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African Americans produced many comic strips, comic books, and graphic novels during the twentieth century but their works were rarely recognized in reviews of mainstream and independently published comics until recently. These efforts to acknowledge Black comics creatives and their contributions to the industry must continue. This article participates in the ongoing effort to capture and share the experiences of African American creatives in the independent comic book publishing industry by placing a spotlight on the author and co-creator of the Brotherman: Dictator of Discipline (1990–1996) comic book series, Guy A. Sims. The Brotherman brand is part of a long legacy of inspirational media from independent Black producers. Guy’s early experiences provided him with tangible examples of successful Black-owned media companies that were creating content for Black audiences. His most important influence was his father, Dr. Edward Sims, Jr. Edward introduced young Guy to the works of Richard Wright for inspiration. He also engaged his son in questions that further inspired his creativity. Brotherman now serves as a source of inspiration to multiple generations of new comic book artists and writers.

This article focuses on the use of religious semiology in the 2008 Black graphic novel The Hole: Consumer Culture Vol. 1 by Damian Duffy and John Jennings. Both creators use hidden signs taken from Haitian Vodou and other Afro-American literature tropes in order to give their story multiple meanings. To accomplish this, they utilize the Afro-American rhetorical figure Signifyin’ (or Signifyin(g)). This meta-speech plays with signs and their attached meaning in a way that could be summarized as ‘saying (or showing) one thing, but meaning something completely different.’ With this technique, the authors are able to mislead and exclude readers from the intentional meaning of the graphic novel by emphasizing ambivalent signs. By using cultural signs taken from Vodou, they are able to imply a spiritual reading experience in which the graphic novel becomes a ritual object and vehicle of the Vodou god Legba, lord of the crossroads and of interpretation. Modeled on Legba’s qualities, the story becomes an interactive system of reading paths that changes its reception depending on the reader’s interpretation of those ambiguous signs. This essay hence discusses the authors’ narrative strategy and how it changes the narrative. It thereby builds on the theory of Afro-American Signification presented in the book The Signifying Monkey by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and expands it.