Black History Month Interview: LaToya Morgan

In celebration of Black History Month, PREVIEWSworld is bringing you a series of interviews with professionals from all fields in the comic industry. 

Check out our interview with LaToya Morgan, Writer of Grimm Tales of Terror for Zenoscope Entertainment

PREVIEWSworld: What initially got you interested in comics?

LaToya Morgan: The Sunday paper actually got me interested in comics. One of my favorite things in the world when I was a kid was reading the Sunday paper with my grandmother. She’d give me the comics section and she’d take the front page and I’d sit beside her and read. To this day I spend most of my Sundays reading. From the strips I graduated to comic books and graphic novels. X-Men and Spider-Man were my first loves. The artwork in those comic books always got to me. It was so beautiful and really pulled you in. I have such respect for artists. I always wished I could draw but I can barely make stick figures. But what I could do was write stories. So I’d secretly write my own comics and hope that one day I’d find an artist to illustrate them for me. And now I have. It took a while but I do.

PREVIEWSworld: What does Black History Month mean to you?

LaToya Morgan: Black History Month is a time to celebrate and honor the achievements of Black people both historically and currently. I respect and support achievements all year round. Comics-wise, I'm an avid fan of creators of color and produce content of my own.

PREVIEWSworld: Who’s your favorite black artist/entertainer? Why?

LaToya Morgan: Instead of just one, here's a quick list.

First, a throwback shout out to Aaron McGruder’s Boondocks comic strips. They were just genius. Bright, shiny, subversive, boundary-pushing genius.

Entertainer -- Prince. There’s him and then there’s everyone else.

Who doesn’t love Shonda Rhimes?

I can’t wait to see what Ta-Nehisi Coates does with Marvel’s new Black Panther series. I’ve always been a Marvel kid, so I’m super psyched that he’s on it since he’s such a great writer. I have a feeling it’s gonna be epic.

PREVIEWSworld: Do you feel comics represent a wider diversity now—or do we still have a ways to go?

LaToya Morgan: There aren’t enough creators of color. That’s just a fact. There aren’t enough women creators. Another fact. So there definitely aren’t enough black women creators. It’s beyond time to change that. It would be great if the big publishers would look beyond their normal stable of creators to find new blood for some of their titles. I know there are plenty of talented people out there who just need the chance to show what they can do. I also think that black creators shouldn’t be pigeonholed into just telling black stories. Yes, we can tell those stories but if given the opportunity, we can tell other stories as well. Stories driven by imagination, character and unique life experiences. Stories as varied and diverse as our backgrounds. At the end of the day that’s all most people want -- a good story. No matter who’s telling it.

PREVIEWSworld: What new projects do you have planned for the near future? What are you creating right now?

LaToya Morgan: I just wrote another installment of Tales of Terror for Zenescope Entertainment. This one’s inspired by the Edgar Allan Poe short story “The Black Cat.” It’s dark, sexy and scary. All the things I love. So I’m very excited for readers to check it out.

PREVIEWSworld: What advice can you offer for the aspiring comic creator?

LaToya Morgan: Write the comics you want to read. Write the stories you’re passionate about. Fake it until you make it. I wrote comics for myself, long before I ever had a publisher. That experience helped me when I finally got my chance. Most importantly, when people tell you breaking into the industry is impossible, ignore them. Be hardheaded and stubborn. And keep writing. Someone will notice your persistence. I’m living proof.

 Read more Black History Month Interviews in PREVIEWSworld's Black History Month section!