CANR
WORK TITLE:
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://saladinahmed.com/
CITY: Detroit
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: CA 340
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saladin_Ahmed https://twitter.com/saladinahmed
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1975, in Detroit, MI; married Hayley Thompson (a songwriter and research psychologist); children: twins.
EDUCATION:Attended Henry Ford Community College; University of Michigan, B.A.; Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, M.F.A.; Rutgers University, M.A.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Has taught writing at universities and colleges, including Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.
AWARDS:Fellowships for poetry from the University of Michigan, Brooklyn College, and the Bronx Council on the Arts; finalist for the Nebula Award for Best Short Story, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, 2010, for “Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela;” Best New Series, Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, 2018, for Black Bolt.
WRITINGS
Contributor to Engraved on the Eye, Ridan Publishing, 2012. Contributor of short stories and poetry to various literary magazines and anthologies.
SIDELIGHTS
Writer Saladin Ahmed has published both poetry and fiction over the years. His fiction work primarily consists of fantasies set in the medieval Muslim world. His interest in the fantasy genre started at a young age. As he related in an interview for Locus online, “My father was a voracious reader who always had books around the house, and always made sure that I had books. He was a science fiction/fantasy reader too, so he brought me to Tolkien and Frank Herbert. I remember thumbing through Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials, the illustrated book of all these aliens from various science fiction series. He also had a lot of comic books around. So that’s what I grew up reading, and then I got into Dungeons & Dragons, stuff like that: all these pulpy adventure fantasy series.”
Ahmed worked at a library in Dearborn, Michigan, during high school before attending Henry Ford Community College and then the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he graduated with a B.A. in American studies. Ahmed went on to earn an M.F.A. in creative writing from Brooklyn College as well as an M.A. in English with a focus on eighteenth-century British literature from Rutgers University. He later taught writing at universities and colleges, including Rutgers.
Before shifting his attention to writing fiction, Ahmed was a prolific poet with work published in numerous literary journals and books. He was awarded fellowships from the University of Michigan, Brooklyn College, and the Bronx Council on the Arts for his poetry, and he was a member of Detroit’s National Poetry Slam team in 1997 and 1998. His fiction has been published in various magazines and anthologies. Ahmed’s first science-fiction story, “Where Virtue Lives,” was published in 2009, and his next story, “Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela,” was a Nebula Award finalist. Ahmed’s debut novel, Throne of the Crescent Moon, was published in 2012 and is the first in a planned trilogy. Two of Ahmed’s published short stories—“Where Virtue Lives” and “Judgment of Swords and Souls”—are based in the world portrayed in this Muslim- inspired fantasy trilogy.
Throne of the Crescent Moon introduces readers to Doctor Adoulla Makhslood, the last real ghul hunter in the city of Dhamsawaat. In his sixties now, Makhslood is getting ready to settle down and retire, when a series of gruesome murders sets the hunter back into action. At the same time, the city is facing a power struggle between the Khalif and a mysterious figure known as the Falcon Prince. As Adoulla and his partner Raseed, a young holy warrior, investigate, they quickly discover a link between the political strife and the murders.
Reviewers had mixed feelings about Ahmed’s debut novel. Throne of the Crescent Moon “is tightly plotted, action-packed and builds an interesting world,” remarked a reviewer on the Just a World Away Web site. However the reviewer did have some criticisms of the novel and felt that “the characters aren’t as well-developed and the world is not as well-detailed as I’d like.” A reviewer for the Speculative Book Review Web site was not impressed with the novel overall, likewise complaining that many of the characters are not well developed. The reviewer noted that “the style of the novel was also a little slower than my liking.” However, the reviewer praised the setting in Throne of the Crescent Moon : “It is nice to be in the middle east and also a breath of fresh air to find the Muslim faith not portrayed as the enemy, but as the de facto religion and that they were ordinary people like you and me.”
On the other hand, a reviewer on the Medieval Bookworm Web site felt that “despite the very short length of the book for a fantasy novel, each character is distinctive and well-drawn, and reading about them and their world is a pleasure. The plot is not particularly complex but it does draw the reader in.” Richard Marcus, in a review of the novel for the SeattlePI Web site, praised the book: “Ahmed does a wonderful job of not only spinning a fascinating story that will hold a reader’s attention from beginning to end, but of bringing an environment most of his audience won’t be familiar with to life. While some authors might have over explained and filled the story with unnecessary details supplying background information about the culture his world is based on, he is able to paint his picture through the deeds and thoughts of his characters.” Marcus added, “Whether it’s something simple such as describing the type of tea the Doctor prefers to start his morning with, or a little more involved such as Raseed quoting scripture as he lambastes himself for his failings, by the end of the book you’ll be as comfortable reading in this environment as you would one based on a culture and society you’re more knowledgeable about.” Jackie Cassada, writing in Library Journal, also praised the novel, noting that “this trilogy launch will delight fantasy lovers who enjoy flawed but honorable protagonists and a touch of the exotic.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor, who found the novel’s characters to be “impressive,” called the novel as a whole “an arresting, sumptuous and thoroughly satisfying debut.”
In an interview on Blake Charlton’s Web site, Ahmed talked about how his poetic background has influenced his fiction work: “It’s had both positive and negative influences. I think I can write a damn lovely sentence, sound-wise. I think my descriptive powers are pretty sharp. These are skills that were honed writing poetry for over ten years. But a poem ain’t a novel! At the end of the day, fantasy readers want pulse- pounding plots. Poetry does a crappy job of preparing one to write suspense and action. And sustaining plot and subplot throughout a novel is something I’m still learning to do. But every writer has their weak and strong points, right? All we can do is try harder and get better.”
In 2018, Ahmed debuted a new paranormal graphic novel series, Abbott. Set in Detroit, Michigan, in the 1970s, the story follows Elena Abbott, a “black, bisexual, chain-smoking, brandy-swigging reporter,” as author JJ Amaworo Wilson put it in his review for the New York Journal of Books. Elena discovers that a recent string of murders are connected to the death of her husband, which leads her on a quest to uncover the truth about a particular occult organization before she meets the same fate. Along the way, Elena has to fight the supernatural forces getting in her way.
Overall, Abbott was well received. Wilson pointed out that the book had its fair share of clichés but also remarked that it was “enormously enjoyable.” R. M. Sayan raved about the graphic novel on their personal blog, JustSomeCynic. They enjoyed the worldbuilding and characters, particularly the protagonist, Elena, giving the book a full five-star rating. In her review for Booklist, Sarah Hunter also praised Ahmed’s “commentary about racism, microaggressions, and gentrification.” She concluded that “Smart writing, gorgeous artwork, and a vibrant hero with captivating depth make this a series to watch.”
Ahmed followed Abbott with Abbott: 1973 in 2021. The paranormal crime fighting continues as the graphic novel’s main character, Elena Abbott, who has been dubbed the “Lightbringer” for her ability to emit beams of light, faces a “ghastly cabal” that “wields deadly, body-snatching sorcery,” according to a Publishers Weekly contributor. Meanwhile, the city of Detroit is on the verge of electing its first Black mayor, which is met with resistance from racist citizens. The book also deals with Elena’s strained relationships both at home and at work as she tries to navigate the dynamics of her girlfriend Amelia’s family as well as her misogynistic boss at the newspaper where she works.
