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Writer Jordan Clark and artist Atagun Ilhan are releasing an exciting new creator-owned limited series this summer called Ancestral Recall from indie publisher AHOY Comics.
From the publisher:
Melvin Warring is a famed abstract painter, known for some groundbreaking work in the late 80s, who now lives a reclusive life in East Oakland with his wife and business manager June. One day as he’s picking up June’s prescription after her hip surgery a force suddenly overcomes Melvin, displacing him from time itself. Meanwhile Myran Kang, Melvin and June’s preteen next-door neighbor, has noticed a string of disappearances: a few unhoused people who normally set up in the park, some people at her grandmother's nursing home, a few of the bus drivers on her normal route... She has a feeling it’s more than a coincidence but can’t get anyone to listen to her — until June disappears too. As Melvin and Myran dig deeper into the mystery, Melvin finds he’s literally able to tap into the power of Black history when under duress and access the knowledge and abilities of Black people throughout time — everyone from writers and musicians to sword fighters and acrobats, transforming Black history into an actual super power. Will it be enough for Melvin and Myran to discover and disrupt the plans of the mysterious organization disappearing people and find a way to bring them back?
AIPT describes Ancestral Recall as “a rollicking adventure through history that’s as thrilling as it is poignant.”
Comics Beat says: “This is a compelling first issue, smartly written with beautiful art and some inspired paneling especially in the last few pages, and I am excited to read more.”
Speaking to Comic Con, Clark shared:
“I was, and still am, very concerned about the continued efforts to erase Black history. And finally, I loved the idea of using the past as a power. Especially in these times, it’s really crucial to understand what came before and how it speaks to the now as well as the future. I wanted to take every opportunity to draw connections to little known figures in Black history. Laura Wheeler Waring was an incredible talent whose work captured so many important figures and moments of the Harlem Renaissance, so I wanted to help introduce people to her if they weren’t already familiar. It was also a way to introduce the running theme of the multiple lenses through which Black art is perceived. The wonderful thing about history is there’s a rich collection of stories that almost seem impossible. I think that one of the really fun things about making this series was the research but also sharing these stories with others and seeing their reactions to them. Throughout the series we meet incredible people like Cheryl Linn Glass, the first Black woman race car driver, and Ronald Duncan, the first American ninja.
Clark spills more tea on the making of Ancestral Recall in this interview with Comics Are Dope host BJ Kicks:
And be sure to peep the preview below:
The last day to place your advanced orders of Ancestral Recall #1 is July 7, 2025. I don’t have to tell you how crucial pre-ordering books is to their success.
You can place your orders with your local comic book shop. To find a comic book shop near you, visit Comic Shop Locator. Or you can visit the publisher’s website to find other retailers to order from. Please do not order from Target.
Ancestral Recall #1 is scheduled to arrive in stores on August 6, 2025.
Jordan Clark is is a Baltimore-based comic writer, with work most recently published by DC Comics and past stories at IDW, Image Comics, and Dynamite Comics. An inaugural member of the Milestone Initiative at DC Comics, he believes fiction has the power to imagine a better world and aims to tell stories that allow readers of color to imagine themselves in that better future. Outside of comics he co-hosts the White People Won't Save You Podcast, which reimagines white savior films with leads of color in their own stories.
Atagun Ilhan is a graphic artist who works sequential art, fantasy art, and book illustration. Born in Turkey, he received his MFA in Illustration from Syracuse University. A graduate of DC Comics’ Milestone Initiative, Ilhan has worked on various comic book series, including Greylock, Icon vs. Hardware, and Poison Ivy, and more.