was able to fly, had super speed, and super strength. Ebon was a standard superhero in that regard. However, in the story, he was able to gain strength from darkness. This allowed him to defeat the Nytan named Oju. Black Kirby re-imagined this as a “Black safe space” that empowered Ebon and gave him an advantage.
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Reflection Eternal: The Candyman Illustrated Syllabus
Since the premiere of the first Candyman film in 1992, Clive Barker’s titular character has haunted the dreams and nightmares of an entire generation. The dark, violent, and romantic apparition has given us an index for projections of monstrosity and desire for black bodies. Reflection Eternal: The Candyman Illustrated Syllabus, from the Black Kirby duo, along the genius writer and award wining Damian “Tan Lee Duffy”, and the Motherboxx Collective, explore the various possible social meanings of this haunted and horrifying spirit via a collection of installations, digital media, and printed artwork.
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UNCAGED: HERO FOR HIGHER
UNCAGED: HERO FOR HIGHER is a critical race design installation that actively engages with and analyzes Marvel's Luke Cage character and his history as a representation for black masculinity in American comics culture.
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Virago Man Dem
The Creation of Virago-Man Dem: Research, Collaboration, and Exploration
Andy Blacker, Director of Communications and Marketing at UIUC interviews members of the collaborative team as they share the process of making ‘Virago Man Dem’, the Bessie-Nominated work by choreographer Cynthia Oliver.
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Continuing the Narrative of Black Kirby's Visual Rhetoric by Creative Response
Black Kirby’s character Major Sankofa’s next adventure is up to you!
Sankofa’s credo is likened to the Akan people of Ghana that one should remember the past to make positive progress in the future. Black Kirby will use their practice of critical design-making as an exercise for attendees to expand the trajectory of Major Sankofa. The narrative can be expanded visually, through performance, or words.
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All Black ERRything: Pop Culture and Nostalgia from Afrofuturist Perspectives
BLACK KIRBY
Welcome to All Black Errything where it’s possible that a mirthful Black history took place! “Errything” is a phonetic moniker of the pronunciation of “everything” in the local dialect of the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia). As we pay homage to our ancestral Native American lands the Monacan Nation, including the Manahoke people, the traditional owners of the lands upon which George Mason University stands. We are also homaging the African descendants who are creating new narratives in the present day.
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Black Kirby is Illmatic: An Afternoon with Stacey Robinson
Prof. Stacey Robinson at Macalester College
Stacey A. Robinson, Associate Professor of Graphic Design at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign will offer a brief tutorial on the use of platforms that include the Adobe suite and emerging augmented reality tools like Scaniverse. After his presentation, he will engage the audience in a discussion about his work and the future of digital art.
Participants will have the opportunity to create new projects during the second phase of the workshop, using the tools and resources that Robinson provides.
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Black Kirby at George Mason University
BLACK KIRBY
is a shared pseudonym that is Stacey Robinson and John Jennings (Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, UC Riverside). Black Kirby functions as a rhetorical tool by sampling and remixing comic legend Jack Kirby’s bold forms and energetic ideas combined with themes centered around Afrofuturism, social justice, representation, magical realism, and using the culture of Hip Hop as a methodology for creating visual communication. It also utilizes the notion of an alter-ego as a symbolic allegory for DuBoisian “double-consciousness” theory.
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Composer Carlos Simon creates sonic Black folklore inspired by Black Kirby
Black Kirby at Civic Orchestra of Chicago
Atlanta-based composer Carlos Simon explores African American tradition in Tales: A Folklore Symphony, inspired by the many heroic characters found in the works of the creative duo Black Kirby. Sergei Rachmaninov’s youthful First Symphony blends ravishing melodies and unique Romantic themes into four movements defined by superb orchestral balance, allowing the listener to follow every voice of its magnificent polyphony.
