Black Comic Book Festival (BCBF) attendees might have seen or taken a picture with Michael Flood dressed as Superman, Green Lantern, a Power Ranger, and a host of other legendary characters.
 
In real-life, Flood is a classically trained actor who has been flexing his comedy chops at the prestigious Groundlings Improv Theatre. He also became a first-time dad in late 2021.

As the Schomburg Center prepares for its historic 10th annual festival running from January 13–15, 2022, learn more about one of the festival’s most popular cosplayers. Flood reveals the idea that helped spark a long-standing BCBF tradition, discusses the provocative panel discussion he produced, and shares tips for successful cosplaying. (His comments have been lightly edited.)

What inspired you to get started with cosplay?

Going to my very first comic book convention at NY Comic Con inspired me to get into cosplay. It was exciting and a breath of fresh air to see so many adults dressed up as their favorite characters from comics, cartoons, movies, and video games. Witnessing this whole experience felt like Halloween all-year round.
 
I have cosplayed Superman, Static, Green Lantern, Power Rangers, Black Panther, and other heroes in more than 30 conventions. Before I moved to Los Angeles, I would make it a tradition to attend BCBF.

How did you first learn about the BCBF?

I found out about the festival from a fellow cosplayer, Bill Johnson. The very first festival didn’t initially have a cosplay presence. It started as an artist alley for Black indie comic book artists and writers to sell their work. Along with the alley, the festival also hosted a series of panels that celebrated and reinforced the importance of Black representation in comic books.  
 
Bill and I decided to crash one of those panels in our cosplays. He was Black Panther and I was Superman. The response to what we did could’ve gone either one of two ways. We could’ve been told by the organizers that our cosplays were inappropriate for the atmosphere of the festival and asked to change back into our regular clothes or leave, or the attendees would be psyched when they saw some of their favorite heroes come to life. Thankfully, the latter happened. The people loved it. What started as a "cosplay bomb" became a yearly tradition.

It was something that Bill and I did at the spur-of-the-moment. And, it happened to inspire future attendees to cosplay at the annual event.

Tell me about a moment at the BCBF that stands out to you and why.

Black Villains Matter was a panel I proposed to the festival. I found the concept provocative and unconventional, but most of all a part of a larger conversation worth having regarding Black representation in comic books. I organized the panel with Ron Simmons (creator of You Don’t Read Comics), Janicia Francis (cohost of Tea With Queen and J podcast), Kennedy Allen (cohost of Black Tribbles podcast) and Royce Johnson (Sgt. Brett Mahoney-Netflix’s Daredevil).
 
We all had different takes on the impact that Black villains had on comic book readers and comic book movie viewers. But, we all agreed that there was one villain in particular who had a unique impact on the culture as a whole that was enthralling.
 
Killmonger was in the forefront of the comic book movie zeitgeist because the panel was organized around the time the Black Panther movie came out. For a character like Killmonger who was, for all intents and purposes, evil, he held beliefs that many Black viewers identified with. Killmonger considered himself a revolutionary who wanted to liberate his people from the bondage and oppression of white supremacy—and he was going to do so by any means necessary. The extreme measures that Killmonger took to overthrow systems that disenfranchised his people were methods that jolted viewers. To many people who were inspired by Killmonger, he was more of an anti-hero to them. The most popular villains in pop culture are the ones where it’s hard to determine whether they are inherently bad or good if their intentions are empathetic.
 
The turnout at the event was huge. The audience was filled with Black and Brown faces of the Harlem community and they all were excited and engaged with the content of our event.

What are some tips you could share for those who would like to attend a comic book festival in costume?

Wear something comfortable because you will likely be in costume all day. Have easy access to zippers so you can easily take a bathroom break when you have to. Don’t be afraid to wear something bold and unconventional, obscure, or maybe not so popular. Because when you do and the moment comes when people love it and want to take pictures with you, it’s one of the best feelings in the world to have.

Do cosplayers of color need events such as the Black Comic Book Festival? Have you observed any changes in the graphic novel and comic book industries because of BCBF?

BCBF is absolutely needed. It’s a staple of Harlem culture.

It’s a place where Black comic book lovers and Black people can unite and celebrate their fandom.

It’s a place where indie comic artists can boost their profile and attract new readers to their work. BCBF is held at the perfect place, The Schomburg Center, where you can also research the Black history of metro New York and the nation as a whole.

I would attend BCBF every year and make it a tradition if I could. I’m definitely going to take my son when he gets old enough.

Return to the main page of the blog series: The Black Comic Book Festival Is Turning 10!

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