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On this special international episode of "Tell The Damn Story," hosts Chris Ryan and Alex Simmons team up with a panel of extraordinary artists and storytellers from across the globe, thanks to the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC). Joining them are Micheline Hess of Mishmash Arts (NYC), acclaimed cartoonist and illustrator Tayo Fatunla (UK/Nigeria), and Jesse Sunkwa-Mills, CEO of Mills Media in Ghana. Together, they dive into the transformative power of comics, graphic novels, animation, and storytelling as vehicles for culture, representation, and change.Through personal origin stories, the panel explores their earliest inspirations, ongoing creative challenges, and the passion that keeps them pushing boundaries in their fields. They discuss the importance of self-education, the hurdles of making your own way as an artist in underserved industries, and the absolute necessity of seeing your own story and face represented in media.Whether it's resurrecting folklore, uplifting African narratives through animation, or fighting for visibility as an artist of color, these creators are united by a drive to tell stories that haven't been told before. Tune in for a conversation filled with hard-won wisdom, shared laughter, global perspectives, practical advice for emerging creatives, shout-outs to other creators, and some can't-miss recommendations.If you're looking for inspiration or real talk about the journey from dreamer to doer in storytelling, you won't want to miss this episode.Tayo Fatunla shares his work on Instagram (@tfatunla123) and runs a personal website where his art awaits your discovery. (www.tayofatunla.comJesse Sunkwa-Mills and his studio, Mills Media, share insightful content about their projects on Instagram (@millsmedia_).Micheline Hess showcases her vibrant storytelling through her brand, Mishmash Arts (mishmasharts.com), and actively shares updates on Instagram. (@michmasharts)Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story Youtube.com/ Tell The Damn StoryIf you're enjoying these episodes, please take a moment to help wet our whistle by clicking on the link to ... Buy Me A Coffee!
Returning tired and inspired from a weekend comic con in Philadelphia, co-host Alex Simmons goes solo for this episode. His time at the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention left him with many thoughts about artists, choices, life and death, and what we lose and gain for our art. Leave your comments and questions for us in our comments section. Or write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.com
Goooood morning!In honor of Avengers: Infinity War weekend, we are going to NOT spoil anything related to the movie. Instead we discuss the Venom and Crazy, Rich Asians trailers, the fondness we had for 90's mini-series Maximum Carnage, and the awful Spider-Man 3 and DCU movies. Somewhere down the line, Gerard Butler became the topic of discussion, too. After the break we sit down with Greg Anderson Elysee.Who is Greg Anderson Elysee? He's an comic book writer/creator, filmmaker and friend of Joe who crowd-sourced funds for his passion project Is'nana: Forgotten Stories: The Were-Spider. The journey and process of producing this independent comic book has led him to release two volumes of the series, with the most recent being nominated for a Fan Favorite Award at the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention (ECBACC). Special thanks to DJ Atum Ra for the interlude music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Jennifer Cruté started writing comics in 2003. She is featured in a Current TV segment about women in comics called "Kapow! The New Comic Book Heroines." At the East Coast Black Age of Comics convention (ECBACC), her strips were nominated for "Best Rising Star" in it's Glyph Comic Awards (GCA) category. Her cartoons were featured in "Bitch" magazine's 2009 winter issue. She was a finalist in Lambda Legal's "Life Without Fair Courts" contest and was also a speaker on the "Dark As Ink" panel at Skidmore College. Jennifer is also a painter and studies at the Art Students League of New York. She continues to develop a body of work in oil and mixed media. She has shown her work at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) museum in Brooklyn; The Limner Gallery in Hudson, N.Y.; And the Ocean Hill Arts Sanctuary in Brooklyn. She also works as a freelance illustrator (www.jennifercrute.com), and her clients include Merck, Tanqueray, Nabisco, and Sony. Jenn recently completed a comic for adults entitled, “Jennifer's Journal The Life of a SubUrban Girl Vol 1.” It’s the first book in a series that chronicles the life of this quirky and freckle-face, African American illustrator and artist. Pages from actual journals illustrate this misfit’s upbringing in the suburbs of New Jersey and her daily interactions as an adult in New York City. She introduces several colorful characters which include a host of grumpy family members, schoolmates that tease and gossip, and her close friends Josephine and Maryland’s own awkward experiences. Jennifer’s imaginary companions also influence her actions; they range from the meditative "Miss Buddha Bear" to her nemesis "Sister Sympathy" and her gang. Each accompanies Jennifer as she tries to maintain a positive outlook and peace of mind while battling the insanity of popular culture. For more info: http://www.indiereviewcd.com https://twitter.com/IndieRevue https://www.instagram.com/indie.review https://www.facebook.com/indie.review --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/indie-review/support
Jennifer Cruté started writing comics in 2003. She is featured in a Current TV segment about women in comics called "Kapow! The New Comic Book Heroines." At the East Coast Black Age of Comics convention (ECBACC), her strips were nominated for "Best Rising Star" in it's Glyph Comic Awards (GCA) category. Her cartoons were featured in "Bitch" magazine's 2009 winter issue. She was a finalist in Lambda Legal's "Life Without Fair Courts" contest and was also a speaker on the "Dark As Ink" panel at Skidmore College. Jennifer is also a painter and studies at the Art Students League of New York. She continues to develop a body of work in oil and mixed media. She has shown her work at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) museum in Brooklyn; The Limner Gallery in Hudson, N.Y.; And the Ocean Hill Arts Sanctuary in Brooklyn. She also works as a freelance illustrator (www.jennifercrute.com), and her clients include Merck, Tanqueray, Nabisco, and Sony. Jenn recently completed a comic for adults entitled, “Jennifer's Journal The Life of a SubUrban Girl Vol 1.” It’s the first book in a series that chronicles the life of this quirky and freckle-face, African American illustrator and artist. Pages from actual journals illustrate this misfit’s upbringing in the suburbs of New Jersey and her daily interactions as an adult in New York City. She introduces several colorful characters which include a host of grumpy family members, schoolmates that tease and gossip, and her close friends Josephine and Maryland’s own awkward experiences. Jennifer’s imaginary companions also influence her actions; they range from the meditative "Miss Buddha Bear" to her nemesis "Sister Sympathy" and her gang. Each accompanies Jennifer as she tries to maintain a positive outlook and peace of mind while battling the insanity of popular culture.