Beyond the Black Panther: Visions of Afrofuturism in American Comics

Project Details

Beyond the Black Panther: Visions of Afrofuturism in American Comics is an exhibition presented in three digital formats. Most people are familiar with Marvel's Black Panther, and some are aware of its connections to Afrofuturism, a framework to understand how the black imagination manifests visions of freedom. This exhibition explores how themes such as aesthetics, Black feminism, and community, shape Black comics. Beyond the Black Panther gives us a view of stories inspired by African folklore such as Is’nana the Were-Spider, science fiction adventures centered on a black female hero such as Matty’s Rocket, or vital social commentary about police violence such as I am Alfonso Jones.

Subjects or Themes

African American, Comics and Graphic Novels, Afrofuturism

Project Language(s)

English

Time Period

Geographic Location

Project Categories

Content Type

Images, artifacts, digital educational activities

Target Audience(s)

Creators

Michigan State University Museum

Year(s)

2020-2021

Host Institution / Affiliation / Project Location

Michigan State University Museum

Software Employed

Labor and Support

This project was completed using existing MSU Museum staff and this is the museum's first digital exhibition. Originally planned as a bricks and mortar exhibition, COVID forced the museum to explore digital options for sharing the content with the general public. This included exploring low cost options that could also maintain at least a sense of a three dimensional exhibition and then learning how to use them.