Aided by his “ancestors” in Black history, Melvin has finally found his wife, June. But even with Melvin’s mysterious power, can they break out of the Modern Living Corporation’s futuristic headquarters? Ancestral Recall #4 is written by Jordan Clark, drawn by Atagun Ilhan, colored by Pippa Bowland and lettered by Rob Steen for AHOY Comics.
They say knowledge is power and that those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. However, what if history, specifically Black history, was your power? What if you could channel the knowledge of your ancestors and use it in the present day? It is this premise by Jordan Clark and Atagun IIhan on which Ancestral Recall is built.
Ancestral Recall tells the story of elderly abstract painter Melvin Waring, who has been struggling to paint anything new. However, when his wife mysteriously disappears, he must use the power of ancestral recall, defined in issue #1 of the series as “an instinctual bridge” that connects the past to the present and the present to the future. Doing so allows him to connect to ancestors such as 19th century Haitian soldier Jean-Louis Michel and race car driver Cheryl Linn Glass. He also has help from his earnest neighbor Myran Byun, a mixed-race Puerto Rican-Korean photographer who seems to be autistic (based on her statement from issue #2 about being unable to recognize social cues).
When issue #4 begins, Melvin has been captured by the Modern Living Corporation, a futuristic company that, on the surface, has been harmless. At first, Modern Living was known for making AI-powered stuffed animal pets like Myran’s panda, Petunia. However, it turns out the corporation is behind a series of kidnappings for an agenda that involves the past, present and future. One of those kidnappings is of Melvin’s wife, June, who has been taken to the future. Both Melvin and June are hooked up to machines that cause their memories of each other to replay. It is here that the heart of issue #4 is seen as the reader learns the history of Melvin and June’s relationship.
Enhancing Melvin and June’s story is the stunning artwork by Atagun IIhan and striking colors by Pippa Bowland that are accented by Rob Steen’s lettering. I particularly like how each period of their relationship has a different color palette, art style and lettering. For instance, the memory of their first meeting has a green and yellow palette and a classy art style reminiscent of old Archie comic books.
Another notable aspect of Melvin and June’s relationship is how it expounds on the sources of Melvin’s creative block as well as how June became Melvin’s emotional rock. It turns out that Melvin had a panic attack after reading a scathing review from a high-profile critic and was later diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Several years later, Melvin’s artwork is still being scrutinized by well-meaning white critics who struggle to understand artwork that wasn’t created for them. It reminds me of similar treatment of historical Black artists like Basquiat, who was often labeled a graffiti artist even though his art used a variety of influences such as hip-hop culture and the medical reference book Gray’s Anatomy. Both Basquiat’s and Melvin’s experiences are part of what Dr. IIan Meyer calls “minority stress,” defined as stress experienced by marginalized individuals that is caused by a harmful environment fueled by prejudice.
With a solid support system within marginalized communities, one can manage minority stress so that it doesn’t kill your spirit. If June and neighbor Myran are any indication, Melvin still has some fight left in him. In fact, this takes on literal meaning as Melvin channels the knowledge of two Black martial artists. One of them is Dr. Moses Powell, the inventor of sanuces ryu jiu jitsu. It is this fighting spirit that allows Melvin to transport himself to the future as issue #4 ends to rescue June once and for all.
All in all, Ancestral Recall‘s penultimate issue sets the stage for Melvin’s true potential. With the knowledge of the past, he has paved the way for a brighter future for him and June.
Buy Ancestral Recall #4 here. (Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, ComicsXF may earn from qualifying purchases.)
Latonya "Penn" Pennington is a freelance contributor whose comics criticism can be found at Women Write About Comics, Comic Book Herald, Newsarama and Shelfdust, among others. Follow them @wordsfromapenn.com on Bluesky.
