2017 was a hell of a year. It felt like a month passed every week, with the pace of horrible things happening in the news, particularly in politics. But life goes on, for some of us, and I’m going to pause here to take stock of what’s been going on while I can.
I saw Star Wars: The Last Jedi twice. John Boyega? More like John Boyfriendga, am I right?!
Exciting writing/publishing on the horizon!
I had the pleasure of reading Black Panther comics throughout 2017 in preparation for the upcoming film and in order to write an article for the Spring 2018 issue of American Literature. This is my entry into a discussion that’s been going on for some time about what Black and queer paradigms mean to each other and what fantastic figurations of Blackness (particularly those fictions founded upon knowledge of Africa and Africans) in popular culture mean for our most radical aspirations. No spoilers, but here are some public domain images.
What does King Gezo of Dahomey have to do with the Black Panther?
What does this Pat Masioni comic have to do with the Black Panther?
It’s remarkable that we’ve come from the first article on superhero comics in the marquee academic journal for American lit to an entire issue, Queer About Comics, edited by the dynamic duo of Darieck Scott and Ramzi Fawaz. It is, as the kids say, lit.
Speaking of comics, I’m also delivering an essay on comics for a queer studies anthology edited by thee Ellen McCallum and Tyler Bradway! It’s like I’m the queers & comics guy, but also the Black speculative fiction guy? With a particular critique of queer theorization and cultural practice informed by Black popular culture? This chapter doesn’t have images, but if it did, this might be one…
Chitra Ganesh, “Unicorn Memory,” Installation view. Wave Hill, 2017.
Black Thought Invented the English Language
Person of the Year: The Dog
Smithsonian MOOC: Coming Soon
I’m participating in an educational program put together by Smithsonian Enterprises that uses the Air & Space Museum collections and Star Trek to discuss the role of science fiction in shaping society. It’s not just a matter of science fiction becoming science fact; it’s also utopian narratives as inspiration for social and cultural life.
Space! Leggo.
“I see the Enterprise!” -Derek McPhatter, when I posted this to Facebook
More on this soon–hopefully, I’ll be able to post photos and videos live from the holodeck… This was probably the most fun thing I did, academically, this year. But next quarter I’m teaching Science Fiction and Comics & Graphic Novels! I spoke about the latter at Temple, during the whirlwind tour documented on this here blog.
Coming Soon!
Expect more from 2018. More of the dog…
He hates hats but he’s powerless to stop my shenanigans
more news of my travels (trains! in Canada!)…
Some of my favorite things
more birds…
The joys of cross-referencing!
…and more brand new words toward Audiofuturism. Catch up with me on the road and you just might get a sneak preview.
Peace out, 2017. You really tried it.