Looking At The Unsung Black Creators Of Early Comics In IDW’s ‘Invisible Men: The Trailblazing Black Artists of Comic Books’

Invisible Men: The Trailblazing Black Artists of Comic Books, is a new hardcover book by comics historian Ken Quattro, and out today from Yoe Books, an imprint of IDW Publishing. It takes a well-researched look at the talented black creators who worked behind the scenes in the early days of comic strips and comic books:

 “Using primary source material from World War II-era Black newspapers and magazines, this compelling book profiles pioneers like E.C. Stoner, a renowned fine artist of the Harlem Renaissance and the first Black artist to draw comic books; Owen Middleton, whose life sentence in Sing Sing became a cause célèbre championed by historian Will Durant, leading both to freedom and a career in comics; Matt Baker, who drew Vooda, the first groundbreaking Black comic book hero; and many more. Each man’s personal struggles and triumphs are represented as they broke through into an industry formerly occupied only by whites.

Gorgeously illustrated with rare examples of each artist’s work, Invisible Men features Ken Quattro’s impeccable research of the social and cultural environments in which these extraordinary men lived and worked, plus full stories from mainstream comic books, rare reprints from titlles including All-Negro Comics and Negro Heroes, and unpublished artist’s photos.”

Invisible Men: The Trailblazing Black Artists of Comic Books is out now from IDW/Yeo Books and retails for $34.99 US / $53.99 CAN for this 240-page, full color hardcover, 8.5” x 11″ book.