‘Ancestral Recall’ Writer Jordan Clark Talks The Past As A Power And The Danger Of AI

It’s Melvin’s teenage neighbor, Myran, who first notices that people are starting to go missing in East Oakland. When one of the disappearances hits close to home, though, Melvin is anxious for answers in writer Jordan Clark and artist Atagun Ilhan‘s new series, Ancestral Recall. For more on Melvin and the series’ use of historical figures, check out this interview with Clark below:

Rachel Bellwoar: How did the idea for this series first come about?

Jordan Clark: I was really inspired by a couple of things. I loved the mix of earnestness and absurdity in Everything Everywhere All At Once. I was, and still am, very concerned about the continued efforts to erase Black history. And finally, I loved the idea of using the past as a power. Especially in these times, it’s really crucial to understand what came before and how it speaks to the now as well as the future.

Bellwoar: Going along with the theme of ancestors, Melvin Waring isn’t just a painter. He’s the great grand nephew of Laura Wheeler Waring, who was an artist during the early 20th century. What made you choose Waring to be Melvin’s great grand aunt?

Clark: I wanted to take every opportunity to draw connections to little known figures in Black history. Laura Wheeler Waring was an incredible talent whose work captured so many important figures and moments of the Harlem Renaissance, so I wanted to help introduce people to her if they weren’t already familiar. It was also a way to introduce the running theme of the multiple lenses through which Black art is perceived.

Bellwoar: Every nod to history in this first issue made me so excited (especially the reveal that Philip Marlowe was based on Sam Marlowe, the first Black private eye). Have you always been a fan of history and are there any other ancestors of Melvin’s that you’d like to tease?

Clark: I’ve definitely grown into it. The wonderful thing about history is there’s a rich collection of stories that almost seem impossible. I think that one of the really fun things about making this series was the research but also sharing these stories with others and seeing their reactions to them. Throughout the series we meet incredible people like Cheryl Linn Glass, the first Black woman race car driver, and Ronald Duncan, the first American ninja.

Bellwoar: They say behind every great artist is the person who supports them and, for Melvin, that person is June. What was it like getting to show a relationship between two people who’ve been together for years and are so used to each other?

Clark: June and Melvin’s relationship was one of my favorite things to write. As much as this is a story with action and mystery, beneath the sentient AI and time travel is a love story. I based their relationship on legendary jazz musician Thelonious Monk and his wife Nellie. Monk couldn’t make it through the airport without her and they loved each other deeply. I wanted to show all the layers to their love, the good and bad, and how they’ve managed to make it work all this time.

Bellwoar: Melvin can be a very private person. Where did the idea to have him talk in scribbles come from (and then to have footnotes translating those scribbles)?

Clark: That was another Monk inspiration. He would mostly talk in short bursts with a lot of mumbles and grunts to express how he felt. I wanted to show the difference between Melvin’s external anxiety and the internal world of imagination he lives in. Communication isn’t his strong suit, usually he lets his art speak for him, so I thought the scribbles would be a good way to communicate his struggles with expressing himself to others.

Bellwoar: Ancestral Recall also deals with the encroaching threat of technology and how it can be packaged cute (like animatronic pet pandas) but still have a sinister side. The modern implications are pretty obvious but why was that a topic you wanted to touch on?

Clark: I think that we’re seeing in real time the potential long term damage these sorts of technologies can do if left unchecked. xAI set up a supercomputer in Memphis without a permit that has been polluting the air in Black neighborhoods. AI is consuming dangerous amounts of water each day. And in the arts, we’re already seeing the backlash with things like the Ghibli trend and how these companies are making excuses for theft under the guise of “democratizing art.” We really have to be vigilant about what’s happening right in front of us because there are real long term issues at stake.

Bellwoar: You’re absolutely right and thanks for agreeing to this interview, Jordan!

Ancestral Recall #1 goes on sale August 6th from Ahoy Comics.