The Publishers Weekly reviewer was not particularly enthusiastic about Ahmed’s latest installment in the Abbott series, but noted that “it satisfies its goals and does so with a refreshingly diverse cast.” Dustin Holland, writing for CBR.com, agreed that “all of Ahmed’s characters are compelling” and claimed that “Ahmed does an excellent job of weaving the social tensions of 1970s Detroit.” Ultimately, Holland called Abbott: 1973 “an exciting story about the importance of truth and the destructive power of hatred.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, October 15, 2018, Sarah Hunter, review of Abbott, p. 34.
California Bookwatch, May, 2012, review of Throne of the Crescent Moon.
Fantasy and Science Fiction, September-October, 2012, Chris Moriarty, review of Throne of the Crescent Moon.
Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2012, review of Throne of the Crescent Moon.
Library Journal, January 1, 2012, Jackie Cassada, review of Throne of the Crescent Moon, p. 79.
Publishers Weekly, December 5, 2011, review of Throne of the Crescent Moon, p. 63; October 25, 2021, review of Abbott: 1973, p. 74.
ONLINE
Blake Charlton Web site, http://www.blakecharlton.com/ (March 22, 2010), “Writer on the Verge: Saladin Ahmed,” author interview.
CBR.com, https://www.cbr.com/ (March 29, 2017), Dave Richards, “Inhumans’ Black Bolt Is Sent to Cosmic Prison,” author interview; (October 19, 2021), Dustin Holland, review of Abbott: 1973.
ComicAlly, https://samquixote.blogspot.com/ (December 14, 2019), review of Black Bolt.
Comics Beat, https://www.comicsbeat.com/ (July 26, 2022), Taimur Dar, “Saladin Ahmed Announces Departure from Miles Morales: Spider-Man.”
Fixed on Fantasy, http://www.fixedonfantasy.com/ (September 22, 2012), review of Throne of the Crescent Moon.
Gotham Writers Workshop, Inc., https://www.writingclasses.com/ (January 20, 2023), author interview.
Just a World Away, http://blog.kritigodey.com/ (September 22, 2012), review of Throne of the Crescent Moon.
Locus Online, http:// www.locusmag.com/ (June 14, 2011), “Saladin Ahmed: Complicated Fantasy.”
Los Angeles Review of Books, http://lareviewofbooks.org/ (August 31, 2012), Scott Selisker, review of Throne of the Crescent Moon.
Medieval Bookworm, http://medievalbookworm.com/ (April 6, 2012), review of Throne of the Crescent Moon.
New York Journal of Books, https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/ (January 20, 2023), JJ Amaworo Wilson, review of Abbott.
Plots and Reviews, https://plotsandreviews.com/ (October 12, 2021), review of Abbott: 1973.
R. M. Sayan: JustSomeCynic, https://justsomecynic.wordpress.com/ (May 14, 2019), R. M. Sayan, review of Abbott.
Saladin Ahmed Home Page, http://www.saladinahmed.com (November 24, 2012).
Science’s Less Accurate Grandmother, https://lessaccurategrandmother.blogspot.com/ (April 29, 2019), review of Black Bolt.
SeattlePI, http:// www.seattlepi.com/ (February 5, 2012), Richard Marcus, review of Throne of the Crescent Moon.
SF Signal, http:// www.sfsignal.com/ (February 15, 2012), Paul Weimer, review of Throne of the Crescent Moon.
Speculative Book Review, http://speculativebookreview.blogspot.com/ (September 3, 2012), review of Throne of the Crescent Moon.
Writertopia, http:// www.writertopia.com/ (November 24, 2012), author profile.*
Saladin Ahmed was born in Detroit and raised in a working-class, Arab American enclave in Dearborn, Michigan. His short stories have been nominated for the Nebula and Campbell awards, and have appeared in Year’s Best Fantasy and numerous magazines, anthologies, and podcasts, as well as being translated into five foreign languages. Throne of the Crescent Moon won a Locus Award for Best First Novel and was a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, and David Gemmell Morningstar awards. Find him on Twitter at @saladinahmed.
Saladin Ahmed's THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON was nominated for the Hugo and Nebula awards, and won the Locus Award for Best First Novel. His first comic, BLACK BOLT, won the Will Eisner award. His original horror comic ABBOTT was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award and was a Michigan Notable Book. Saladin currently writes the Marvel comics MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN and THE MAGNIFICENT MS. MARVEL. He lives near Detroit.
Saladin Ahmed
Saladin AhmedSaladin Ahmed is the author of the fantasy novel Throne of the Crescent Moon.
What is your method for overcoming writer’s block?
People hate this answer, but: I don't suffer from writer's block. I have loads of ideas, snatches of dialogue, plot twists, bits of description, etc., floating about in my head. What I suffer from is worse than writer's block: TWIN TODDLERS! So finding time and space to write are bigger issues for me than getting words onto the page once I have the time and space to do so. I guess the flip side of this is: If you find yourself sitting there, having carved out the time and space to write, BE GRATEFUL FOR IT! And use it to put something—anything—down on the page.
What are your favorite or most helpful writing prompts?
Describe a familiar food from the point of view of someone who is completely unfamiliar with it.
More a trick than a prompt, for novels: Write the first three chapters. Then write the final chapter. Think of everything in between as a bridge (though one with inclines and declines).
What is the most valuable advice you received as a young writer?
"Treat it like a job." —Pretty much every seasoned science fiction and fantasy writer I've ever met.
I used to write poetry, and poets are generally adverse to thinking of writing this way. Genre novelists aren't, and (to speak in broad generalities) their refreshingly pragmatic ethos is one that continues to inspire me.
Saladin Ahmed announces departure from MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN
Concludes with an oversized special issue this September
By Taimur Dar -07/26/2022 2:30 pm0
Back in 2018 writer Saladin Ahmed launched a new Miles Morales: Spider-Man book from Marvel. After four years working on the title, Ahmed announced today on his Substack newsletter that his run with Miles Morales will be coming to an end with issue #42 this September.
Currently there is no listing for the Miles Morales: Spider-Man book in Marvel’s October solicitations, so it seems likely that the publisher will relaunch the series with a new #1 once a new creative team is named. If I had to venture a guess, I would expect a new Miles Morales ongoing series to arrive to perfectly time with the much-anticipated Spider–Man: Across the Spider–Verse animated film next summer.
Saladin Ahmed’s tenure on the title saw many new developments for the character including but not limited to a new Clone Saga for Miles as well as the introduction of his baby sister, Billie Morales.
Read Ahmed’s official statement below:
Today, with a deep satisfied sigh limned with the sadness of saying goodbye, I can announce that I am stepping down as the writer of MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN.
To be clear, this is an intended ending, not a cancellation. Readers have been supporting the book wonderfully, and I’ve been given all the space I need to tell the stories I wanted to tell. This is a long-planned exit, with the symbolically significant issue #42 having been a target departure for some time now. That oversized special issue is out in September with an all-star roster of Miles artists and this PHENOMENAL cover by the great Taurin Clarke.
