Since hitting the scene in 2009, Black Dynamite has become a cult comedy hit; a pitch perfect homage to Blaxploitation films starring Michael Jai White as the baddest badass who ever kicked ass, Black Dynamite. The film is treasured by fans of Blaxploitation and comedy alike, who have all wondered just one thing: are we ever going to get any more Black Dynamite?
As a small indie film that has seen way more success in the video market than it ever could have in theaters, fans hopes didn’t raise too high. Then word came down that an [adult swim] cartoon series was in the works, along with a comic book.
That comic, a 48-page one shot titled “Black Dynamite: Slave Island” hits stores this month. We caught up with the comic’s writer, Brian Ash, who is also one of the Executive Producers on the upcoming cartoon series. Brian hails from the Bronx, and has a career that has spanned music videos, films, and finally animation where he’s written and produced shows like The Boondocks and Freaknik.
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What was your first exposure to Black Dynamite?
Cedric Yarbrough who played Chocolate Giddy Up (“But, I sell drugs in the community!”) in the film, “Black Dynamite” and plays the voice of Tom on “The Boondocks” brought a rough cut by the office back in ‘08. Then, when the finished film leaked online, like a lot of people I know, I downloaded the bootleg and became kind of obsessed. Other comedians and filmmakers had done parodies and homages to Blaxploitation before – but Black Dynamite was in a class by itself.
(And, yes I did pay to see it theatrically afterwards, though the producers sent me a BluRay when we started working on the cartoon, so please stop judging me.)
As you’ve worked on the comic and the series, what has revealed itself as the essential element of a Black Dynamite story?
This world is an audaciously diabolical place where the powerful prey upon and plot against the weak. Then, the powerful get a foot in their ass.
For fans of Black Dynamite, where does this story take place in relation to the movie and the upcoming Adult Swim series?
The same way we’ve seen twenty different versions of “Batman” from Bob Kane’s original, to the campy 60’s version to the Chris Nolan films, in my mind, Black Dynamite is an iconic character open to endless interpretations in a variety of mediums.
The comic book, like the movie, goes for broke in creating a mock early 1970s artifact to the Nth detail. We looked at a number of artists, all of who were very talented, but none of who could draw in the authentic comic style of the period. To that end, we collaborated with Jun LoFamia, a veteran artist who brought a gritty, authentic, dark and appropriately epic feel to the book. The story, as you may guess from the title, “Slave Island” is very over the top and extreme. But the dialog and the visuals play it totally straight, which I think really works really for this story.
For the cartoon, we’ve taken a more sleek and forward visual approach. Though set in the 70’s, the art is heavily stylized and contemporary. Four of the main characters from the movie: Black Dynamite, Bullhorn, Honey Bee and Cream Corn form a kind of dysfunctionally funky family. The comedy in the cartoon is a bit broader than the movie or comic taking advantage of the fact that we’re working in animation.
You’ve worked a lot in animation for some time now, is this the first comic book you’ve had published?
This is my first comic book and I’m really excited! It’s a medium I’ve always enjoyed, but until now no one ever asked me to write one. I had a blast and hope I get to do more.
How does a white kid from the Bronx wind up the co-executive producer on a cartoon that serves as a satirical homage to Blaxploitation films?
Practice. (laughs) Really though, this project is a dream come true and a long time coming for me. Blaxploitation and Grindhouse have been two of my favorite genres, obsessions really, and until a few years ago they were considered very, very obscure. Back in ’98, my former writing partner and I were working with the late, Rudy Ray Moore to try and put a sequel to “Dolemite” together. Even with Snoop Dogg, Ice T and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard attached, we couldn’t get it off the ground.
But luckily in 2011 we have places like Adult Swim that have made offbeat content more popular than what is supposedly mainstream. Less luckily, like in the 70’s, today’s world seems to be going to hell in a hand basket, making it ripe for satire. You’ve got to laugh, because crying makes people sad.
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“Black Dynamite: Slave Island” hits comic book stores this month. For those of you in the LA area, Meltdown Comics and Nerdist Industries are holding a special event April 4th celebrating the release of the comic and featuring appearances by Brian Ash along with actors Michael Jai White, Byron Minns (“Bullhorn”) and the film’s director Scott Sanders.
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