I’m happy. I’m excited. I’m nervous.
Mainly, I’m ready.
Ready for this book to be bought, read, enjoyed, talked about, something. When I say that this story that I’m about to tell is a labor of love, I’m telling the god’s honest truth. This goes back to an inkling of an idea that I had after seeing the Matrix and thinking, “Why can’t we be Neo?” “Why can’t we be the one’s running the show?”
I love the Matrix, don’t get me wrong, (1st flick more so than the other two), and I enjoyed how most of the cast in subsequent flicks actually looked like me. Story was on point, acting was good, and the action/ special effects (even today) make me love the film even more.
But back to “Why can’t we be Neo?” Sure, comics and sci-fi have made hella inroads in creating inclusive titles with minority protagonists. Storm. Black Lightning. Lauren Olamina. Black Panther. Vixen. Synch. Meteor Man (don’t hate on Meteor Man, you know you liked it). Spawn. Brother From Another Planet. The list goes on and on.
But for Hollywood, and most major selling comic books, the idea of someone of another race running the show is a foreign concept. I’m tired of that, and there are a crap-ton of talented folks (black, white, brown, etc.) who feel the same way, and are doing something about that. Head over to www.blacksuperhero.com and learn who’s doing the damn thang on this front.
My first and foremost goal, is to tell a good story. A story that folks will keep coming back to, and enjoy. Secondly, I want people to understand that “we” can run this. We can tell fantastical stories of individuals from a variety of backgrounds, whether they be the heroes or the villains.
I’m proud of the story that’s about to drop. So-friggin-proud it hurts. Some people will like it, some won’t. I can’t help where it falls on folks’ personal radar, but I will say this: it’s out there, and for a kid who asked “Why can’t “we” be Neo”, it’s a blessing/ dream come true.
Enjoy.
