248 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 29 cm

Includes index.

Stories of Black artists who drew -- mostly covertly behind the scenes -- superhero, horror, and romance comics in the early years of the industry. The life stories of each man's personal struggles and triumphs are represented as they broke through into a world formerly occupied only by whites. Using primary source material from World War II-era Black newspapers and magazines, this book profiles pioneers like E.C. Stoner, a descendant of a person enslaved by George Washington, who became a renowned fine artist of the Harlem Renaissance and the first Black artist to draw comic books; Owen Middleton, who was sentenced to life in Sing Sing; and Matt Baker, the most revered of the Black artists, whose art spotlights stunning women and men, and who drew the first groundbreaking Black comic book hero, Vooda! Includes examples of each artist's work, with full stories from mainstream comic books with rare titles like All-Negro Comics and Negro Heroes, plus unpublished artist's photos.

Introduction / by Stanford W. Carpenter -- Seeing the unseen / by Ken Quattro -- Adolphus Barreaux Gripon -- Elmer Cecil Stoner -- Robert Savon Pious -- Jay Paul Jackson -- Owen Charles Middleton -- Elton Clay Fax & George Dewey Lipscomb -- Clarence Matthew Baker -- Alvin Carl Hollingsworth -- Ezra Clyde Jackson, Alfonso Greene -- Eugene Bilbrew -- Orrin C. Evans, George J. Evans Jr., John H. Terrell, William H. Smith, Leonard Cooper -- Calvin Levi Massey -- Afterword / by Ken Quattro.

Artists, Black -- Race identity -- United States -- History -- 20th century.

Comic books, strips, etc -- United States -- History -- 20th century.

African American cartoonists -- History -- 20th century.

Racism and the arts -- United States.

Racism and the arts.

Comic books, strips, etc.

African American cartoonists.

United States.

1900-1999

Biographies.

Art criticism.

History.

Art criticism.

Biographies.

9781684055869 (hardcover)

1684055865 (hardcover)