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Okay, so, I'mma say a thing, and them I'm gonna go back to work.
And this is going to be LONG but here we go.
A number of people have asked about the Nubia: Real One book and the subject matter that it deals with, particularly racism. I can’t possibly answer everyone individually, so I’ll just make a thread about it here. The big question is why another book about the pain narrative or
Black people dealing with racism and inequality? Why not something less heavy, there’s already so many stories dealing with that mess. And, you’re right. I agree that publishing and other industries have what I call an unhealthy obsession with the pain narrative.
I’ve tweeted about this and written about it many times. I’ve also stated that this in no way, at least to me, says that Black authors or creatives shouldn’t be writing those stories. I’m not gonna tell any other Black people how they can or can’t engage with these issues in
their work, that’s not my place. I WILL however yell and scream at the decision makers up the ladder and tell them that they need to acquire, publish, market, and financially back stories about Black love, Black people going on adventures, Black people out in space or in magical
lands. Books that deal with racism and prejudice and similar issues are important, but they’re not the only aspect of the Black narrative, and other aspects should be given just as much space and support if not more. I talk about this at length, here. https://www.tor.com/2020/06/17/the-role-publishing-plays-in-the-commodification-of-black-pain/
Again, the onus is on the publishers, not the Black creatives making these stories. For every story about the struggle there should be one about everything else, if not two. Regarding Nubia: Real One, the book isn’t ABOUT racism, but racism does propel a lot of the antagonistic
forces that Nubia has to deal with as a Black teen in America. Simultaneously this is about a Black girl having fun with her friends, going to parties, being loved on by her family, all while dealing with how the world can be unfair outside the doors of her home.
On school visits and in virtual meetups, I talk to lots of Black teens about things they enjoy. Video games, comics, and other things come up. Many times, these kids--who are brilliant and more aware than people give them credit for--will talk about how their heroes will manage
to save the world, but you never see those heroes doing anything about police brutality or trying to save the neighborhoods these kids come from or even caring about people from those neighborhood and what goes on there. And every time I was like “you’re absolutely right.”
It was the same for me loving comics as a kid and never seeing any of the heroes I love understand and care about what we were going through on my block.
Comics and heroes tend to shy away from issues like this, at least predominately. For whatever reason. And so, when the opportunity arose to write Nubia, I thought about those conversations with those kids and decided the focus of the book would be about how, despite everyone
joining forces to save the world and all, Black heroes would absolutely be treated differently than white ones. That would be a thing. And so that’s where Nubia: Real One found its feet. I write fairy tales and adventure books for Black kids. I write fantasy and science fiction.
I write escapism because we need to be able to get away. But this story, with what DC was trying to do with the YA line, presented an opportunity to provide a reflection of these kids in one of their superheroes. These kids are out here trying to be and do so much while still
dealing with the bullshit, and their experiences are valid. They deserve heroes that reflect their reality as well, like everyone else. Nubia: Real One is set an alternate reality of sorts from the main continuity. It and the other YA books are set in their own universe. This
seemed like the perfect setup to provide that reflection those kids expressed wanting but never seeing. This Nubia is still Diana’s twin and equal, yes even while being a teenager, it’s explained in the book. And This Nubia existing doesn’t take away from all the other versions
of Nubia there are, including the version I’m excited to bring to life with Future State this month and next. Going back to my previous statement about how there should be at least one story of escapism for every one that focuses on issues, I have one story about Nubia dealing
with the mess of the times and another story about her AS Wonder Woman kicking ass and taking names, doing the usual hero thing. And I totally agree that there should be more stories about that second Nubia going forward, many many more. Again, the onus is on the industry.
And, if someone else in the future wants to write a Nubia that reflects any part of their experiences, including the racism nonsense, I’m not gonna tell them they can’t or shouldn’t. With the various versions of heroes running all over the place, I felt like these kids deserved a
version of Nubia who deals with the every day things they have to deal with while getting to be super. I still feel that way. And I hope Nubia: Real One reaches the kids that need her.