Black History Month Interview: Jamal Igle

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 Jamal Igle, a creator, writer, and Vice President of Marketing at Action Lab Comics below!

PREVIEWSworld: What initially got you interested in comics? 

Jamal Igle: When I was five years old, my grandfather took me to see the Richard Donner Superman movie and I immediately fell in love with the concept of superheroes and comics as an extension. For me, there is an immediacy of comics that is more visceral than most forms of art, subjectively perhaps. There’s a thrill to me of seeing my work in print, of writing and drawing stories that I can share and hopefully touch readers on a deep level.

PREVIEWSworld: What does Black History Month mean to you?

Jamal Igle: Those forget history are doomed to repeat it. I think that for young people Black History Month is more important than ever. As our global community broadens, it would be very easy for some to try and rewrite the past to fit a particular agenda. There are lots of younger who look up to athletes, actors and musicians in the African American community because they are the most visible examples of exceptional black people. They don’t get to see the great communicators, scientists, statesmen and women who fill the halls of academia, government and other sectors and the need for young black men and women to know that there is more to the black experience around the world than what I may have learned in school.

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

Jamal Igle: Prince. Just a brilliant all around talent.

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

Jamal Igle: There's always more that can be done but there are certainly more platforms to explore the variety of life on this world. We can’t represent everything, we shouldn’t expect to have total parity because you’re talking about one person or team trying to represent a portion of the planets entire population. All we can do as creators is try to tell the best stories we can.

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

Jamal Igle: I'm currently writing and drawing part of the Actionverse crossover featuring Molly Danger, which will launch in April. That will be followed by Molly Danger: the series, launching this summer

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

Jamal Igle: Be patient, be diligent and be true to your vision. Don’t let anyone dissuade you from pursuing your passion. 

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