Anyway, I know that a lot of people here on tumblr do not actually buy comics, but I do want to encourage people to think about what you can do to support DCBlackout. I know that I am not a person who's purchases drive metrics at DC comics. I only put in a preorder for comics once in a blue moon, I read digitally, and I buy collected editions, but yesterday I canceled my dcui subscription and while the boycott continues, I'm not going to renew it. While I'll probably still get dc comics through second hand sources here and there, I'm not going to buy any new comics from them either.
There should be more opportunities for black creators at DC and there should be more stories for characters like Nubia, Steel, Vixen, The Signal, Mr Terrific, everyone from Milestone and more.
Even if you're not a comics buyer, you can still sign the petition and you can share your favorite independent comics from black creators. I'll start: Everyone should read Prince of Cats by Ronald Wimberly.
Try and seek out new works and expand your horizons. That's what I'll be doing.
Black Comic Alliance Announces Stage 2: DCBlackout, Escalating Calls for Structural Change at DC Comics
The Black Comic Alliance, the collective of content creators behind the viral #DCSoWhite campaign, has officially announced Stage 2 of its advocacy movement: DCBlackout, a coordinated protest calling on readers, supporters, and content creators to withhold financial support and pause content creation tied to DC Comics publishing initiatives until meaningful structural changes are made around…
when you're at a point where you're publishing comics with worse, less substantial representation of black characters than you were in the 90s or 2000s, i feel like, and now maybe this is crazy, but i feel like maybe you should at least acknowledge that you have an issue
hey everypony !! since i’m supporting the DCblackout boycott, i figured i’d make a small info post with links and summaries !!
DCblackout:
DCblackout is the second stage of the DCsowhite discussion that took place earlier this year, which pointed out that DC hasn’t publtished a solo, on-going black title in over 1200 days
DCblackout has 3 main goals: 1. establish and announce 1-3 black on-going titles (with black creative teams) that have cancellation immunity for a minimum of 2 years, 2. educate fans on how sales work so they can accurately support the titles they love, & 3. greenlight a power company book if the titles do well (which would help a fanbase grow)
the goal of DCblackout is to raise awareness of the lack of black DC stories and give fans heroes they can relate to and see themselves in.
blackgirlnerds.com
their official public statement is as follows:
bleedingcool.com
DCsowhite and why now:
DCsowhite brought attention to the fact that there has been no black on-going title in over 1200 days. the last title was ‘I Am Batman’, which ran from 2021-2023 and ended on its #18 issue.
dc heavily relies on mini-runs or one shots for black characters, and black female characters receive even less.
james portis III (aka JPenumbra) posted a piece to comicsbeat.com focusing on the issue.
comicbeats.com
this has been an issue for a long time, but it doesn’t have to continue this way !! below is a link to the DCblackout petition, and blow that are links to JPenumbra’s original piece, the DCblackout website, and blackgirlnerds.com and bleedingcool.com’s pieces (in that order).
#DCSoWhite: End the Black Superhero Drought
It has now been 1171 days since the last time DC published an ongoing series for a Black character in their mainline continuity
DCBlackout - a DC Comics boyocott.
Following the viral #DCSoWhite conversation, creators demand sustained investment, visibility, and accountability for Black representation
DC Blackout: a DC Comics fan boycott launches after 1200 days without an ongoing DC Universe comic book series with a black lead character
Which of these Black DC characters would you most like to see get an ongoing comic run? (Masc Edition)
Kaldur’ahm/Jackson Hyde (Aqualad)
Jace Fox (the Batman of New York)
Luke Fox (Batwing II)
Jefferson Pierce (Black Lightning)
Victor Stone (Cyborg)
John Stewart (Green Lantern)
Augustus Freeman (Icon)
Duke Thomas (The Signal)
Virgil Hawkins (Static Shock)
John Henry Irons (Steel)
Other (leave in tags)
See Results
Voting ended onJun 8
As of today, it's been 1203 days (approximately 3 years and 3 1/2 months) since DC published an ongoing comic book centering a Black character in its mainline continuity. I'm using this poll to bring awareness to some Black characters who I think could use some love. Fem edition.
did u know it has been over 1200 days since there has been a DC mainline ongoing series led by a black main character? because of this there is an ongoing boycott of DC comics, heres a screenshot of the official statement:
heres the petition mentioned in the statement:
#DCSoWhite: End the Black Superhero Drought
and for more info on the boycott check out this site:
DCBlackout - a DC Comics boyocott.
because of this, i wont be promoting/supporting any DC runs from made by non-black creatives and i encourage others to do the same. use ur voice and show DC that we want black creatives and black stories!!
