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STATE OF THE ART: AN INTERVIEW W/ DAWUD ANYABWILE CO-CREATOR OF “BROTHERMAN: DICTATOR OF DISCIPLINE”

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By Scott Tre

Throughout the 1960’s, the civil rights and black power movements reshaped the American consciousness. Marvel Comics took note of the social changes afoot, and in response they created characters such as The Black Panther, Luke Cage, Blade, and Falcon. Those characters took their cues from Blaxploitation in addition to other social phenomena of the day. Black Panther and Luke Cage especially resonated with black readers of all ages. Still, something vital was missing. As timely as those characters were, they were still informed by a largely white perspective. They didn’t truly speak for the Black community.

In 1990, an independent comic by the name of ‘Brother Man: Dictator of Discipline’ burst onto the scene. Creators Dawud Anyabwile and Guy A. Sims had created a fantasy world that teemed with life and energy. At its center stood a socially conscious hero who had no special powers save for his intellect and a strong sense of community. ‘Brother Man’ managed to do brisk business with no corporate backing. 20 years later, ‘Brother Man’ is still going strong as Dawud and Guy prepare to bring him into the modern age. I recently spoke with Dawud about some of the ideas that drive ‘Brother Man,’ as well what his future plans are for the character. He is one artist who definitely has a socially conscious agenda, and uses his creation too further it by any means necessary. God bless him. Continue reading