Tee Franklin

Tee Franklin was born on February 11. She was introduced to comics by a family member who would regularly babysit her.[1] She continued to read them until she got married and had kids. She got divorced in 2011 and returned to the comic book world, starting out with reviews of comics, and interviews. In 2014, she realized how hard it was to find a comic with someone that looked like her in it or on it, so she took it upon herself to start writing those stories. She regularly speaks out against the lack of representation in comics, and has gained the respect of several well-known comic creators, who "peer pressured" her into creating comics.[2] She is a domestic abuse survivor and has written her miniseries Jook Joint as a therapeutic release.[3] Tee Franklin was in a car accident in 2014 that left her permanently disabled. She has been using a mobility aid since, and regularly speaks out about accommodating at conventions.[4] She currently resides in New Jersey.

Tee Franklin marked her debut as a writer with her graphic novel Bingo Love. It was kickstarted in 2016, raised $57,000, and was published by Image Comics, selling out before it even hit the shelves. The book has been nominated for a GLAAD Media Awards for Outstanding Comic Book[5] and has also won Prism Comics’s 2017 Queer Press Grant.[6]

Jook Joint was originally written in 2016 following a suicide attempt. Her therapist suggested doing something constructive, after which she began writing about her trauma.[1]

• List of African-American firsts