Exhibition of Black cultural icons in comics, action figures & games

The Afro Supa Hero exhibition, displaying independent creative director Jon Daniel’s personal collection of Black pop cultural heroes and heroines of the African diaspora, through comics, action figures, memorabilia and games is launching soon.

Action figures of real-life icons Muhammad Ali, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and Nelson Mandela will stand alongside pop cultural figures including Mr. T and Lieutenant Uhura will be opening at the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool on 13 May 2016.

Afro Supa Hero explores the importance of role models and icons in combating the legacies of racism and discrimination, providing a snapshot of Jon Daniel’s childhood journey to adulthood, shown through this very personal collection.

In the exhibition, Jon introduces himself, his family and why he started collecting before his narrative guides visitors through five main sections:

Real Afro Supa Heroes.

Includes action figures of Muhammad Ali, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and Nelson Mandela. 2016 marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party, and this section features a pamphlet and membership card for the Party, as well as a Black and Brown stamp album. Ten editions of The Golden Legacy comic book series, first published in 1966 showing real-life icons from history, will be on display including volume 2, which focusses on Harriet Tubman, the African American Abolitionist who will soon be featured on the American $20 note.

Inspirational Afro Supa Heroes.

A range of nine action figures including Apollo Creed from the Rocky films, Mr. T and Star Trek’s Lieutenant Uhura, alongside a Harlem Globetrotters board game from 1971, and a signed 7 inch Parliament single, ‘Aqua Boogie’. 

British Afro Supa Heroes. 

A look at Blake’s 7, Red Dwarf, Panini football stickers of 1979 and a very special edition of The Hornet spotlighting Michael Jackson.

Invincible Afro Supa Heroes. 

Exploring Marvel and DC fictional superheroes including both rare comics and action figures of Meteor Man, The Falcon and Black Lightning. There is an additional Luke Cage action figure and further, rare comics featuring The Black Panther, Nubia - in the New Adventures of the Original Wonder Woman, Black Goliath, Brother Voodoo and Green Lantern.

AFROSUPASTARS.

Jon Daniel is an award-winning, independent creative director. This section is a collection of Jon’s Afro Supa Hero collectible designware, including, bowls and badges. A range of Jon’s merchandise, including superhero capes, will be available to buy at the Museum and online.

A new series of Afro Supa events to accompany the exhibition has just been announced, including talks and a range of family friendly crafts such as badge-making and super comic sessions: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/supaevents

Jon Daniel said: “Growing up in suburban Britain in the 1960s and 70s, there weren’t many positive Black roles models or cultural icons to identify with. Instead, I looked to the African Caribbean culture of my family, and the African American culture of the US.”

Jon began collecting comics, games and action figures featuring positive Black role models of history and fiction in his late twenties, feeling that they most strongly embodied the era of his childhood and his search for identity. There are more than 100 pieces in the collection today, collected over 22 years.

Head of the International Slavery Museum, Dr Richard Benjamin, said: “The legacies of transatlantic slavery and enslavement are an integral part of the Museum narrative. Through an exhibition on Black role models and iconography in popular culture, the Museum is able to approach this narrative in an innovative and thought-provoking way. One that highlights just some of the methods that can be applied to challenge issues such as racism and discrimination.”

Curator at the International Slavery Museum, Stephen Carl Lokko, said: “Afro Supa Hero is both retrospective and bang up to date. In this wide-ranging exhibition, visitors will see Marvel characters including Luke Cage and the Falcon, ahead of new film and TV releases later in the year.

“Liverpool visitors and Red Dwarf fans may also be pleased to find a there’s copy of the Smegazine and an action figure of Dave Lister, both on display for the first time”.

The International Slavery Museum highlights the international importance of enslavement and slavery, both in a historic and modern context. Working in partnership with other organisations with a focus on freedom and enslavement, the Museum provides opportunities for greater awareness and understanding of the legacies of slavery today. This includes highlighting positive Black role models from history and popular culture.

The opening date of Afro Supa Hero coincides with the launch of Liverpool’s LightNight 2016. The Museum will be open late to mark this special occasion, and LightNight visitors will be among the first people in the city to see this unique and inspirational exhibition. From 6 – 7pm Jon Daniel is walking through some of his favourite pieces in Afro Supa Hero, to celebrate the opening of the exhibition. This will be accompanied by two family craft sessions from 6-8pm, where visitors can make badges based on 1980s superheroes or design their own comic.www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/lightnight

On Saturday 21 May Jon Daniel will also be taking part in Future|Journeys: Afrofuturism at WoWfest - a unique event looking at how to find new ways of expressing the voices of the marginalised, exploring race and gender as alternative technologies for creating new ways of co-existing.http://festival.writingonthewall.org.uk/  

For more information about the exhibition, see #afrosupahero and www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/afrosupahero