I’ve been trying to find a way to sum up how I feel right now, but words fail me depsite being a writer. When Marvel asked me to take over writing Miles’ main series in 2018 I was thrilled but also intimidated. There’s a particular pressure that comes from tackling a much-beloved but newly minted hero. But I really believe iconic superheroes become icons by having their stories told from many angles by different sorts of people. So I took my shot. In the many many months since I’ve put more of my time and energy into MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN than any other project I’ve ever been a part of. I tried to make it a book about family and community. About coming back from trauma and helping others to do the same. About what responsibility means in our world today. And, uh, about beef patties and gloopy clones. For nearly four years this book was the center of my creative and professional life.
Obviously there are a lot of powerful emotions involved in wrapping a work like this, even when it’s done under the best of circumstances. Some of those emotions are personal and private. Something that’s not, though, is the sense of gratitude I feel in having been a part of telling a character like Miles’ story. Gratitude toward Miles’ creators Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli. Gratitude toward my amazing collaborators, in particular Nick Lowe, Javier Garron, Carmen Carnero, Christopher Allen, David Curiel, Cory Petit, Marco D’Alfonso, Patrick O’Keefe and Taurin Clarke.
But most of all, I feel gratitude toward the incredible community of Miles fans and readers I’ve met — both virtually and in person — along the way. At local signings, at big conventions, at online Q&A’s, in random conversation — when you talk about Miles Morales, people’s faces light up. And I love them all — the old-school Marvel heads, the kids who only picked up the comic because of the SPIDER-VERSE movie, the cosplayers (shout out to Khalid Brooks!), the playlist-makers, the fan artists, the theorists (OK, the theorists are a little scary but I still love you). Working on a character as beloved as Miles, a hero that rallies all of these folks together, makes you keenly aware that the character’s story is bigger than you.
And part of that awareness is knowing when to let go. It’s about that time.
My relationship with Miles isn’t exactly parental — others created him and raised him in his early years. But because of the amount of time we’ve spent together (and, ahem, given my age) I feel almost like an uncle. I won’t spoil what’s next for him. But know that I am very protective of this young man. And that I can say with confidence that there is VERY exciting Miles news coming, the sort that makes me geeked for the direction Brooklyn’s own Spider-Man is heading.
Miles Morales is here to stay. You guys are gonna be thrilled to see where he goes next. And for my part, it’s been an honor and a privelge doing my little bit to help him get where he is today.
Saladin Ahmed
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Saladin Ahmed
Born October 4, 1975 (age 47)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation Writer
Language English
Alma mater Rutgers University (MA)
Brooklyn College (MFA)
University of Michigan (BA)
Henry Ford Community College
Genre Science fiction, fantasy, superheroes, poetry
Years active 2000–present
Saladin Ahmed (born October 4, 1975) is an Eisner Award winning American comic book writer and a science fiction/fantasy poetry and prose writer. His 2012 book Throne of the Crescent Moon was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel[1][2][3] and won the Locus Award for Best First Novel.[4]
Ahmed's fiction has been published in anthologies and magazines including Strange Horizons, Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show, Clockwork Phoenix 2 and Beneath Ceaseless Skies. He is currently the writer of Miles Morales: Spider-Man[5] and has previously written other series for Marvel Comics such as Black Bolt, Exiles and The Magnificent Ms. Marvel.[2][6][7] He is also the co-creator of the comic series Abbott and its sequel Abbott: 1973.[8]
Contents
1 Early life
2 Career
2.1 Poetry and prose
2.2 Comics
3 Awards and nominations
4 Works
4.1 Novels
4.2 Comics and graphic novels
4.2.1 Marvel Comics
4.2.2 Creator-owned
4.2.3 DC Comics
4.3 Collections
4.4 Short stories
4.5 Poetry
5 References
5.1 Notes
6 External links
Early life
Ahmed was born in 1975 in Detroit, Michigan to parents of Lebanese, Egyptian, Irish, and Polish descent.[9] His father, Ismael Ahmed, formerly in the merchant marine, worked both in a factory and as a community organizer.[2] His mother was a political activist. Ahmed is Muslim.[10][11]
After graduating from high school, Ahmed attended Henry Ford Community College before transferring to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.[9] After receiving a BA in American Studies, Ahmed earned an MFA at Brooklyn College and an MA in English from Rutgers University.[12]
Career
Poetry and prose
Ahmed's poetry has been published in various literary journals and books and has been awarded fellowships from the University of Michigan, Brooklyn College, and the Bronx Council on the Arts. Ahmed's science fiction and fantasy stories have been published in magazines and anthologies including Strange Horizons, Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show, Clockwork Phoenix 2, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies. In 2010, he was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer.[13]
Ahmed's story "Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela", originally published in Clockwork Phoenix 2, was a finalist for the 2010 Nebula Award for Best Short Story.[14]
In February 2012, Ahmed's debut novel, Throne of the Crescent Moon, was published by DAW Books. It was announced as the first of a trilogy.[15][16][17] The novels are fantasies inspired by One Thousand and One Nights.[18] In 2021, The Washington Post commented that "though Saladin Ahmed may be best known for his comic book work, 'Throne of the Crescent Moon,' a Middle Eastern-inspired fantasy novel, garnered him a Locus Award in 2013".[19]
In October 2017, Ahmed gained media attention for a Twitter post addressed to the cereal company Kellogg's: "why is literally the only brown corn pop on the whole cereal box the janitor? this is teaching kids racism." Kellogg's indicated they would change the artwork on future Corn Pops shipments.[2][3]
Comics
In 2016, Ahmed was approached by Marvel Comics editor Wil Moss to write a series focusing on the character Black Bolt due to Ahmed's background in fantasy and science fiction.[12][20] Ahmed, with artist Christian Ward, began writing an ongoing series titled Black Bolt in May 2017.[20][21] Ahmed and Ward won the 2018 Eisner Award for Best New Series for Black Bolt[22] while the trade paperback collection of the comic, Black Bolt, Volume 1: Hard Time, was a finalist for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story.[23] The series was cancelled in 2018 after twelve issues.[24]
In 2018, Ahmed relaunched two new ongoing series for Marvel Comics – Miles Morales: Spider-Man with artist Javier Garron[25] and Exiles with artist Javier Rodriguez.[26] Zack Quaintance, for The Beat, called Ahmed "a rising star at Marvel, having written the critically-acclaimed Black Bolt and currently writing Miles Morales: Spider-Man and Exiles".[27] Also in 2018, Ahmed wrote the creator-owned limited series Abbott with artist Sami Kivela; it was published by Boom! Studios.[28] A sequel, titled Abbott: 1973, was released in 2021.[8]
