Sneak Peek: Ancient Africa and China meet in our latest tale, "Tati"

(Page from short story, "Tati" written by Shawnee´ Gibbs & Shawnelle Gibbs, Art by JM Tolman)

There is something absolutely fascinating about ancient empires.

The people, the clothing, the architecture, the scenery, the bygone laws of governing and systems of order.

I'm sure everyone, at some point in their lives, has imagined themselves amidst the pyramids of ancient Egypt, exploring a hidden underground city, or as royalty in some for away civilization.

As writers, there's just something about bygone worlds that appeal to us, and we became particularly fascinated by an ancient African kingdom called Kush that existed in Sudan circa 1000 B.C to AD 350.



(Pyramids of Africa's Kush Kingdom)

We wondered about this little-known kingdom, which flourished along the Nile, alongside neighboring Egypt. Its ruins suggest a small empire that mirrored Egypt in its resources, beliefs and architecture.



(Art and artifacts of Sudan's Kush Empire)

Shawnelle and I are often so enamored with history and cultures that I'm sure one or both of us would've made pretty darn good archaeologists but alas, the artistic path beckoned. Yet the great thing about the arts is this: where else than in an actual archaeological dig site can you construct what ancient history might have looked like? Literature and comics helps us to bridge the gap between where ancient artifacts end and imagination begins.

As writers, Kush provides a treasure trove of ideas and the time period itself was ripe with other powerful and rising empires. At the same time in China, the Qin dynasty flourished under Qin Shi Huang, who commissioned the construction of the Great Wall of China, a remarkable architectural achievement which, like Africa's pyramids, has stood the test of time.

History often looks at people and cultures myopically, noting that this took place in this geographic region or that at this time period, without taking into consideration that people, the globe over, were constantly moving, in search of food and resources, or forced to migrate due to environmental occurrences like climate change and natural disasters.

This is a very large planet and our inquisitive ancestors were coming into contact with each other over the centuries; Through oceans, by foot, and on animals, they traveled this vast Earth taking with them pieces of themselves and sharing them with the world.



(Early character designs by JM Tolman)

We wondered what would happen if Tati, a small girl from the Kush Kingdom swept away by a magical tsunami, washed up at the neck of the Yellow River and onto the shores of Ancient China?

Interestingly enough, orphans tend to be a reoccurring theme in our work, partly because Shawnelle and I consider ourselves half orphan. So much like other themes including sci fi, nerdy female protagonists and twindom, it always finds a way of popping up.



We were lucky enough to have a pitch we wrote for Tati accepted by Graham Cracker Comic's Ladies Night Anthology's third volume, "How To Magic" (A Complete Guide). This is the third in a series of anthologies created by Chicago's famed GCC to promote independent women in comics.



We teamed again with the incomparable JM Tolman, the wonderful artist of our Fashion Forward Comic book series, and collaborated for the second year in a row with our fabulous editor, Lauren Burke, who oversaw our short comic, "Good Mourning, Jacob" for last year's volume.

To develop Tati's look, we researched photos of several North and East African tribes including the Dinka, the Omo, the Afar Tribe, the Hamar, Beja, Karrayyu and Toubou peoples. Here's just a sampling of some of the wonderful tribes who inspired us:



Photos of North and East African tribes)

The short story, "Tati" will be featured in the soon to be released Ladies Night Anthology (LNA's) "How to Magic" comic compilation, which you can find here!

When Writing Is Rewarding - Ladies Night Edition

Sometimes writing can feel very isolating and challenging (even when you're doing it with your sister!). The actual process of it comes without the fun, accolades and community that say, hanging out on a Friday night with friends can bring.

And then there are times when the writing brings fun, accolades and community right to your doorstep. This fall, we've had it occur twice and are excited to share some snapshots from our recent writing escapades.

Lady Filmmaker's Film Festival, Beverly Hills - Script Finalist - PrePuptial Agreement





Shawnee and I were beyond honored to have our short screenplay, PrePuptial Agreement, reach the finals of this historic film festival and also be staged before a live audience. The play was directed by the legendary Romell Foster-Owens and features remarkable, new talents Ary Katz and Gladys Nyoth as the leads.

