The first comic created by African Americans, for African Americans
Image Comics proudly announces the return of a landmark in comics history with a gorgeously remastered edition of the Eisner Award-winning All-Negro Comics: America’s First Black Comic Book. Curated by writer/editor Chris Robinson, this definitive trade paperback arrives this November and expands upon the original 1947 release with new essays, fresh comics, and added educational resources.
Alongside the remastered classic, this edition includes bonus essays that place the book in historical and cultural context, a discussion guide for educators, and all-new work from some of today’s most acclaimed Black creators. Contributors include Eisner Award-winner Dr. Qiana Whitted (EC Comics: Race, Shock, and Social Protest), David Brothers (Good Devils), Shawn Pryor (Fast Break), Micah Peters (The Ringer), Zipporah Smith (DC Power: Rise of the Power Company), Samantha Guzmán (Visibly Invisible), Eisner/Harvey/Ringo-nominated letterer Deron Bennett (DC Power 2024), Jasmine Hatcher (Lady Nefertitii’s Kaleidoscope), Sharean Morishita (School Memories), Tony Washington (New York Times bestselling, Eisner Award-winning artist), Ray-Anthony Height (Midnight Tiger), Manny Edeko (Fiyah magazine), Domo Stanton (Sandman Universe: House of Whispers), Ryan Marlow, and Robinson himself.
The collection also restores the full, unabridged work of Orrin C. Evans, George J. Evans Jr., John H. Terrell, William H. Smith, and Leonard Cooper from the original All-Negro Comics #1—now digitally remastered for modern readers.
Originally published in 1947 during the Golden Age of Comics, All-Negro Comics was the first comic book created entirely by Black artists and writers, introducing original characters such as Ace Harlem and Lion Man. Pioneering journalist and publisher Orrin C. Evans sought to entertain while rejecting harmful stereotypes, breaking new ground in an industry that often excluded or marginalized Black voices. Though the title was pulled from newsstands after its first issue and nearly disappeared from history, Evans’ legacy lived on—earning him a posthumous ECBACC Pioneer Lifetime Achievement Award and entry into the Will Eisner Hall of Fame in 2014.
“All-Negro Comics is more than a comic book—it’s a vital piece of American history,” said Robinson. “I’m proud to finally bring this collection to the widest possible audience with the support of Image Comics.”