In 2019, Ahmed and artist Minkyu Jung became the creative team for the Ms. Marvel relaunch titled The Magnificent Ms. Marvel.[7] IGN highlighted The Magnificent Ms. Marvel on its list for "Best Comic Book Series of 2019".[29] The series was cancelled in February 2021 after eighteen issues.[30] Charlie Ridgely, for ComicBook.com, highlighted that The Magnificent Ms. Marvel was "an incredible challenge" for Ahmed since he had to follow the character's original creator G. Willow Wilson. Ridgely commented that "Ahmed has leaned hard into the issues that plague our current lives while still making the comic uplifting" and that "every revelation that Kamala comes to is thoroughly earned and formed based on the specific experiences we see her confront. It's a master class in evolving a character while keeping them grounded in their own identity".[31]
Ahmed was #10 on CBR's "10 Best Marvel Comics Writers of the Last Decade" list.[32] Ahmed was nominated for "Best Comic Book Writer of 2020" by IGN — the article states that Miles Morales and Kamala Khan are "characters closely intertwined with their respective creators. It says a great deal that Saladin Ahmed has managed to take the reins of both Miles and Kamala's solo books and truly make these characters his own. Plus, he delivered a rollicking good Conan tale in Battle for the Serpent Crown".[33]
In July 2020, Ahmed and Dave Acosta successively funded an original graphic novel, titled Dragon, through Kickstarter. SyFy Wire highlighted that the Kickstarter "blew past its initial $40,000 goal and surpassed $100,000 just 10 days into the campaign".[34] In August 2021, Ahmed was one of the announced creators included in Substack's "major investment in the comics market in the form of new agreements with some of the biggest names in the medium at the moment".[35] The New York Times highlighted that "the creators will be paid by Substack while keeping ownership of their work. The company will take most of the subscription revenue in the first year; after that, it will take a 10 percent cut".[36] Ahmed stated that Substack would be the home of Copper Bottle,[35] a "subscription-based pop-up imprint publishing original comics" written by him and featuring various illustrators.[37]
Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2009 Harper's Pen Award Best Sword and Sorcery/Heroic Fantasy Short Story "Where Virtue Lives" Finalist [38][39]
2010 Nebula Award Best Short Story "Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela" Finalist [14]
2010 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer Finalist [40]
2011 John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer Finalist[a] [40]
2012 Nebula Award Best Novel Throne of the Crescent Moon Finalist [41][3]
2013 Hugo Award Best Novel Throne of the Crescent Moon Finalist [1][2]
2013 Locus Award Best First Novel Throne of the Crescent Moon Won [4]
2018 Eisner Award Best New Series Black Bolt (2017) Won [22]
2018 Hugo Award Best Graphic Story Black Bolt, Volume 1: Hard Time Finalist [23][42]
2019 Hugo Award Best Graphic Story Abbott Finalist [43][44]
2020 Dragon Awards Best Graphic Novel Black Bolt Finalist [45]
2022 Ignyte Awards Best Comics Team Abbott: 1973 Nominated [46]
Works
Novels
Throne of the Crescent Moon (DAW Books, 2012, ISBN 978-0-7564-0778-0)
Comics and graphic novels
Marvel Comics
Black Bolt #1-12 (with Christian Ward, ongoing, 2017–2018)[6]
Black Bolt Vol. 1: Hard Time (collects #1-6, trade paperback, October 2017, ISBN 978-1-302-90732-7)[47]
Black Bolt Vol. 2: Home Free (collects #7-12, trade paperback, April 2018, ISBN 978-1-302-90733-4)[48]
Black Bolt (collects #1-12, hardcover, January 2020, ISBN 978-1-302-92140-8)[49]
Exiles #1-12 (with Javier Rodriguez, ongoing, 2018–2019)
Exiles Vol. 1: Test of Time (collects #1-6, trade paperback, September 2018, ISBN 978-1-302-91165-2)[50]
Exiles Vol. 2: The Trial Of The Exiles (collects #7-12, trade paperback, March 2019, ISBN 978-1-302-91166-9)[51]
Quicksilver: No Surrender #1-5 (with Eric Nguyen, limited series, 2018)[52]
Quicksilver: No Surrender (collects #1-5, trade paperback, November 2018, ISBN 978-1-302-91295-6)[53]
Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (with Garry Brown, one-shot, September 2018)[54]
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1-ongoing (with various artists, ongoing, 2018–present)
Miles Morales Vol. 1: Straight Out Of Brooklyn (with Javier Garrón, collects #1-6, trade paperback, July 2019, ISBN 978-1-302-91478-3)[55]
Miles Morales Vol. 2: Bring On The Bad Guys (with writer Tom Taylor and artists Alitha E. Martinez, Javier Garrón, Vanesa Del Rey, Ron Ackins, Cory Smith, collects #7-10 and Free Comic Book Day 2019 Spider-Man/Venom #1, trade paperback, July 2019, ISBN 978-1-302-91478-3)[56]
Miles Morales: Spider-Man Vol. 3: Family Business (with Ray-Anthony Height, Kevin Libranda, Belen Ortega, Javier Garrón, Ze Carlos, Alitha E. Martinez, Ig Guara, collects #11-15, trade paperback, July 2020, ISBN 978-1-302-92016-6)[57]
Miles Morales Vol. 4: Ultimatum (with Carmen Carnero, Cory Smith, Marcelo Ferreira, collects #16-21, trade paperback, February 2021, ISBN 978-1-302-92017-3)[58]
Miles Morales Vol. 5: The Clone Saga (with writer Cody Ziglar and artists Natacha Bustos, Carmen Carnero, collects #22-28, trade paperback, September 2021, ISBN 978-1-302-92601-4)[59]
Miles Morales Vol. 6: All Eyes On Me (with Christopher Allen, Carmen Carnero, collects #29-32, trade paperback, January 2022, ISBN 978-1-302-92602-1)[60]
Miles Morales Vol. 7: Beyond (with Christopher Allen, Michele Bandini, collects #33-36 and Miles Morales: Spider-Man Annual #1, trade paperback, June 2022, ISBN 9781302932657)[61] [upcoming]
The Magnificent Ms. Marvel #1-18 (with various artists, ongoing, 2019–2021)
Ms. Marvel by Saladin Ahmed Vol. 1: Destined (with Minkyu Jung, collects #1-6, trade paperback, October 2019, ISBN 978-1-302-91829-3)[62]
Ms. Marvel By Saladin Ahmed Vol. 2: Stormranger (with Minkyu Jung, Joey Vazquez, collects #7-12, trade paperback, April 2020, ISBN 978-1-302-91830-9)[63]
Ms. Marvel by Saladin Ahmed Vol. 3: Outlawed (with Joey Vazquez, Minkyu Jung, collects #13-18, trade paperback, May 2021, ISBN 978-1-302-92500-0)[64]
Absolute Carnage: Miles Morales #1-3 (with Federico Vicentini, limited series, 2019)
Absolute Carnage: Miles Morales (with writer Jed Mackay and artists Stefano Raffaele, Federico Vicentini, collects #1-3 and Absolute Carnage: Weapon Plus #1, trade paperback, September 2021, ISBN 978-1-302-92014-2)[65]
Conan: Battle For The Serpent Crown #1-5 (with Luke Ross, limited series, 2019)
Conan: Battle For The Serpent Crown (collects #1-5, trade paperback, November 2020, ISBN 978-1-302-92446-1)[66]
Wolverine: Black, White & Blood #2 (with writers Chris Claremont, Vita Ayala and artists Salvador Larroca, Greg Land, Kev Walker, limited series, 2020)[67]
Creator-owned
Abbott #1-5 (with Sami Kivela, limited series, 2018)[2]
Abbott (collects #1-5, trade paperback, October 2018, ISBN 978-1-68415-245-2)[68]
Abbott: 1973 #1-5 (with Sami Kivela, limited series, 2021)[69]
Abbott: 1973 (collects #1-5, trade paperback, October 2021, ISBN 978-1-68415-651-1)[70]
Dragon (with Dave Acosta, self-published graphic novel, 2022)
DC Comics
Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red #3 (with Javier Rodriguez, single issue in anthology series, 2020)[71]
Collections
Engraved on the Eye (Ridan Publishing, 2012)
Short stories
Star Wars: Canto Bight - "Rules of the Game" (Del Rey, December 2017)
"Without Faith, Without Law, Without Joy" - Rags & Bones, ed. By Melissa Marr, Tim Pratt (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, October 2013)
"Amethyst, Shadow, and Light" - Fearsome Journeys, ed. Jonathan Strahan (Solaris, May 2013)
"The Faithful Soldier, Prompted" - Apex Magazine 18, November 2010
podcast by StarShipSofa
