Kwanza Osayjefo, creator of the comic book Black, has opened an online store for the series, selling merchandise featuring art from the comic. All profits from the store will go to support those protesting police violence in the United States.
Black, created by Osayjefo alongside a host of artists including Tim Smith III, Jamal Igle, Khary Randolph, and more, envisions a world where only black people can develop superpowers. The series was launched through crowdfunding on social media, and has since spun-off several series with a direct sequel, White, also funded on Kickstarter.
The shirts now available on the store feature Randolph's cover for the first issue, seen here.
Osayjefo issued a statement on the comic's website explaining his plan to donate to those protesting and providing aid to protestors:
“This escalation of racists murdering black people isn't new but our ability to document and fight it is. Allowing these injustices to continue with impunity is over,” Osayjefo states. “I've seen your requests to open a shop and so I've quickly put this store together as some way to donate to programs helping protestors, journalists, and healthcare providers on the front lines being arrested for our response to the violence of systemic racism – so if this inspires you help support them, please do so. 100% of profits will go to designated organizations.”
It's not stated which specific organizations will receive donations.
White, the sequel to Black, is in progress after a successful crowdfunding campaign. Here’s the official synopsis for the sequel:
“Theodore Mann, whose family exploited empowered blacks for centuries, is now President of the United States. Mann’s administration has exacted controversial measures to deal with the empowered he’s deemed terrorists and is stoking national tensions to win public support for Mann First, a cybernetically-augmented soldier program led by his son, Thaddeus.
“The main person standing in the President’s way is X – once known as Kareem Jenkins – who has become a symbol of resistance against the Mann Administration. X’s one-man opposition has thwarted Mann’s efforts both public and private, drawing attention away from X’s teammates in The Project so they can save empowered blacks from government capture.
“Thaddeus wants X dead by his own hands in order to destroy the spirits of empowered opposition and win the favor of his father’s support base. Taking down his perceived rival would finally allow him to step out of his father’s shadow and usher in a new era of the Mann dynasty – under his leadership.”
