ATLANTA - The youngest amongst a family of Black comic book conventions is making a formal push to reach a community of immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean.
ONYXCON is seeking to build global support for ONYXCON III by reaching out to Caribbean American media and targeting immigrant communities that represent the region.
ONYXCON president, Joseph Wheeler III says Caribbean Americans have always been a part of the African American community and ONYXCON wants representatives of the African image conceived in other parts of the world.
"Caribbean Americans are my extended family," he said. "The impact of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and the exploration of first Africans to the 'Western' Hemisphere far before the slavery crisis brought many peoples of Africa into the Americas." Jason Walker, who produces WRFG-FM's "Caribbean Runnings," says that the invitation should be well received.
"There are so many stories that up to this point have only been orally passed on that would have new life breathed into them when set in comic form in the African American market," he said. "This could facilitate a new cultural exchange between these communities, especially among the youth."
ONYXCON is held annually in Atlanta and is one of four comic book conventions that represent the Black Age comic book genre nationally. The Black Age is a genre of comics and artistic illustration based on characters and creators of African descent. The original Black Age of Comics Convention was launched in Chicago by Black Age founder, Turtel Onli in February 1993 and had since spawned the East Coast Black Age of Comics in Philadelphia and the Motor City Black Age of Comics in Detroit. ONYXCON is the first Black Age convention in the Southeast.
Read more at South Florida Caribbean News