"Mister Hadj's Sunset Ride" - Beneath Ceaseless Skies, May 2010
"General Akmed's Revenge?" - Expanded Horizons 16, March 2010
"Doctor Diablo Goes Through The Motions" - Strange Horizons, February 2010
podcast by DrabbleCast
"Judgment of Swords and Souls" - Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show
"Hooves and the Hovel of Abdel Jameela" - Clockwork Phoenix 2, ed. by Mike Allen (Norilana Books, July 2009)
podcast by PodCastle
"Where Virtue Lives - Beneath Ceaseless Skies, April 2009
Poetry
Ahmed's poetry has appeared in the following journals and anthologies:
Callaloo Volume 32, Issue 4 (2009)
Against Agamemnon: War Poetry (WaterWood Press 2009)
Inclined to Speak: An Anthology of Contemporary Arab American Poetry (University of Arkansas Press 2008)
Margie: The American Journal of Poetry Volume 6 (2007)
We Begin Here: Poems for Palestine and Lebanon (Interlink Books 2007)
The Brooklyn Review #19 (2002)
The Brooklyn Review #18 (2001)
Big City Lit (2001)
Mizna Volume 3, Issue 1 (2001)
Abandon Automobile: Detroit City Poetry (Wayne State University Press 2001)
Post Gibran: Anthology of New Arab American Writing' (Kitab/Syracuse University Press 2000)
Arab Detroit: From Margin to Mainstream (Wayne State University Press 2000)
Inhumans' Black Bolt Is Sent to Cosmic Prison
BY
DAVE RICHARDS
PUBLISHED MAR 29, 2017
Novelist Saladin Ahmed chats about his new Black Bolt series, where the Inhuman monarch is serving time in a cosmic prison a familiar Marvel villain.
black-bolt-header
Not only is Blackagar Boltagon part of the Inhumans’ Royal Family, he has a voice that can level mountains, so he’s used to being one of the most influential figures in the Marvel Universe. That all changes this May with the launch of “Black Bolt,” a new ongoing series by sci-fi and fantasy novelist Saladin Ahmed and artist Christian Ward which finds the titular character locked down in a mysterious cosmic prison.
PREVIEW: Inhumans Prime #1
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What turn of events led him there? Who is serving time alongside him? And how will he communicate with his captors and inmates? For the answers to these questions and more, CBR spoke with first time comic writer Ahmed about penning a series that’s both new reader friendly and offers some payout to longtime fans of the title character. And then there's perhaps the biggest question of all: how did the Absorbing Man come to have a large supporting role in the series?
CBR: You're picking up Black Bolt after what's been a pretty eventful couple of years for the character. So what's your sense of your protagonist? Which aspects of his personality are you especially interested in exploring?
Saladin Ahmed: Despite the fact that he's been around 50 years we've really almost always seen Black Bolt reflected in others. He's sort of this blank slate to a degree because he doesn't talk and because he has this kind of imperious distance as a king. So part of the challenge is getting in his head at all and starting to think about how with this being a solo title he's always been defined by his place in the Inhuman Royal Family.
black-bolt-01EXCLUSIVE: Art from "Black Bolt" #1 by Christian Ward
This book is a chance to think about his personality and ask what is Black Bolt like on his own? Just even beginning to ask that question has been both fun and a challenge.
As far as the past few years go, I've been walking a tight rope with this book. Marvel came to me as a science fiction/fantasy writer. This is my first comics project. I'm interested in bringing in some new readers; ones who don't necessarily know who Black Bolt is or know a ton about the amazing past few years of the Inhumans comics. I've really loved reading those issues, but the mythology is thick. There's a lot of material there with the history and the crossover events.
On the one hand, I wanted to take Black Bolt away from all of that and just strip him down to some essential questions about his character and this unique thing of his power being something that's always in check. It's kind of this curse and blessing, but mostly a curse. So there's these thematic threads that I'd be weaving through a novel and now I'm doing the same thing with a comic. We're dealing with this question of being silenced, not being able to talk, and silencing yourself.
There's all these kind of abstract things that this character brings out and I'm trying to make those accessible and interesting to both to long time readers and readers who are new to Marvel Comics. I want to take a look at this almost god like figure who's been humbled and examine what that means.
I also wanted to say that those who have had questions about or outrage over Black Bolt’s machinations from the past few years should find this to be a satisfying series. Lingering questions about his unleashing the Terrigen Cloud and [his relationship with] his son definitely do get answered. So I think there's going to be some satisfying examination of some of the decisions that Black Bolt has had to make, especially for people who have been reading Inhumans comics over the past few years. Ultimately though I want this to be a book that's open to new readers.
What's it like writing a character like Black Bolt, where you can't really have him communicate with dialogue? Will you use other techniques for the character, like an internal monologue?
EXCLUSIVE: Art from "Black Bolt" #1 by Christian Ward
I don't want to say too much about the exact technique because both myself as a writer and Christian Ward as an artist are going to employ some neat tricks to get in there. Giving readers a chance to discover those things on their own will be part of the fun of the book, but there will be a cerebral edge to the series. So we will occasionally get into Black Bolt's head via captions the same way that Stan Lee did some 50 years ago.
Part of what I'm trying to do, stylistically, is to do an updated version of that. The Inhumans are these epic sets of characters like the Asgardians. They're one of the places where Lee and Kirby came closest to almost doing illustrated books. There's this real kind of mythical sense to them. I haven't looked at things like word count, but if you looked at an issue of the “Fantastic Four” where the Inhumans appeared versus say an issue of “Spider-Man,” I'd guess that the word counts would be higher.
So there's this prose quality about the Inhumans as opposed to some of the other characters. I'm trying to take that into the 21st century with “Black Bolt.”
In “Black Bolt” you're taking your character to a location that I don't believe he's spent much time in: prison. And what's it like for a former monarch to suddenly find himself behind bars?
That's the thematic core of the first arc of the book. Black Bolt is kind of a mysterious guy, but he's also kind of arrogant. We'll see him humbled -- but it's not a story about humiliation so much as becoming less sure of the pecking order of things as he interacts with his fellow prisoners.
The comic book takes place in a space jail with aliens and super villains, but I think the story of what happens when we lock people up, having had family locked up myself, is an important set of questions. So this is very much a cosmic sci-fi comic, but the chance to occasionally examine some of those questions is why we started here.
Will readers immediately know why Black Bolt is behind bars?
You'll get an immediate answer, but there is a much deeper answer that will be revealed over the course of the arc.
What can you tell us about the prison that Black Bolt is incarcerated in? Is this an established Marvel facility? Or something you created for this story?
It's something new, and that's all I can say about it right now.
