Zelmont Raines

Created by Gary Phillips As The Jook (1999), Gary Phillips' non-series stand alone, kicks off, ZELMONT RAINES, an African American All-Pro receiver with a string of endorsement deals, is left wondering where it all went. The man who once scored the winning touchdown in the Super Bowl has a blown knee and a weakness for … Continue reading Zelmont Raines

Martha Chainey

Created by Gary Phillips From the creator of Ivan Monk comes a new hero, MARTHA CHAINEY. Okay, so she's not a P.I., and she's not exactly on the side of the angels. But she's a six foot, tough-talking, hard-as-nails African American ex-showgirl now working as a courier for some Vegas thugs, so you go ahead--you … Continue reading Martha Chainey

“One-Shot” Harry Ingram

Created by Gary Phillips It's Los Angeles in the early sixties, and the times are definitely a-changing, as uneasy questions about race, class, civil rights and some sort of conflict in Southeast Asia are starting to heat up. But all jazz-loving African-American Korean War vet and camera ace  "ONE-SHOT" HARRY INGRAM really wants is to sell … Continue reading “One-Shot” Harry Ingram

My Bookshelf: Noir: A Crime Comics Collection

My Bookshelf Noir:  A Crime Comics Collection One of the few collections of crime comics ever released, 2009's Noir:  A Crime Comics Collection must have caused at least some ripples because, despite being black & white and the skimpiness of original paperback edition's size, it was brought it back in a full comics-size hardcover version in … Continue reading My Bookshelf: Noir: A Crime Comics Collection

Sam Cairo

Created by Gary Phillips and Manoel Magalhães Los Angeles' South Central district, 1958, and private eye SAM CAIRO is on the case, in a digital comic available exclusively on Aces Weekly, a British web site.  And that's about all I know, so far. BUT... It's scripted by Gary Phillips, a man who knows a thing or … Continue reading Sam Cairo

Ivan Monk

Created by Gary Phillips "Who's the man with the donut shop and the sense of responsibility? --Monk! --Daaamn right!" -sub-title of interview with Phillips on Troutworks   One of the more politically charged of the post-Easy Rawlins nineties mini-boom of black eyes was battle-weary, middle-class, fortyish IVAN MONK, the star of of four ambitious, highly-acclaimed and … Continue reading Ivan Monk

Nate Hollis (Angeltown)

Created by Gary Phillips Los Angeles writer Gary Phillips, the creator of black private eye Ivan Monk, is no stranger to comics. Which may explain why the comic book exploits of private eye NATE HOLLIS in Angeltown from DC Comics' Vertigo imprint smacks the sweet spot with a vengeance. Originally, the star of the series … Continue reading Nate Hollis (Angeltown)