PrePuptial Agreement, a comedy centering around a newly dissolved couple struggling to come to an agreement about who keeps their Pomeranian, Chubb Rock, was so fun to write and watch come to life at the festival. Shout out to Shawnee's awesome guy, Taiwo Heard, for getting iPhone footage that can be seen HERE. Please enjoy.

Ladies Night Anthology Vol. 2: Death & Prom - Short Story - Good Mourning Jacob



In September, we were absolutely beside ourselves when our short story, Good Mourning, Jacob about a funeral singer and her biggest fan debuted in the second volume of LNA, published by Graham Cracker Comics based in Chicago. As many of you guys know, creating comics is becoming an increasing passion of ours and we are so fortunate that LNA put the resources in place for women like us to be heard. Learn more about the organization and feel free to purchase a copy for yourself HERE.

Love!
Nelle

A Day in The Studio

Our friend, writer & photographer, Moe Reed, dropped by and took some working shots of us in our downtown studio.



(Process board from our new steampunk comic project)

In between our jobs as television producers and writers for the comic, Fashion Forward, Shawnelle and I have been developing an awesome project that we're excited to share in the coming days. We've written about it on the blog before >here< [Black Victorians: African Americans in Steampunk and Historical Fiction], and are now underway to see it fully realized for 2014.



(The Gibbs Sisters, Comic Book Writer / Creators | Left: Shawnelle Gibbs, right: Shawnee´Gibbs)

It is "The Invention of E.J. Whitaker," an African American, steampunk comic adventure set in 1901. Here are a few recent shots of us in the studio working on both E.J. and Fashion Forward.

Fashion Forward Comic Featured in Twins Magazine

Our new webcomic, Fashion Forward, is featured in the latest edition of Twins magazine. Read the article below!

Twin Sisters Launch Fashion Forward: Webcomic
(Twins Magazine, June / July 2012)

Comics and Fashion have had very long and very separate histories in the art world, but this summer, a pair of Los Angeles based writers and twin sisters are bridging them together for a first: a fashion based webcomic. Not since Marvel's Millie The Model (which began in the 1940's and ran for a record 28 years) has there been such a bold attempt.  

Debuting on Friday June 1st, the webcomic, Fashion Forward, follows the incredible adventures of New York Fashion Assistant Sam Tate, as she navigates the cutthroat world of couture and the ever-changing landscape of technological innovation.

Shawnee Gibbs and Shawnelle Gibbs created the series out of a desire to see more fun, adventure-driven female stories in comics. The sisters, who make a living in television, tapped their own backgrounds as inspiration for Fashion Forward. Shawnelle used her fashion expertise as a producer for shows such as the Emmy Winning Project Runway and NBC's new hit Fashion Star. Shawnee, who's worked on Disney's Emmy Award winning Wizards of Waverly Place, put her background to work with her sister to help shape a compelling story for audiences of all ages.

The sisters paired with Linda Chung, a talented young San Francisco-based artist to illustrate the story. Linda's bold and vivid illustrations help New York City and its occupants come alive in a striking way.

Fashion Forward: A Webcomic premiered Friday, June 1st at http://www.gofashionforward.com/ and updates every Friday.

Article link at: http://www.twinsmagazine.com/html/JU-JY12twinsfinal.html

"Fashion Forward" Webcomic Premieres June 1st

"Fashion Forward" is a project conceived about two years ago, and has taken several forms in its short life span.

Shawnelle and I initially wrote the story as a screenplay. The screenplay was so visual and so much fun we knew it would make an excellent graphic novel. We set about adapting the screenplay pages to a comic book script and began a search for artists.

The stars aligned and we found our illustrator, Linda Chung, a sensational artist from Southern Cali who's artwork was absolutely perfect for the story.

Earlier this year, we realized "Fashion Forward" could also be pretty darn cool as a webcomic. Readers could discover what's been keeping us busy (and cracking us up) this last past year and receive regular updates every Friday.

And thus, the idea of the webcomic was born...and now it has a birthdate: June 1st, 2012.

So, we invite you to read about the funny and fascinating 7th Avenue adventures of Sam Tate, an assistant fashion designer who ends up further ahead of the trends than she ever imagined.

Stay Connected with Fashion Forward:

Fashion Forward Facebook Fan Page

Fashion Forward on Twitter (@gofashion4ward).