EXCLUSIVE: Art from "Black Bolt" #1 by Christian Ward
Fair Enough. Let's talk a little bit about some of the other inmates then. We know this is a cosmic story which suggests the jail would be populated with alien inmates. I was surprised and intrigued, then, to learn that Carl “Crusher” Creel, aka the Absorbing Man, would be one of the convicts incarcerated there.
Yes! He is going to be the only other Earthling in the prison, so he and Black Bolt immediately have a kind of weird connection. Crusher is very much the co-star of at least this first arc of the book. There's almost a buddy picture feel to it. It's been a lot of fun playing this king off of a lifelong con.
The Absorbing Man and Black Bolt are a very unlikely pairing. What made you want to bring Creel into the book?
The fun part of this book was that I originally had developed some of the pitch as a mini-series around Crusher. Just around the time I was getting ready to pitch it to Marvel, editor Wil Moss came to me and said that since I have a background in science fiction and fantasy he was thinking about me for “Black Bolt.” I said, “It's funny, because I have this back pocket pitch that I was going to send you.”
Then when we bounced these things off of each other they just immediately meshed. That's where this story came from. So Crusher predates Black Bolt as far as Marvel characters I've wanted to write about. He's a hero to me, even if he's a villain. [Laughs]
Who are some of the new supporting characters you're introducing in “Black Bolt?”
One inmate is a teenage kid named Blinky. She is an alien psychic and an ex-pickpocket. She ended up in this story because the aspect of the incarceration question where we lock up kids kept coming up in my mind. She then became this really important character.
Another cellmate is a woman named Raava. She's a Skrull, but not like the Skrulls we've seen. She's a kind of anarchist pirate.
There are some more supporting characters that will be revealed. Some are ones I’ve created and there are also a number of obscure Marvel characters in the book. I'll leave those cameos for readers to discover.
What else can you tell us about the action and tone of “Black Bolt?”
EXCLUSIVE: Art from "Black Bolt" #1 by Christian Ward
I like good fight scenes, and Christian is amazing at drawing fight scenes. That may not have been one of my strengths in scripting, but that's one of the wonders of collaboration. People can strengthen your weaknesses. So Christian's fights have an almost French style manga edge to them. Characters are flying off the page.
“Black Bolt” is not a slugfest book, but there are absolutely some big action scenes. There's a meditative tone to the book as well though. It is about incarceration in a social sense and in an existential almost Kafka sense. Some times the art will reflect that.
So Christian can do these amazing fights, but there will also be this dark, bleak tone from time to time that people won't be used to seeing from him. He mostly does really psychedelic, colorful, cosmic stuff and he's perfect for the book because of that. He's quite good though too when things get grungy.
Besides the action and social commentary I always try and put jokes in my books. Readers have to laugh sometimes. So we'll try and include a laugh at least once per issue. [Laughs] Plus, Crusher is a great source for that kind of stuff. He's really good at deflating Black Bolt's serious balloon with some Bronx-style snark.
I understand you want your books to stand on their own, but “Black Bolt” launches one month after Al Ewing's “The Royals,” where your title character heads into space on a mission with his family. Will there be some connective tissue between your two books for people who read both?
I believe that over the next year or so there will be some light connective tissue between all of the Inhumans books. It may look like there's a paradox happening in the first issue of “Royals” and “Black Bolt.” We will provide an explanation, though, of how he can be in both books.
Finally, your work on “Black Bolt” is bound to make some readers curious about your work as a novelist. What would you like curious readers to know about your prose work?
The best thing they can do is check out first my novel “Throne of the Crescent Moon,” which is an epic fantasy with a sort of Middle Eastern flair. People like George R.R. Martin have said nice things about it. [Laughs] So if they enjoy the epic scope and weirdness of the Inhumans. I think they'll enjoy the book.
Saladin Ahmed and Sami Kivela. Boom! Studios, $17.99 trade paper (128p) ISBN 978-1-68415-651-1
Ahmed follows up an Eisner Award-winning run on Marvel's Black Bolt series by bringing back his spooky-sexy urban horror-fantasy that merges newsreel details with Saturday morning fun and features a 1970s-era queer African American crusading reporter named Elena Abbott. Ahmed, a Detroit native, deconstructs his hometown's complicated political and social history as he frames battles between the demons of the city's past and hopeful warriors of the still-revolutionary period. A ghastly cabal broods over the city and wields deadly, body-snatching sorcery that can only be extinguished by the mystical glow emanating from Abbott, "the Lightbringer," whose powers include shooting rays of light and summoning helpful spirit guides. The hotly anticipated election of the city's first Black mayor (unnamed but assumed to be Coleman Young, who took office in 1974) gives way to intimidation from racists and organized crime. Meanwhile, lingering tensions simmer between Abbott and her lover and family, as well as the chauvinistic boss of her Black-owned newspaper. Kivela stacks close-up mini-panels of heated conversations and renders spirited action, detailed landscapes, and visceral monsters (though some of the hairdos and fashion appear to reference later eras). Pulp and politics mix in this relatively straightforward supernatural tale; though it doesn't elevate the genre, it satisfies its goals and does so with a refreshingly diverse cast. (Oct.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Abbott: 1973." Publishers Weekly, vol. 268, no. 43, 25 Oct. 2021, p. 74. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A681539239/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7abb0209. Accessed 12 Jan. 2023.
Abbott.
By Saladin Ahmed. Illus. by Sami Kivela.
Oct. 2018.128p. Boom! Studios, paper, $17.99 (97816841524521. 741.5.
There's no one better than Elena Abbott to cover hard-hitting stories for the Detroit Daily in 1972, and, while her editor tries hard to protect her, the paper's board isn't too keen on a brilliant, tenacious, and commanding black journalist writing about police brutality and systemic racism. So when a tip about a deeply weird series of mutilated animals and inexplicably brutal murders, neither of which the police are investigating, leads her to a well-connected classics professor, the board uses her confrontation with the scholar (and their unmitigated prejudice, of course) as a justification for firing her. But there's something bigger, stranger, and more hellish going on in Detroit, and Abbott is unwittingly right in the middle. Kivela beautifully renders the story in dynamic page layouts and compellingly fluid panel borders, filling the backgrounds with recognizable Detroit architecture, sharp and expressive characters, and grotesque body horror perfectly suited to the noir-tinged supernatural mystery. Jason Wordie's electric colors, particularly the garish purple and curly black shadows emanating from anything otherworldly, give stunning depth to the art. And amid Abbott's investigation into the paranormal occurrences, Ahmed weaves cutting commentary about racism, microaggressions, and gentrification, while snippets of Abbott's articles scattered throughout the pages provide evocative context for the political, cultural, and economic realities of Detroit in the '70s. Smart writing, gorgeous artwork, and a vibrant hero with captivating depth make this a series to watch. --Sarah Hunter
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Hunter, Sarah. "Abbott." Booklist, vol. 115, no. 4, 15 Oct. 2018, p. 34. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A559688127/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c2c9226c. Accessed 12 Jan. 2023.
BOOM! Studios' Abbott 1973 Vol. 1 Comic Review
BY
DUSTIN HOLLAND
PUBLISHED OCT 19, 2021
Saladin Ahmed and Sami Kivelä's Abbott: 1973 picks up where the volume leaves off, following Abbott on her one-woman war against the evil Umbra.
