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<p>Move over Marvel Comics.</p>
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<p>Local comic book creators Racquel Reid-Grandison and husband
Henry Grandison are looking to make their mark on the genre. </p>
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<p>The pair unveiled the comic book, <strong>MaroonBlack </strong>during the recent AnimeCom Fest in St Andrew. The book was
also launched as a webcomic at <a href="https://maroonblack.net/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://maroonblack.net</a>.</p>
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<p>Reid-Grandison is one of the rare females in the profession worldwide.</p>
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<p>“I hope that this project will be received well by readers
and inspire more Jamaicans to create comics using our culture. I also hope that
this would lead to the development of the comic book industry here in the Caribbean,” said Reid-Grandison, who is also an educator.</p>
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<p>She said: “I have always had an interest in comics from an
early age. In 2007, my husband, who was just a friend at the time, was creating
his comic and I went on as his writer. <strong>MaroonBlack</strong>
is the first one I wrote.”</p>
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<p>The book taps into local lore for a Jamaican take on the
superhero.</p>
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<p>“It is an action-packed, thrilling adventure of the lives of
members of a group called Maroonblack. It is set in Jamaica and thus
incorporating the different landmarks in Jamaica. Characters from our culture
and folklore are used to enhance the plot in creative ways.”</p>
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<p>Early versions of the comic have already drawn professional accolades. It was part of the first issue of local comic book anthology series i-Land Chronicles. The artwork of her husband earned a 2<sup>nd</sup> place award for Best Character at creative industry conference KingstOOn in 2016.</p>
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<p>Reid-Grandison previously collaborated with her husband for <strong>Trapped: Shawn’s Story</strong>, which was
commissioned by The National Taskforce Against Trafficking in Persons.</p>
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<p>The couple’s next project is based on a national hero and
will be available soon.</p>
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