Though I’d heard of them, I’d never read any of the original BlackJack comics until just recently but I am familiar with his creator Alex Simmons. He created the ill-fated DC Comics character Orpheus but that particular story is for another time. Blackjack first appeared in comics in 1996 under the banner of DAP (Dark Angel Publishing) Comics. The character was well received and has considerable potential. Who is BlackJack? Blackjack is Arron Day, a black soldier of fortune living in a tumultuous time – an era of hot jazz, ancient terrors, deadly quests, and looming world war. Highly paid to beat the odds, he travels the globe battling powerful enemies, the ghost of his past, and the bigotry of his times. Armed with his father’s vintage twin Walker Colts, Arron performs a variety of risky undertakings all while carrying the obvious burden of being a successful Black man in his times.
Alex Simmons created a Kickstarter back in 2011 to bring the character back into print. He can explain BlackJack better than I can. Check out the video below.
BlackJack has appeared in multiple tales since his creation and you can find his adventures wherever you purchase your comics including Amazon and Comixology. He’s even teamed up with Tarzan in a color comic strip. The character has also appeared outside of comics in prose, and even as a serial. You can find a BlackJack audio adventure tale entitled BlackJack: Retribution which was recorded in front of a live audience. I hope to see more of this positive character. Take a listen to a reading below.
