Why Great Black Characters Aren’t “About” Being Black

Too many creators overcomplicate the creation of Black characters by hyper-focusing on race, tropes, or social commentary instead of what actually matters: great character and compelling story.

Most iconic characters in fiction didn’t last because of their race — they lasted because they were cool, interesting, and well-written. That same principle applies to Black characters. Create a strong character first, and let everything else be secondary.

This is the exact philosophy behind how I’ve approached character creation in the Rippaverse.