Elena Abbott on the cover of Abbott:1973
Writer
Saladin Ahmed
Artist
Sami Kivelä
Letterer
Jim Campbell
Cover Artist
Taj Tenfold
Publisher
BOOM! Studios
Price
17.99
Release Date
2021-10-12
Colorist
Mattia Iacono
While many readers associate author Saladin Ahmed with his work on Marvel's Miles Morales: Spiderman, he is also responsible for an impressive body of creator-owned work and recently launched the Substack imprint Copper Bottle. Artist Sami Kivelä (Undone By Blood) and Ahmed co-created Abbott, a Boom Studios! series following a reporter named Elena Abbott with magical abilities. In January, Abbott: 1973 #1 hit comic stands, and October saw the release of its first trade paperback. The series proves to be as entertaining as ever.
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Abbott: 1973 finds Elena struggling to recover from the traumatic events of 1972. While maintaining her relationship with girlfriend Amelia, Elena struggles to get along with the sexist new owner of the paper she works for and tries to cover a monumental election that could lead to Detroit's first black mayor. As she attempts to deal with all of these challenges, she finds evidence of evil magic known as the Umbra all over the city. It turns out that a wizard, known as the hunter, has been tasked with killing her. With the help of her former husband and her estranged brother, Abbott tries to protect her loved ones and Detroit.
RELATED:
House Of Slaughter Explores Something Is Killing The Children's Secret History
Elena and Henrietta talk about the election
Ahmed does an excellent job of weaving the social tensions of 1970s Detroit into this magical story. Elena combats racism and sexism around every corner, often from the same sources that attack her with evil magic. This antagonistic climate underscores just how isolated Elena and her compatriots are in their many battles and makes her victories all the more satisfying. Elena's stubborn devotion to the people in her life and to her reporting makes her easy to root for overall. But, similarly to the first Abbott series, all of Ahmed's characters are compelling and appear to have rich inner lives well worth exploring in Abbott: 1973.
Sami Kivelä captures the gritty beauty of Detroit perfectly. His knack for the landscape helps to make even the simplest scenes engaging. Sequences that focus on Abbott's investigative reporting are just as visually engaging as action-packed, magic-oriented scenes. Kivelä's depictions of magical possession are particularly striking. Kind, trustworthy characters transform into ghoulish aggressors in ways that are terrifying. The subtle ways he initiates each transformation keeps the audience guessing about which characters are secretly being controlled by the Hunter and contribute to the overall tense tone of Abbott: 1973.
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The Hunter attacks Abbott through Henrietta
Colorist Mattia Iacono uses a gorgeous collection of purple and pink hues to distinguish forces of evil magical origin from the rest of the city, which adds to the already visually fascinating landscape of the story.
Abbott: 1973 is an exciting story about the importance of truth and the destructive power of hatred. As a reporter and a magician, Elena Abbott has all the makings of an iconic hero, whose family and friends are some of the best sidekicks in recent memory. While many of the themes will seem fairly familiar to readers of Abbott, this new chapter in Elena's life has plenty of surprises in store for everyone and is thoroughly entertaining.
Book Review: Abbott 1973 by Saladin Ahmed
October 12, 20213 Mins Read
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5/5
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WELCOME
Dear Readers, Aliens and Creatures, this is – Abbott 1973 – and let me tell you, If this graphic novel had ended at Chapter 5, I would have been like, OH MY GAWDDD, I NEED THIS NEXT CHAPTER NOWWWWW!
BASICS
Official title: Abbott 1973
My title: Abbott of Light
Author: Saladin Ahmed, Sami Kivela, Mattia Lacono
Publisher: @boom_studios
Fav character: Abbott
Readability: Smooth
Type: Graphic Novel
5/5
INTRO
Abbott the investigative reporter, living in 1973, Detroit, USA, is out here killing nodes, fighting sexists and being awesome. LOVED IT!
REVIEW
Elena Abbott, reporter and awesome super-powered human, has had this whole life-changing experience involving a murdered husband and an evilness called ‘the umbra’, before we meet her in this volume. She has recovered from her loss and is now dating her gorgeous childhood friend, Amelia. However, things are changing in Detroit and their lives will be threatened.
The city is about to elect its first ‘black’ mayor, if the telephone polls are to be believed, and naturally, the down and trodden people are excited about the prospect. That is, until ‘caucasian’ residents begin receiving incendiary flyers filled with racist and vile propaganda against the darker residents. Naturally, this begins to change the tide of the election but Abbott senses there is more to the story and decides to investigate.
She is met by resistance by the new Editor in Chief of the Detroit Chronicle, and ex-marine sexist who believes female reports shouldn’t stress themselves beyond their frail capabilities and should always be eye candy for him to consume. Abbott doesn’t allow herself to be caught up in office drama, politics and secrets.
‘The umbra’ is back, spreading its evil energy through the hatred simmering in Detroit, and it must be stopped. Abbot must find those responsible for the racist flyers and t.v. commercials, find the umbra before it claims the lives of those she loves, save Amelia from the gangsters she once worked for, learn how to use her powers and defeat the evil intent on corrupting Detroit. You know, basic things. 😏
I recommend the read.
OBSERVATIONS
▪️DISCLAIMER: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review).
▪️Bi protagonist
▪️Big equality energy
▪️AHMAHZING art
▪️I can see, given the current climate, how some people would want to be offended by this novel however, I would advise them to consider the time period and location of the novel, consider the characters and their life experiences… then stop being a goat (animal) and appreciate it!
CONCLUSION
This was an unexpected amazing read that had me gobbling it up in one sitting. The art is flawless and the story is very engaging. Yes! I would read the others. Yes! I want physical copies. Yes! Elena is my sexy hero. 🖤
Buy Now!
Pages: 128
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Year: 2021
Review: Abbott by Saladin Ahmed
Posted byR. M. Sayan May 14, 2019 Leave a commenton Review: Abbott by Saladin Ahmed
abbott.jpg
Cover art by Taj Tenfold.
I’m back at it with the reviews! I know my reviews aren’t usually very timely, but honestly I just want to rant about books. Anyways!
This is the first work I’ve read by Saladin Ahmed and wowee it did NOT disappoint. I read it in one sitting, as I usually do with comics and graphic novels, so a reread addition to this review will be due soon. BUT FOR NOW. Here I go.
This review does NOT contain specific spoilers, but it DOES mention some tropes without saying names.
I was already hooked when I saw it was an urban fantasy led by an adult WOC but then… she’s LGBT+! She’s LGBT+!! And on the page!!! So that’s something I’m excited about.
I don’t think there’s a character I dislike except the ones that are meant to be disliked. I loved every facet of Elena; the trauma, the spirit of the fight, the well-guarded tenderness, all seamlessly weaved together into a powerful lead. The antagonist felt so terribly real to me, because I think we all know people like that. And some of the side-characters had so much worldbuilding packed in them it left me with the lingering need for more. But not the type of need that leaves you dissatisfied, more like— some things were purposefully up for interpretation. Not all loose ends need to be tied up all the time, just enough to leave a sense of intrigue/mystery. (But I do hope there’s a Volume 2, I can’t get enough of this.)
