Na'-a-wih! ("Welcome!")

Native Americans in Comic Books, published by McFarland Publishing, is a unique study and critique of the way in which we Indigenous people are represented in the popular medium of comic books. This work takes an in-depth look at the world of comic books through the eyes of a Native American reader and offers frank commentary on the medium's cultural representation.

For this book, Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo) has interviewed a host of individuals in the comic book industry: Tim Truman (creator/writer/artist for Scout), Alvin Schwartz (writer for Tomahawk from the 1940s), Terry LaBan (creator/writer for Muktuk Wolfsbreath), Steve Englehart (creator/writer for Coyote), John Ostrander (writer for Blaze of Glory), Rachel Pollack (creator/writer for Vertigo's Tomahawk), Jon Proudstar (creator/writer for Tribal Force), Mike Grell (creator/writer/artist for Shaman’s Tears), Jeff Mariotte (writer for Gen13 series), David Mack (creator/artist of the Daredevil character, "Echo"), Bradford W. Wright (author of "Comic Book Nation"), and Jacquelyn Kilpatrick, Ph.D., (author of "Celluloid Indians").

Sheyahshe on NPR's 'Native America Calling'

I'm pleased to announce that I will be on the Native America Calling show on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 from 1pm - 2pm EST.

Native American characters can be seen in video games like "Turok - Dinosaur Hunter," "Mortal Kombat" and "Gun." Comic books also feature a large cast of Native characters dressed in the stereotypical feathers, leathers and war paint. Do you take pride when you come across a Native character in popular culture even though it does not look like a person from your tribe? Do Native Americans perpetuate the mythical Native character they claim to despise? Guests include Michael Sheyahshe (Caddo) Author of Native Americans in Comic Books

About NAC

Native America Calling is a live call-in program linking public radio stations, the Internet and listeners together in a thought-provoking national conversation about issues specific to Native communities. Each program engages noted guests and experts with callers throughout the United States and is designed to improve the quality of life for Native Americans. Native America Calling is heard on 52 stations in the United States and in Canada by approximately 500,000 listeners each week.

Be sure to tune in and call in to the show to discuss Indigenous representation in pop culture. To participate call: 1-800-996-2848, that's 1-800-99-NATIVE.

Speaking at IFAIR 2012

I have been invited by the Institute for American Indian Research (IFAIR) at the University of New Mexico to the Indigenous Book and Authors Festival in Albuquerque on Friday, April 13, 2012 at 2pm for a session titled, "Graphic/Comic/Art Stories", based on my book from publisher, McFarland.

Here is some info I received in my invitation from UNM:

The 2012 Indigenous Book and Authors Festival promises to be an ambitious event to take place on our campus and in the Southwest and New Mexico. Based on a growing body of published writing by indigenous authors, it is an important opportunity to develop public and academic awareness of great writing. IFAIR is philosophically committed to the expression of indigenous thought and intellectual exchange. The festival event aims to promote special and shared opportunities to introduce invited authors to share and meet festival participants from the university community, city, state, as well as national and tribal citizens are most welcome.

Indigenous programs at UNM through the Institute for American Indian Research (IFAIR) is under the support of the College of Arts & Sciences. Our mission since its inception in 2003 has been to support indigenous research issues and dialogue for enrichment and strengthening of intellectual interaction and communication among competing programs at a major research institution. For more information: www.unm.edu/~ifair.

This year’s festival especially seeks to acknowledge indigenous authors whose publications promote tribal perspectives, creativity, history and research while celebrating the published work. This event has the cooperation of various partners at the University of New Mexico who are working with the IFAIR advisory committee, the College of Arts and Sciences, Indigenous Nations Library Program of the University Libraries, the Alfonso Ortiz Center for Intercultural Studies, and faculty in Native American Studies and anthropology, English and psychology, and the Lobo Bookstore.

The two‐day Festival activities in addition to the author presentations and writing workshop programmes will include on‐site meals, a keynote luncheon talk by Dr. Luanna Ross, President of Salish‐Kootenai College, a poetics lunch gathering with Simon Ortiz and his daughter Sara Ortiz, a poetry slam with music by Native Roots, and an evening of indigenous storytelling. With the exception of charge of $7 for the keynote lunch, all events are free and open to the public.

A full programme schedule will be available soon.

For more information please contact IFAIR at mesa@unm.edu or call 505‐277‐3917.

Hope to see all my friends from the surroundings areas...be ready with questions.  :)

Sheyahshe Interviewed for Cowbows & Indians Mag

Writer Steve Philips, Web Content Manager at Cowboys & Indians Magazine and Western & English Today interviewed me for an article about Cowbows & Aliens (summer, 2011), directed by Jon Favreau (you may remember him from such films as: Iron Man and Iron Man 2).

Cowboys & Indians is an
"international magazine...[that] speaks to everyone from the people who live it
to those who simply love or long for the Western lifestyle" and "balances past
and present, tradition and innovation, and classical and cutting edge as it pays
respectful tribute to the Old West and offers exciting previews of new
horizons."

Read the online article here: http://www.cowboysindians.com/art-entertainment/books/2011/07/native-american-superheroes.jsp

Phelps provides a lot of succinct points about Indigenous representation in pop culture media. One additional concern is the "Dances with Wolves" ("DWW") syndrome. To best explain this syndrome, the joke goes something like this: while Dances with Wolves (Kevin Costner, 1990) is arguably a fine film - and has Native characters that are well-written, well-researched, and well-played (by Native American actors) - it is basically about two white people that fall in love...oh, and there are some Native people there, too. :)

Cowboys & Aliens ("C&A") may fall victim to the DWW syndrome, as well. Sadly, a quick scan of the cast members (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0409847/), supports this, as there are very few Native American actors listed. Given Favreau's many successes over the last few years, as well as his passion for film and storytelling, Cowboys & Aliens will most likely be worth viewing.

Yet, the main point is this: Indigenous people need stories, films, video games, whatever that are just as good/cool/popular as Cowboys & Aliens comic or film... only with Native characters as the centralized story elements AND created BY us (rather than Hollywood or others doing it FOR us).