[Ed. note: This essay first appeared as a series of tweets on Marc’s twitter account and is being re-presented with his permission.]
The six years between the Genius Pilot Season issue release and the miniseries dropping [last week] felt like an eternity. But now, it feels like the world was making us wait for just the right time. When the hunger for female leads would reach a tipping point. When the hunger for diversity on and behind the comics pages would reach a tipping point. And, sadly, when the devaluation of black youth would reach a tipping point.
If a thing is actually, inherently true, it is temporally fluid. It was true yesterday, it will be true tomorrow. The authorities have always distrusted people that look like me. Always. The threat/fear of an urban rebellion has always been true. Because there has ALWAYS been a powder keg waiting to be lit.
That was true seven years ago when Afua Richardson, Adam Freeman, and myself started on Genius’ journey. And it’s just as true today. If you are lucky, as a storyteller, you can find those truths — as ugly as they may be — and tap into them.
I wish this thing wasn’t true.
As a father of a young brown man, I wish it more than anything. But wishing… isn’t enough. Truth abides.
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Marc Bernardin — formerly of The Hollywood Reporter — has written comics for Marvel, DC, IDW, and Top Cow. He was also a writer on SyFy’s superhero-esque series Alphas. His latest comic series, Genius, is being published weekly by Top Cow throughout August. Issue #2 is available and in stores today.
thankyou….the stars were aligned with this one bro. can’t wait to cop the next issue.