BOOK LIST:

Black Comics: Drawn From the Heart

Updated: March 1, 2024

For Black History Month 2024, Teen'Scape staff put together a display called Black Comics: Drawn from the Heart. With books in the categories of nonfiction, realistic fiction, and speculative fiction, our goal was to provide a sample of the wide range of Black stories available in Teen'Scape's graphic novel collection, which is just a small part of the vast collection of comics and graphic novels available throughout the Los Angeles Public Library system.


Book cover of Bass Reeves : tales of the talented tenth.   [No. 1]
Bass Reeves: Tales of the Talented Tenth: Vol. 1
Gill, Joel Christian
Call Number: 740.9999 G475-1 v.1

Book cover for Bessie Stringfield: The Amazing True Story of the Woman Who Became the Motorcycle Queen of Miami!
Bessie Stringfield: The Amazing True Story of the Woman Who Became the Motorcycle Queen of Miami!
Gill, Joel Christian
Call Number: 740.9999 G475-2

Book cover for Bingo Love
Bingo Love
Franklin, Tee
Call Number: 740.9999 F834

Book cover for The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History
The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History
Walker, David
Call Number: 322.4 B627Wa

Book cover of Bungleton Green and the mystic commandos
Bungleton Green and the Mystic Commandos
Jackson, Jay
Call Number: 740.914 J13

Book cover of Charisma's turn : a graphic novel
Charisma's Turn: A Graphic Novel
Couvson, Monique
Call Number: 741.5 C872

Book cover for Fights: One Boy's Triumph Over Violence
Fights: One Boy's Triumph Over Violence
Gill, Joel Christian
Call Number: 740.9999 G475-3

Book cover for Frizzy
Frizzy
Ortega, Claribel A.
Call Number: 741.5 O768

Book cover of Ghost roast
Ghost Roast
Gibbs, Shawneé
Call Number: 741.5 G444

Book cover for The high desert : black. punk. nowhere.
The High Desert: Black. Punk. Nowhere
Spooner, James
Call Number: 741.5 S764

Book cover for Infinitum : an afrofuturistic tale
Infinitum: An Afrofuturistic Tale
Fielder, Tim
Call Number: 741.5 F458

Book cover for Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
Butler, Octavia, E., Duffy, Damian, Jennings, John
Call Number: 741.5 D858-1

Book cover for March: Book One
March: Book One
Lewis, John
Call Number: 323.4092 L674-2

March is popping up all over the place on best graphic novel lists for 2013, and rightfully so. This is the first book in a planned trilogy that tells of the struggle of Congressman John Lewis, his first hand experience of the Jim Crow South, and his experience living through segregation and choosing to fight against it through his participation in key Civil Rights moments, such as the March on Washington and the Selma-Montgomery March. Fantastic assignment book for teachers looking for an engaging document to bring the struggle for racial equality for African Americans to light.


Book cover for March: Book Three
March: Book Three
Lewis, John
Call Number: 323.4092 L674-2 v.3

Winner of the 2017 Michael Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature. U.S. Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis continues his story in the concluding volume of this graphic novel trilogy, which opens with the bombing of the Birmingham Baptist Church, Freedom Summer and ends with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 being signed into law.


Book cover for March: Book Two
March: Book Two
Lewis, John
Call Number: 323.4092 L674-2 v.2

Congressman John Lewis powerfully recounts his journey in the 1960s' civil rights movement as the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). The strength of March is the ability of Congressman John Lewis to teach a new generation about the events of the civil rights movement in a way that both entertains and educates.


Book cover of Maybe an artist : a graphic memoir
Maybe an Artist: A Graphic Memoir
Montague, Liz
Call Number: 741.5 M759

Book cover for New Kid
New Kid
Craft, Jerry
Call Number: 740.9999 C885

Middle schooler Jordan Banks had hoped to attend art school, but mom sends him to a private prep school where he is one of a handful of black kids. No one at Riverdale Academy Day School is openly hostile towards him for his race, but he deals with a series of microaggressions, like being called the name of another black student, or everyone looking at him when the teacher is discussing students on financial aid. Craft mixes humor with heart in this hilarious yet thoughtful graphic novel.


Book cover of Niobe.     She is life
Niobe: She is Life
Jones, Sebastian A.
Call Number: 741.5 J7845

Book cover for Nubia: Real One
Nubia: Real One
McKinney, L. L.
Call Number: 741.5 N962Mc

This is a Wonder Woman story with Nubia as the Amazon Super Hero! This story incorporates the Black Lives Matter movement, police brutality, issues with consent, and a school shooting, all in one impactful graphic novel. Nubia is a high school student struggling to do what's right in a world that doesn't accept her. She is forced to hide a part of herself (her powers) from everyone, except her parents. This is a story about identity, equality, friendship, and standing up to forces that are against you. These topics are part of a wonderful story and can also start some group discussions.


Book cover of Oblivion rouge.    Volume 1, The Hakkinen
Oblivion Rouge, Vol 1: The Hakkinen
Fall, Pap Souleye
Call Number: 741.5 O125Fa v.1

Book cover of Oblivion rouge.    Volume 2, Deeper than blood
Oblivion Rouge, Vol 2: Deeper Than Blood
Fall, Pap Souleye
Call Number: 741.5 O125Fa v.2

Book cover for Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
Parable of the Sower: A Graphic Novel Adaptation
Duffy, Damian
Call Number: 741.5 D858-2

Book cover of Robert Smalls : tales of the talented tenth.   [No. 3]
Robert Smalls: Tales of the Talented Tenth: Vol. 3
Gill, Joel Christian
Call Number: 740.9999 G475-1 v.3

Book cover for Run: Book One
Run: Book One
Lewis, John
Call Number: 323.4092 L674-3 v.1

Book cover of Shuri.    [Vol. 1], The search for Black Panther
Shuri, Vol. 1: The Search for Black Panther
Okorafor, Nnedi
Call Number: 741.5 B6276Ok-1

Book cover of Static : up all night
Static: Up All Night
Giles, Lamar
Call Number: 741.5 G472

Book cover of Strange fruit : more uncelebrated narratives from black history.   Vol. 2
Strange Fruit: More Uncelebrated Narratives From Black History: Vol. 2
Gill, Joel Christian
Call Number: 740.9999 G475 v.2

Book cover of Strange fruit : uncelebrated narratives from black history.   Vol. 1
Strange Fruit: Uncelebrated Narratives From Black History: Vol. 1
Gill, Joel Christian
Call Number: 740.9999 G475 v.1

Book cover of Toussaint Louverture : the story of the only successful slave revolt in history
Toussaint Louverture: The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History
Watts, Nic
Call Number: 972.94 W352

Book cover for Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts
Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts
Hall, Rebecca
Call Number: 741.5 H1778

Book cover for Wash Day Diaries
Wash Day Diaries
Rowser, Jamila
Call Number: 741.5 R885

This vibrant novel is an engrossing read on Black sisterhood and the personal experience of Black hair care told through the shared ups and downs of Kim and her friends. The novel is both touching and funny, with beautiful illustrations.

 


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