Comic Artist John Jennings Explores Black Culture and Creativity at The MAX
MERIDIAN — The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience, known as The MAX, is hosting an exhibition titled “John Jennings: Build Your World” through March 27. The display offers an inside look at the creative process of John Jennings, a renowned graphic novelist and scholar.
Jennings, a New York Times bestselling author, Harvard Fellow, and award-winning artist, has his work featured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and has appeared on programs like “CBS Sunday Morning” and in Marvel documentaries. He is a professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California, Riverside, and a prominent figure in the Afrofuturism movement.
The exhibition features storyboards, sketches, original drawings, notes, pitches, and script excerpts from four key projects: Marvel’s “Silver Surfer: Ghost Light,” Rosarium’s “Blue Hand Mojo: Hard Times Road,” Abrams ComicArts’ “Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation,” and Jennings’s upcoming “Kenny Dreadful and the Hainted Hoodie.” Curated by Benjamen Douglas, the exhibit highlights Jennings’ storytelling and collaboration with major publishers and creative teams.
Jennings noted that the exhibit resembles sitting inside his brain, with unfinished works on display that reveal his working process. His art is deeply influenced by his Mississippi roots, blues music, horror films, and personal experiences, which he incorporates into his stories. His work often reclaims history, offers new perspectives, and envisions future possibilities.
Among his projects is the reimagining of a long-forgotten Silver Surfer character, transforming him into a superhero named Ghost Light. Jennings explained that his goal with such characters is to challenge audiences’ empathy and broaden representation in comics. He also co-adapted Octavia Butler’s novel “Kindred” into a graphic novel, emphasizing visual storytelling’s role in the Afrofuturism movement.
Jennings is also the founder of the Megascope imprint at Abrams ComicArts, which publishes works by and about people of color. One upcoming title, “Framing Emmett Till,” explores Till’s legacy and its relevance to contemporary society. Jennings also helped organize the Black Comic Book Festival at the Schomburg Center in Harlem, which has become a hub for Black creatives for over a decade.
Describing himself as a storyteller who draws from inherited traditions, Jennings said his work aims to create connections and inspire change. “It’s all about unlocking truths that I feel like I carry with me,” he said. The exhibition at The MAX provides a rare glimpse into his creative world and ongoing efforts to elevate Black culture through comics and storytelling.
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