Whiel i do agree with the message of the blackout boycott i find its management odd
Boycotting dc right before the pride special could send a dangerous message that fans are uninterested in queer characters and stories
I understand your concern anon but the timing of the boycott is simply because it hit 1200 days without a Black-led ongoing (an already inexcusable amount of days) - I've seen this concern about timing in other places but it worries me that people see this as 'Black-led ongoings' versus 'queer stories' when we all know there are Black queer characters (Jo comes to mind) who could be honoured with a mainline ongoing during Pride Month as well!
I totally get people being hesitant about this, but the fact is there is no good time to do a boycott & that's the point. The idea that we should wait until a more convenient time to boycott is antithetical to the purpose of the protest. I truly truly understand it will be hard for some people - I just cancelled my subscription to Batgirl and I am genuinely worried about the comic's longevity as well as if DC will invest in her later - but the issue at hand is Black fans, creatives, and characters, whom DC has failed again and again. A Black-led ongoing will be a victory for us all because it shows the power of collective action and solidarity, and that is worth sacrificing some things to me personally.
But I cannot tell you or anyone else how to participate in this protest! While I do think everyone should at least try to boycott, there are other things you can do including calling for Black-led ongoings on social media platforms, cutting down your pull list as much as possible, using #DCSoWhite and #DCBlackout to discuss the underrepresentation of Black characters, purchasing Black creatives' non-DC books, and signing the petition!!!
Organizers of the DCBlackout boycott have announced the boycott’s end, citing discourse overshadowing the goal of the campaign, and acknowledging that some calls to action were limiting support of black, lgbt+, and female creatives.
While no longer calling for a boycott, they are still encouraging others to boost comics and media made by black creatives and about black characters to bring awareness to the lack of representation and to let publishers know that these stories are sought out and wanted.
from @jpenumbra on tiktok
here is a link to the campaign’s petition: change.org/dcsowhitecampaign
image text under cut:
“First and foremost, we want to thank everyone who has supported the DCSoWhite campaign. Since the beginning of this year, thousands of comic readers, retailers, creators, and fans have joined us in advocating for greater investment in Black characters and opportunities for Black creators within the comic book industry.
Today, we are announcing the end of the DCBlackout boycott.
This decision comes after a lot of reflection and conversations with members of the comic book community. While the boycott was launched to draw attention to an issue we believe remains important, it became clear that the conversation surrounding the boycott was often overshadowing the larger goal of the campaign.
The fact remains that it has been more than 1200 days since a Black character has headlined a solo title in DC Comics' mainline continuity. We continue to believe this is an issue worth discussing and addressing. However, we also recognize that many fans and creators we care about felt the boycott unintentionally minimized books, characters, and creators whose work provides meaningful representation for women, LGBTQIA+ readers, people of color, and other marginalized communities. That was never our intention, and we apologize for that impact. We heard those concerns, and they played a major role in our decision to reevaluate the boycott.
Our goal has never been to take representation away from anyone else in oursuit
of our own. We believe that Black characters deserve greater support, and inat the creators and books currently providing representation across the industry deserve to be celebrated and supported
As a result, DCSoWhite will continue as an awareness and advocacy campaign rather than a boycott effort.
One of the most effective ways readers can support creators and influence publisher decision-making is through preorders before a book's Final Order Cutoff (FOC) date. Pre-orders are one of the clearest indicators of reader interest and help publishers and retailers determine future investments in characters, titles, and creative teams. We encourage fans to support the books and creators they want to see succeed, particularly those from underrepresented communities. If you are unsure of a title's FOC date, contact your local comic shop or consult publicly available retailer resources.
DCBlackout grew into something much larger than we originally anticipated
While we appreciate the conversations it sparked, we recognize that the focus often shifted away from the concerns that inspired the campaign in the first place. Moving forward, we want the conversation to center on solutions, support, and meaningful opportunities for Black characters and creators.
The DCSoWhite campaign is not ending. The petition remains active. We will continue to highlight Black creators, promote Black independent comics, document industry trends, and advocate for greater investment in Black characters across mainstream comics.
We don't know what the future holds for DC in the coming weeks, months, or years. What we do know is that Black characters deserve the same opportunities, promotion, and great stories as everyone else. That's what this campaign has always been about, and that's what we will continue fighting for. And when DC finally announces a Black ongoing in the mainline continuity, we will be there for phase 3 of this campaign like we originally intended.”
