5 Black-led comics you should be reading right now

Five Black-led comic book series—Psion, Niobe’s World of Asunda, Clock Striker, Midnight Tiger, and Luna: The Queen of Mahru—are currently available to readers. According to Popverse, these titles provide alternatives to mainstream characters like Miles Morales and offer narratives across gothic thriller, high fantasy, and Afrofuturism genres.

Why is the presence of Black-led comics increasing?

Popverse reports that these series aim to balance a comic book history that has been overwhelmingly white. For some readers, these stories provide experiences that mirror their own lives.

Creators are using these platforms to introduce new concepts to the medium. This shift allows for the exploration of diverse settings, from Mississippi HBCUs to Afrofuturist space dramas.

Did You Know? Clock Striker has been running in the manga anthology Saturday AM since 2015.

Which Black-led comic series are available now?

Psion

Created by Mark Bandy and Uchenna ‘Che’ Ugbor through Crimson Sleeper Studios, Psion is a southern gothic thriller. The story follows John Lewis, a Criminology student, and Danita as they investigate a corporate charity at a Mississippi HBCU.

Which Black-led comic series are available now?

Niobe’s World of Asunda

Published by Stranger Comics and featuring art by Ashley A. Woods, Niobe stars a biracial warrior and healer. The narrative takes place in the World of Asunda, a high fantasy setting populated by humans, elves, and demons.

Clock Striker

Frederick L. Jones and Issaka Galadima wrote Clock Striker as an action-forward fantasy quest. The plot centers on a 12-year-old girl attempting to enter the male-dominated profession of a “Smith,” a role combining engineering and warrior skills.

Midnight Tiger

Ray-Anthony Height’s series focuses on the challenges of a male teenager learning to be a superhuman in modern society. The series recently underwent a revamp in Midnight Tiger: Origins.

Luna: The Queen of Mahru

Created by Karla Medrano and Ian Sebastian, this Afrofuturism drama follows Luna, the ruler of the planet Mahru. Luna discovers she possesses superhuman powers while attempting to govern her people.

Expert Insight: Samantha Carter notes that by moving away from Eurocentric high fantasy and traditional superhero tropes, these creators are expanding the commercial viability of the medium. The shift toward specific cultural anchors, such as the HBCU setting in Psion, creates a distinct market identity that distinguishes these works from legacy corporate titles.

What may happen next for these series?

Ray-Anthony Height is expected to release a soft relaunch of his series titled Midnight Tiger: Evo. This could further evolve the character’s journey as a teen superhero.

New titles may enter the market soon, as Marvel’s Miles Morales: Spider-Man and Vengeance Unchained: The Legend of Black Caesar are yet to be released. These additions could increase the volume of Black-led content available to the public.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Black-led series have recently ended?
According to the source, Image Comics’ Bloodletter and Marvel’s Storm: Earth’s Mightiest Mutant have ended.

What is the central conflict in Luna: The Queen of Mahru?
The ruler of the planet Mahru discovers she has superhuman powers and must deal with other individuals who use similar powers to exert control over others.

What inspirations influenced the creation of Clock Striker?
The series is steeped in shōnen manga and draws comparisons to the science action of Dr. STONE and the master-student dynamic of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Which of these genres—Afrofuturism, southern gothic, or high fantasy—do you find most compelling in modern comics?