‘Sparrowhawk:’ Blacker Than Expected

Writer: Delilah S. Dawson / Artist: Matias Basla / Boom! Studios Allow me to set the stage. I’m sitting in my studio, and I want to work on my Magic: The Gathering commander deck. My girlfriend insists I read the comic they just finished the other day. We find a compromise; I read the comic. My annoyed grumbles quickly fade as I’m immersed in the world painted by Delilah S. Dawson in Sparrowhawk. Exciting enough the first time, rereading it for this editorial held a greater weight in the wake of the murders and resulting protests. The setting and characters force hard thoughts about the actual racist history of England and America but also weaves in a cathartic symbolism only possible in fiction. The five-issue miniseries takes place in 19th century England where we meet Artemisia. Born in the United States by her enslaved mother and English father, she lives with her father’s white family. In classic fairy tale fashion, she has an evil stepmother and served as her late stepsister’s hand maid. Artemisia finds herself pulled into a dangerous fantasy world full of magical creatures. Consider this my glowing, spoiler-free recommendation. I’m going to go into the themes that drew my mind in and will necessarily discuss some of the plot points.The first of a frequently occurring scene is introduced with Artemisia approaching her younger sister, Caroline, who is placing flowers at the grave of their sister Elizabeth. Caroline informs Artemisia that their mother wants to see her and…