Students were stunned when Geiszel Godoy and her husband, Manuel, told them stories about how their ancestors come from royalty in Africa.
It was at that moment she realized the importance of their comic book series Elite Black Sands The Seven Kingdoms.
The comics are based on real-life African heroes, kings, and queens.
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“The history clicked a different light bulb in their heads,” she tells Travel Noire. “They became so amazed that they come from African royalty.”
Geiszel says the conversation was needed because many of the students were depressed and sad believing their bloodline started with slavery.
It’s a conversation she hopes to continue to have as the comic series is teaching readers about Black history before colonization.
From Video Game To Comic Series
Elite Black Sands was originally supposed to be a video game. The couple, however, found video game production is an expensive process. The duo decided to pivot to creating entertainment more affordable.
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As avid anime watchers and comic book fans, the Godoys saw a need for more representation. The heroes in their world are based in Egypt.
“We have two kids of our own and we knew there wasn’t a lot of like titles or representation for Black kids in comic books,” says Geiszel.
She adds, “I felt that a lot of times when I would look at something that’s pertaining to slavery, especially during Black History Month, it would make me sad and depressed. If we as a Black community knew our true history, I think we will value who we are more.”
So, what’s next for The Godoys?
They were recently on Shark Tank where they secured a deal with Kevin Hart and Mark Cuban to turn Black Sands into an animated film!
“With this film, we want to give back to the Black community by allowing them to invest in the film as profit sharing,” says Geiszel.
You can learn more and purchase the comic series by clicking here.