Superman in the Cotton Fields is a 2005 article by Scott Poole on systemic racism in the comics industry.
A racist society is one in which significant political and social capital rests in white hands, even if that society gives lip service and official tribute to the ideals of ‘tolerance’ and ‘diversity’. At least in the marginal art form of comics, African American representations are changing.
“Sometimes you’ll believe me, and sometimes you’ll say it can’t be so; but stay with me. Every event in the world has at least two explanations: one that is fact, and one that is the truth.”
— from S.P. Somtow’s novel Jade
Writer S.P. Somtow, winner of the World Fantasy Award, has made the first chapter of his fantasy novel Jade available to read online. Jade is the first novel in S.P. Somtow’s new fantasy series The Dragonstones, set in the intersection between the worlds of Harry Potter and Bangkok 8.
From the website for The Dragonstones: Somtow has been absent from publishing for about seven years. His seven-year writer’s block has not exactly been uncreative — he’s composed and had produced three operas and many other major musical works. His fiction block broke last year with An Alien Heresy, which recently appeared in Asimov’s.
Somtow says, Despite public readings of The Dragonstones being rapturously received, (my) big trilogy hasn’t yet found a publisher. If you like what you’ve read, don’t hesitate to lobby your favorite fantasy publisher!
MINERVA VALENCIA from Puebla works as a nanny in New York. She Sends 400 dollars a week.
MINERVA VALENCIA originaria de Puebla trabaja como niñera en Nueva York.
Manda 400 dólares a la semana.
From Pinzón’s artist’s statement:
“This project consists of 20 color photographs of Mexican and Latino immigrants dressed in the costumes of popular American and Mexican superheroes. Each photo pictures the worker/superhero in their work environment, and is accompanied by a short text including the worker’s name, their hometown, the number of years they have been working in New York, and the amount of money they send to their families each week.
Click on the link to see Superheroes.
Thanks to Neil Gaiman for the pointer.