Black Victorians: African Americans in Steampunk and Historical Fiction

African Americans in victorian era America were a fascinating group. So fascinating, in fact, that Shawnelle and I have spent the better half of a year researching the people and period. Their stories and images reveal stoicism, impeccable style and a determination to move beyond the atrocities of their parents' generation and build a better world for their children.



Young Black Victorians in late 19th Century America were optimistic, and hungry for culture and education. Manners ruled the day (and manners ruled with an iron fist). It was an era where ladies were ladies, men were gentlemen and corsets were worn tight.



The Gilded Age of the 19th Century remains one of the greatest ages of invention, romanticism and excess, a period in America that has since been romanticized by the art, literature and fashion of steampunk. Though African Americans played a prominent and important role in 19th century American history, our place in the speculative fiction world of steampunk and historical fiction still has many stories yet to be told.



(The most recognized black figure in steampunk is inarguably Will Smith's 'James West' from the 1999 Warner Brothers film Wild Wild West over a decade ago.)

Since 1999, there have been a growing number of steampunk works about African Americans (including Balogun's The Chronicles of Harriet and the amazing Afro-Steampunk fashion of Yinka Shonibare) and there remains many stories to be written. The exploitations of Barack Obama the time traveller, for instance, may be a tale worth investigating for yours two-ly. During our research, we discovered this photo, circa 1900, of a man who bares a striking resemblance to the 44th president of the United States. Take a look and see if you agree:



But before "Barack Obama: Rockstar Time Traveller!," ever sees the light of day, we are excited to share "The Invention of E. J. Whitaker," a story that has waited over a century to be told. Inspired by the women and men who defined the generation: Booker T Washington; the love story of Paul Laurence Dunbar and Alice Ruth Moore; the countless educators and inventors of the era; and those dashingly fashionable figures in miscellaneous photos and cabinet cards who's names we will never know.



(star-crossed literary lovers Paul Laurence Dunbar and Alice Ruth Moore)



"The Invention of E. J Whitaker" is our love letter to the era. Led by Ada, our female heroine, and featuring a cast of characters inspired by the pages of history and our boundless imaginations, we're looking forward to sharing images from this mini graphic novel adventure (with gorgeous illustrations by Chul Kim) in the coming weeks.



With historical fiction experiencing a revitalization in popular culture with films such as Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter and lavish period pieces like HBO's Game of Thrones, we believe the story of E. J. Whitaker, one of fantasy, romance and enterprise during America's greatest age of Invention is timely and a tale long overdue.

Stay tuned!

To learn more about the African American steampunk comic, The Invention of E.J. Whitaker, please visit:

http://www.ejwhitaker.com

Shawnee'

Sneak Peek: Mini Graphic Novel This Summer

(A concept page from our latest steampunk comic project)

We're busy at work on two comic book projects which will make their debut this spring / summer 2012.

We're excited to show the above concept art page from our mini graphic novel project illustrated by the sensational illustrator, Chul K.

Part sci-fi adventure, part historical fiction, our story is set in the early part of the 20th Century and affords us the opportunity to blend African American history with steampunk and gaslamp elements for an experience that we're hoping will delight our readers.

Shawnelle and I are pretty imaginative by default, but writing the mini book really gives us creative license to go wild imagining American life during the Victorian Age, yet rewriting history with a science fiction twist.

We look forward to sharing so much more from both projects soon!

~Nee

Sneak Peek: Graphic Novel Art Page

We're staying busy on the feature graphic novel and a few illustrated endeavors this year. Here's a look at a page of art from the project.

Our illustrator, Linda, never ceases to amaze us and the project keeps us in stitches as the crazy world we've created unfolds. A mash up of sci-fi and comedy, our first feature graphic novel title will be released later this year by BopSee Books.

Stay tuned.

~Nee

Graphic Novels for Girls from The Gibbs Sisters

2012 is scheduled to mark the debut of a full-length graphic novel from the Gibbs Sisters.

Shawnelle and I love graphic novels, and though girls have historically been the step-sisters of the comic book industry, authors and artists have been creating an amazing array of heroine-driven graphic novel literature and are breaking old misconceptions one book at a time.

A few of our growing list of favorite graphic novels for female audiences include:




Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis, Raina Telgemeier's Smile, Daniel Clowes' Ghost World and Vera Brosgol's Anya's Ghost.


We will keep you updated with story and outwork as the months progress. We look forward to sharing the new book with you next year!