We chose to publish the Indigenous
Comic Con for 2016 because of all the photographs.
Here is a link to a report of this year's event, 2017
Indigenous Comic Con. ed
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The recent event, the first of its
kind in the world, represents the growth of the subcultural vanguard
of indigenous-created media that is slowly working its way into
the multibillion dollar comic industry.
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A
young boy dressed as Superman walks in front of a collaborate
mural commemorating the first ever Indigenous Comic Con
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For decades Native Americans have been wholly misrepresented
in the world of comic books, stripped down to a series of caricatured,
homogenized tropes of the American Indian.
"We were either shamans, mystic boogeyman, or pocahotties
(Pocahontas hotties)," said Arigon Starr, creator of the comic
book Super Indian, while
speaking to VICE about the representation of Native Americans in
pop culture at the first ever Indigenous
Comic Con, which ran from November 18 to 20 in Albuquerque,
New Mexico.
"We have been prostituted and raped in the story world,"
said Jonathan Proudstar, creator of 'Tribal
Force'America's first all Native American superhero comic.
"The power of the media is that it has taught us Natives that
we don't have a space. So it is our job to carve out that space."
Starr and Proudstar were just two of the dozens of high-profile
Native creatorsillustrators, game designers, artists, and
actorspresent at Indigenous Comic Con. The event was organized
by Lee Francis of Native
Realities Publishing, in partnership with A
Tribe Called Geek, a weekly radio show and website.
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Two
Native American women pose in their cosplay outfits.
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The event, the first of its kind in the world, represents the
growth of the subcultural vanguard of indigenous-created media that
is slowly working its way into the multibillion dollar comic industry.
"Ten years ago, this wouldn't have been possible,"
explained Arigon Starr, speaking to VICE behind her booth at the
National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque where the event
was held. "This event shows that there's a movement and a market
for this."
"We need to get Native characters and Native creators into
the mainstream," added Native American artist Jefferey Verege,
who works on 'Red
Wolf'which centers around Marvel's first Native American
hero. "That is what this event is all about."
This year's event, modeled after a traditional Comic Con and
complete with artists forums, comic book signings, and cosplay events,
was a strong attempt to foster a community for Native creators that
are still largely unrepresented at mainstream Comic Cons.
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Arigon
Starr, creator of 'Super Indian,' was one of the features
artist and speakers at the event.
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"They don't know we exist," said Arigon Starr, noting
the absence of Native creators from the major comic publishing companies,
as well as the now hugely popular Comic Cons throughout the United
States. "But here we are, doing things that no one else is."
"There's a platform for the subculture, but there are larger
media outlets not allowing us in," Jonathan Proudstar said
from behind his booth at the event. "They want to propagate
our image without giving us our own voice."
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The
booth of artist Dale
Rey Deforest with his comic book 'Shadow Wolves' alongside
a depiction of a turquoise-clad Native American woman in the
likeness of Holly Golightly.
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For Proudstar, one of the first Native Americans in
the comic industry, comic books provide a unique medium to both
break down historic stereotypes of Native Americans and address
the myriad of contemporary issues facing his people.
His comic book 'Tribal
Force' features a team of Indigenous superheroes and engages
with issues directly affecting Native people. Of Yaqui heritage,
Proudstar has been counseling Native youth for nearly three decades.
These kids are, according to him, the "inspiration for Tribal
Force."
Proudstar added, "On many reservations, the education system
is very poor and you have 8th and 9th graders reading at a 3rd grade
level. Comics are a way to start to teach these kids about their
culture in a way that makes, has relevance, and is cool."
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Jay
Odjick, comic book artists and creator of the TV show 'Kagagi,'
stands behind his booth at the Comic Con
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"They're seeing what they would see in movie theaters,
but with their own culture and language," said comic book artist
Jay Odjick, creator of 'Kagagi'a
nationally distributed graphic novel and television show deeply
rooted in his his Algonquin culture. "Now Kagagi is their guy,"
he explained, speaking about the popularity of the television show
and comic on his reservation in Canada. "It's our job to provide
our people with our own culture and our own superheros."
For Odjick, Kagagi also provided a unique opportunity to help
preserve the dying language of his people. Each episode of the show
(in English) contains Algonquin subtitles. His website
also contains translated episode scripts available to download.
"In our community the speakers are literally dying out,"
said Odjick, explaining to VICE how one of the two translators used
for the show has passed away since it began. "Anything we can
do to help kids get interested in the language and give it to them
in the way they understand and enjoy."
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A
couple dressed as characters from 'Avatar.'
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For many of the Native creators VICE spoke with, this event
represents a huge step toward inclusion in a media that has long
done the opposite.
"Seeing those kinds of stereotypes in comics made me determined
to do something for those that never had representation," said
Arigon Starr. "It's exciting to see all of doing this. All
together in one place."
"To think that this would be possible to be here in Albuquerque,
New Mexico at the first ever Indigenous Comic Con representing my
own TV show is mind-blowing," said Odjick, who's been drawing
comics since he was five years old. "I hope kids that come here
see that things are changing. That we can do things that we could
not have done just a decade or two ago."
See more photos from the first Indigenous Comic Con below, and
visit the organization's
website to learn more.
Follow Sam on Twitter
and Gabriela on Instagram.
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Artist
Rod Velarde, from the Jicarilla Apache Nation, stands beside
his stormtrooper done in traditional black and white style.
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Dezbah
Evans, one of the event workers, dressed up as Jedi from Star
Wars.
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Cosplayers
on the steps of the National Hispanic Cultural Center, where
the event took place.
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A
costume contest at the main stage
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Laddy
Yazzi has her hair braided prior to a dance performance on
the main stage.
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Jay
Soule, a Native American artist from Canada who creates horror
movie-inspired "indigenous pop art."
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