New comics focus on black achievements

Forget Batman and Robin.\nThe men of Omega Psi Phi are using black heroes in weekly comic strips to inform people about black achievements. Danny Perkins, the creator of the comic's story line each week, said the comics are called Que Comics, dubbed after the nickname for Omega Psi Phi members. Perkins said each week he researches the people behind black achievements who are not typically talked about, such as the founder of Black History Month, Dr. Carter G. Woodson.\n"The campus needs something different," Perkins said. "As far as I know, there have never been comics (on campus) promoting black achievement."\nPerkins said he draws rough sketches of what he wants the comic to look like, then scans the images and sends them to fraternity brother James Townsend, who draws the final characters.\nTownsend, an art education major, said once he has the sketches, it only takes 25 to 30 minutes to draw the comic. He gathers inspiration from his own search of books, the Internet and traditional comic books.\nThe Que Comics appear in the form of a traditional comic book, Townsend said, instead of a Sunday cartoon format.\n"We wanted to tell these stories ... and give people a quick way to read about black history," Townsend said. "Hopefully it will inspire people to read and research."\n"I think it gives a different spin than what most people are doing," Perkins said. "It's not as funny, but informative."\nThe IU chapter of Omega Psi Phi, Zeta Epsilson, is advised by Ghangis D. Carter, director of recruitment and retention for the School of Education. Carter helps the fraternity distribute the comics to the Bloomington community, collegiate and fraternal publications and other Omega Psi Phi fraternities.\nThe comic reaches five states, including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.\n"I accept very honorably my role to assist with undergraduate chapter's programmatic initiatives," Carter said. "Especially those which promote the celebration, understanding and appreciation of black history."\nCarter agrees with Perkins in that the comic storylines aren't designed as a source of comic relief, but the characters can be humorously entertaining.\n"The humor can assumingly be found in the caricature drawings, although without dismissing the importance of the profiled black historic icons," Carter said.\nDanny Hoskins, the acting president of Omega Psi Phi, said the comic provides a good opportunity to get the name of the fraternity out to the public, since it has been off campus for 11 years.\n"We've done excellent things so far, and this gives the campus a side of Omega you've never seen," Hoskins said.\nAs February expires, creator Perkins said the men will still draw comics, focusing on different topics that relate to the month, like National Women's History Month in March.\nAt the end of the semester, Perkins said the chapter will have produced about 12 comics. He said he has thought about putting the comics into a book and selling them at graduation as a fundraiser for the fraternity.\nBut for now, he's focusing on the cartoon for next week.\nTo view the first two comics, visit http://mypage.iu.edu/~dejperki/ZE/homepage.html.