Title: Black Stereotypes & Black Reality: Comic Producers’ Reflections on Stereotypes

 

Bio: Darnel Degand is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at University of California-Davis (UC Davis). He explores social processes within media production environments and media consumption experiences (with a special focus on comics during formal, nonformal, and informal learning). He received his Ed.D. in Instructional Technology and Media from Teachers College Columbia University, M.S. in Digital Imaging and Design from New York University, and B.S.E. in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania. Before joining UC Davis, Darnel acquired two decades of professional experience as an interactive media producer. A sampling of his resume includes roles as a game designer/developer for Sesame Workshop, technical development manager for an advertising company acquired by Amazon, and multimedia designer for the City University of New York.

 

Abstract: This talk explores how Black people are depicted in comics and cartoon illustrations. It includes a discussion about the minstrel show origins of cartoon characters and demonstrates how stereotypically harmful blackface characterizations have negatively influenced the portrayal of Black people in the comics medium. The various ways artists produce positive portrayals of Black people and their experiences are also presented. This presentation incorporates documented comments shared by past artists in interviews and personal essays. Reflections from contemporary artists are also offered; these are drawn from interviews, observations, and portfolio analyses conducted during a larger study of media professionals’ industry experiences.