The blockbuster success of the “Black Panther” movie has turned a spotlight on African culture and the legacy of the continent. Many are searching for unique and exciting explorations of that history.
So, it’s great that a couple of entrepreneurs have created an exciting and intriguing comic book series focusing on ancient Egypt.
Manuel Godoy, Comic Book Creator and Co-Publisher of Black Sands Entertainment, agreed to give us an exclusive interview about his company.
Maurice Mitchell: For those aren’t familiar, please explain who you are and what inspired you to make a comic book company.
Manuel Godoy: My name is Manuel Godoy and I decided to make a comic book for the Black Sands Universe because it was economically the most viable option.
I had originally wanted to make video games but the daunting cost proved problematic. When I realized the comics were extremely viable, I decided to focus on our desired demographics of black parents and anime fans.
MM: What motivated you to self-publish your comics and books instead of going to a traditional publishing house?
MG: I started doing everything in house. Tailoring my messaging to people of color helped me corner a market online and we have had an amazing entry into the indie comic book industry.
MM: What do you hope that people take away from Black Sands Entertainment?
MG: I want readers to see positive stories about our ancestry. It is depressing that black Americans are only taught about a history of servitude and misery.
There were many empires in our ancient past and Kemet is but one of them. The next generation needs heroes that not just look like them, but carry a unique culture.
MM: What’s coming up next from Black Sands Entertainment
Issue #3 of Black Sands releases in May and we begin a Kickstarter for a DVD on the Black Sands Universe on May 1st. Here is the link: https://kck.st/2Kjwwto
Thanks for the interview Manuel!
Check out their Kickstarter page here to help fund a feature length animated film.
About Geizsel Godoy, Co-Publisher and Author of “Mori’s Family Adventures”
After attending the Art Institute of San Diego, Geizsel Godoy who is also a military vet pursued
a career as a technical designer with such brands as Calvin Klein. Godoy used this experience to
understand brand management and how to create visual stories with the applied arts. After
having children with her husband, Manuel Godoy she opted to put her career on hold to be a
stay-at- home mother. She was quickly inspired by her children and their love for traveling and
wanted to connect with other families while encouraging international travel especially with
children of color. Her inspiration turned into a well-received children’s book titled, “Mori’s
Family Adventures”, which recounts traveling adventures seen through her children eyes. Her
main character, Mori who is the narrator of her book and her son, helped her construct how to
turn his point of view into a story other children and families can enjoy. Her goal is to encourage
parents and other children to embrace diverse cultures while highlighting the importance of
quality family time. She is currently working on making her book into an animated series.
About Manuel Godoy, Co-Publisher and Creator of Black Sands and the Sons of Nibiru
Creator of Black Sands Entertainment, Manuel Godoy is the creator and writer of Kids 2 Kings
and Sons of Nibiru. His creative collections focus on comics, animations, and children books that
mix African American history with mythology. After being frustrated with the lack of diverse
representation with comic book characters, animations, and talent, Godoy decided to launch his
brand independently after not garnering interest from mainstream publishers. He has had a
successful Kickstarter and Patreon with a growing fan base of supporters and fans. His most
popular series is the Sons of Nibiru collection which follows the story of young black explorers
looking to find solve the mysteries behind the legends and gods that they’ve learned about from
their elders. The Godoy family have been increasing their fanbase online with a series of viral
videos and appearances at comic conventions. The “4th best indie comics of 2017”, according to
Bleeding Cool has helped the Godoy family secure their brand with families and fans who seek
diverse and quality comics and content. Godoy’s main goal is to counter whitewashed
adaptations of African mythologies with a more realistic imagery that could be understood and
appreciated especially with children of color. Currently, he is looking to expand his brand to
create more animation content and video game apps.
About Black Sands Entertainment
Black Sands Entertainment is a black-owned production and publishing company that focuses on
Pan-Africanism and Kemetic lore for children of all ages.The brand was launched in 2014 to fill
a void in the comic book community that lacks diversity in its production, characters, and
storytelling. The owners, writer and military vets Manuel Godoy along with his wife Geizsel
Godoy have created children books, novels and animations that focus on African mythology as
black heroes and Black Sands Entertainment aim to promote quality art, diverse storytelling
while highlighting traditional family values for people of color. The current projects under Black
Sands Entertainment are Mori’s Family Adventure, Sons of Nibiru, and Kids 2 Kings part 1 and
2.
In 2015, Manuel launched a Kickstarter for Black Sands Entertainment but failed. He took a year
to develop his comics and animations where he enlisted more diverse writers and artists that
would eventually produce comics and children’s books that could compete visually with
mainstream brands. “We don’t get many opportunities to publish content this visual where we
get to see African lore that’s not whitewashed”, Manuel Godoy stated. Black Sands
Entertainment was rated 4th Best Indie Comic by Bleeding Cool and has consistently sold out
via their website and Kickstarter campaigns. “I would put my comics next to mainstream comic
brands and people can see how Black Sands Entertainment stands out with the intricate details
we put into our products.” When Godoy launched his second Kickstarter he wanted to raise $4k
and was able to successfully able to raise $20k to launch more products for consumers. Black
Sands Entertainment has maintained their fanbase online with a large percentage of their
supporters being black parents with a strong interest in Pan-Africanism.
The products that Black Sands Entertainment provide all revolved around black children. Mori’s
Family Adventures was inspired by Manuel and Gizelle’s son Mori. “ I’ve been traveling with
my son since he was five months old. I want to encourage families especially black families to
experience different cultures and to travel internationally’, Gizelle Godoy confirms. She wrote
Mori’s Family Adventures with her son as the narrator. The book is told through her son’s eyes
as a way to express the sense of adventure and culture children get from traveling to exotic
locations.
“The Sons of Nibiru” series is about the war between the Ancient Gods and the realms of men. Rah
who is the main character searched to find his purpose in life while struggling against the Sons of
Nibiru. “The Sons of Nibiru” is the young adult novels that more mature children can enjoy.
“Kids to Kings” is a series that follows the tales and adventures of four characters in ancient Egypt.
The characters both male and female deal with a variety of challenges that leads up to an epic
battle. “Kids to Kings” is the most sought-after and popular product out of all the Black Sands
Entertainment catalog. Black Sands Entertainment has also been accepted into the Just4Shorts film festival in Hollywood. They are looking to bring their comics to the animation screens
What do you think of Black Sands Entertainment?
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