Sami Kivelä’s art style is wonderfully fitting with the story, reminding me just a little bit of the early modern age of comics (Watchmen, for example; even though that period came a little after the setting of Abbott). But combined with the coloring of Jason Wordie—the sliiightly gritter palette while still keeping bright colors where appropriate—it was clearly a style of its own. And what a beautiful one.
My favorite thing was probably Amelia herself. I just love— that kind of character. You know the one. The I’ve Got Contacts kinda character. Oof.
I don’t think I have a personal pet peeve for this one. Maybe one, but it’s not a pet peeve as much as a moment that made me feel things I did not want to feel. (I mean this not in the squicky way but in the whoops-I’m-crying-now kinda way.) The… the Break The Cutie moment. I cried. That is all.
Five out of five stars. Bravo.
Abbott
Image of Abbott
Author(s):
Saladin Ahmed
Release Date:
October 30, 2018
Publisher/Imprint:
BOOM! Studios
Pages:
112
Buy on Amazon
Reviewed by:
JJ Amaworo Wilson
“Abbott is enormously enjoyable. The occult plot is a touch hokey, but Elena makes the journey worthwhile. Her story is one long fight. Racism, the patriarchy, dumb bosses, supernatural forces. She handles it all, cigarette dangling, not a hair out of place.”
In the opening panels of this graphic novel, we're introduced to a heroine so heroic, sassy, and cool she makes J-Lo look like Mickey Mouse. She's a black, bisexual, chain-smoking, brandy-swigging reporter. She has the swagger of a supermodel and she represents pretty much everything good that came out of the sixties: civil rights, women's liberation, and John Coltrane's “A Love Supreme.”
It's Detroit, 1972. Our heroine, Elena Abbott, is called out to investigate a gruesome crime. A police horse has been dismembered. The assembled white male reporters want to blame it on the Black Panthers, but Elena knows it's not Panther style. Soon afterward, it turns out that it isn't just animals getting carved up. People are being bisected, with half their body stolen by the murderer. A grisly experiment is going on, and it's connected to the occult forces that killed Elena's husband years before.
Sure enough, Elena's investigations turn personal. Will she, too, get chopped up? Are her visions of monsters real? Will she drop dead of lung cancer before the next page? And will we ever see a crease in those hot pants she's been wearing since the start?
The story is a combination of noir and horror. It includes the tropes of both: a hard-drinking rebel with a messy personal life battling her bosses as much as the bad guys (and falling asleep to Coltrane in the evenings). As for the horror, let's put it like this: If you're a woman and you break into a locked mansion alone, at night, looking for an evil genius, you really haven't watched enough slasher flicks.
The dialogue is snappy but flawed. Besides all the clichés of the genre, there's a moment when the bad guy starts pointlessly justifying himself, like those Bond villains who can't resist pontificating. While railing against the modern world, he says: "This is a fallen age. Watching television. Eating television dinners. We have lost touch with the primal forces that move the world." It's a rare moment of unintentional comedy.
But the story moves fast and Sami Kivelä's illustrations are as gorgeous and stylish as ever. Period detail abounds: wing collars, lamb-chop sideburns, cigarette smoke everywhere, and Elena—rather charmingly—needing to borrow a cafeteria's dial-up phone.
The illustrations and lettering are formally inventive, too. Scraps of Elena's reporting appear in newsprint in the panels, giving us backstory. And at the beginning of each chapter, full-page maps of Detroit mark the areas of action and prove crucial to solving the mystery. The story also cleverly uses the tools of Elena's trade—a camera and a cigarette lighter—as a plot device.
Abbott is enormously enjoyable. The occult plot is a touch hokey, but Elena makes the journey worthwhile. Her story is one long fight. Racism, the patriarchy, dumb bosses, supernatural forces. She handles it all, cigarette dangling, not a hair out of place.
JJ Amaworo Wilson's novel Damnificados (PM Press, 2016) won the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for Debut Fiction, the Independent Publishers Book Award, and the New Mexico-Arizona Book Award. His short fiction and poetry have been published by Penguin, Johns Hopkins University Press, Frogmore Press, and many literary publications in the U.S. and England. He is also a prizewinning author of more than 20 books on language and language learning.
SATURDAY, 14 DECEMBER 2019
Black Bolt, Volume 1: Hard Time Review (Saladin Ahmed, Christian Ward)
When he’s not heroically saving the children from racist cereal boxes, Saladin Ahmed’s writing craptastic comics like Black Bolt.
I haven’t been reading any Inhumans titles as I couldn’t care less about them so I don’t know if this is part of a larger storyline but Blackagar Boltagon (to use his full stupid name) has been tricked by his brother Maximus into space jail. Sounds like something that’d happen to Black Dolt, and guess wud? He gonna bust out of the pokey. Oh, hello edge of the seat, we meet again! Oh wait, I meant complete and utter boredom - I see you way too many times whenever I pick up a superhero comic these days!
Phewf. The subtitle’s right about one thing - I had a hard time reading this drek! Black Dolt’s a pantstacular character, the story is even more dull, and at no point is any part of this nonsense entertaining in the slightest. The plotting is contrived as hell - Black Dolt’s depowered when he has to be then suddenly gets his powers back when he needs them, then they’re gone again for no reason!
The villain is similarly a convenience rather than a character. It’s some thing that feeds off their whatever - it doesn’t matter, it’s just there for the Dolt and his posse to pretend to struggle against until the requisite page count is used up and they - SHOCK! - defeat it. I lost count of how many times I’d yawned at this point - it was basically one continuous yawn after page one.
Ahmed completely fails to make Black Dolt seem like a compelling protagonist. He’s stoic, capable - until the plot needs him to be otherwise - and bland as hell. I felt like we got to know Crusher Creel better than Black Dolt, that’s how underwritten our “hero” was. I know, I didn’t want to read about Crusher Creel either but that’s what you’re gonna get with this pile of horseshit!
Black Dolt, Volume 1: Hard Time was badly written and a tedious, brainless blaaaaah to read, ie. the Inhumans standard. Instead of this nonsense, I’d recommend checking out the first five volumes of G. Willow Wilson’s Ms Marvel run, which are the best Inhuman comics out there, and Warren Ellis’ Karnak mini-series was half-decent too.
S’long, Black Dolt - see you never!
29 April 2019
Review: Black Bolt: Home Free by Saladin Ahmed, Christian Ward, et al.
Comic trade paperback, n.pag.
Published 2018 (contents: 2018)
Borrowed from the library
Read November 2018
Black Bolt: Home Free
Writer: Saladin Ahmed
Artists: Christian Ward & Frazer Irving with Stephanie Hans
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
This is the sequel to Black Bolt: Hard Time, which I expected to hate but ended up ranking first when I voted in the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Graphic Story. Home Free is worth reading, but not as good; with Black Bolt back on Earth and interacting with other Inhumans, and "Crusher" Creel dead, a lot of what made the first volume so good doesn't apply. I still don't care about the Inhumans. Still, the stuff with Black Bolt trying to help out Creel's widow is solid, especially the way the funeral ends up going down, and the art is very nice; Christian Ward will hopefully go on to do great things. The story is a little slow (the six issues probably could have been handled in four), but Ahmed is a perceptive writer, and even though I don't care about Black Bolt's childhood, the parts where he interacts with his wife were actually kind of nice. So, not great, but better than any comic book about an Inhuman has a right to be.
Posted by Steve at 8:30 AM