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Keef Cross (@keefcross) writer and illustrator of Day Black joins us on the Black Superheroes Matter Podcast. Keef Cross is a tattoo artist and graphic novelist from Atlanta Georgia that is currently working on the third Volume of his series Day Black. Keef Cross uses first hand knowledge to give a unique insight on being a creator in today’s world. “The only thing that separates you is consistency, the quality of work and if you got that? Everything else seems easy.”
Time Stamp from the Podcast:
13:00-13:15 “Who’s to say what’s good or not? But the fact that everybody has the tools to do everything is a good and a bad thing. It kind of dilutes the effectiveness of the people that are really born to do this rather than people that can do it.”
29:30-29:50 “The best way I can say as far as navigating is having content like being consistent. There’s so many people out there doing the same thing that you’re doing. I feel like the only thing that separates you is consistency, the quality of work and if you got that? Everything else seems easy.”
32:57-33:04 “Life experiences always filter into your work.”
Q&A with Keef Cross
What do you do?
Tattoo artist, graphic novelist
How has COVID-19 affected you?
Aside from waking up every day with a looming sense of dread, it’s allowed me the time to be pretty productive with my art.
Has it been difficult trying to find success as a Black creator in the industry?
Yeah, but with such a competitive line of work, it was to be expected.
How would you describe your creative style? What/who was your biggest inspiration?
Growing up being influenced by Ralph Bakshi, Vaugn Bode’, Wendy Pini, and Robert Crumb to name a few, really shaped my visual aesthetic, and tone of my paintings, but even more so, my approach to creating my comic book, “DayBlack”. I found that those underground comics of the 70’s always had one foot in sexual raunchiness and drugs, and another foot in social commentary, a combination that fascinated me as a kid. Who knew that in those adult comics I hid from my mother, I would find my individual voice and style.
What was your favorite superhero growing up?
Nightcrawler.
What projects are you currently working on?
Volume 3 of my comic DayBlack, and a set of Dayblack art prints.
Why do Black Superheroes Matter?
Black everything matters because it’s about representation.
Hey, this is Steve. I played football at Oregon State University and University of Hawaii. Now I doodle cartoons and blow stuff up on camera. I also make web comics too. Hopefully I can make this whole thing a full time gig so I can make the big bucks to pay for Medical School! (Fingers Crossed) If you would like more thought-provoking content or a quick laugh consider supporting me on Patreon, checking out my webseries Eyelnd Feevr, or checking out links to my other projects below:
Eyelnd Feevr Webseries | PDX Black Rose Podcast | Stuck E Podcast | Black Superheroes Matter | Artist Portfolio | DIY Arts Tutorials & Blog |