BLACK NERD PROBLEMS

The first book from the creators of the popular Black Nerd Problems website.

In their literary debut, Evans and Holmon examine a broad swath of the popular-culture landscape, from anime and video games to comic books and movies, mixing social commentary and insight with the sheer love of the true fan. In the introduction, the authors introduce nerd culture and the joy of connecting over shared passions, with Holmon offering a solid encapsulation of both the content and the voice: “That feeling of excitement and passion for a show, book, or character that fucks with you and then wanting to share that amongst friends or even strangers, hoping they feel the same thing you do….Isn’t that worth fighting for, for Black nerds and nerds of color to come together and share that joy?” The essays include breakdowns of particular shows and characters—ranging from an in-depth analysis of Simba (“It’s Time We Stop Pretending That Simba Wasn’t Garbage in The Lion King”) to the Black superhero in Into the Spider-Verse—along with musings on the representation of people of color in comics, the shifting definitions of nerds and nerd culture, and the reflection of social issues in popular-culture texts. The book’s format, switching between the two authors and including essays that work as dialogues, offers the sense of hearing conversations between best friends. The authors provide lighthearted material, such as an excellent essay that describes how Mario Kart shows you exactly the kind of person you really are, as well as serious inquiry—e.g., the “Sobering Reality of Actual Black Nerd Problems,” which focuses on the effect of “violence against black men and boys,” or passages about finding respectful characters of color in children’s programming like Craig of the Creek or the Legend of Korra. Throughout, the authors reach far and wide across fan culture and use a pleasing blend of humor and pathos to connect readers to the material.

An exercise in pop-culture criticism that is simultaneously funny, thoughtful, and provocative.