A Crash Course In Indigenous Comics Storytelling...

Chad A. Barbour’s book From Daniel Boone to Captain America: Playing Indian in American Popular Culture is an in-depth study of how Native Americans have been portrayed, especially within pulp fiction and comic books. This text deals with the stereotypes, appropriation of story, and misperception of First Nations peoples. The historical context in this perspective is helpful to understand how many of these stereotypes and misconceptions still persist to this day. As the title states, it covers from Daniel Boone to Captain America, and all of the permutations and inaccurate portrayals in between.

Barbour, C.A. (2016). From Daniel Boone to Captain America: Playing Indian in American popular culture. University Press of Mississippi.

Native Americans in Comic Books: A Critical Study by Michael A. Sheyahshe is another invaluable resource when talking about graphic novels and North American Indian portrayals. It focuses on the Native as sidekick, as mystical shaman, as naturally gifted tracker, or as historical artifacts. The book dispels all of these myths and stereotypes while investigating thoroughly how many of them have shapeshifted in modern comics (though not always successfully). Sheyahshe definitely cites many examples from the different comic ages, around these central themes.

Sheyahshe, M.A. (2016). Native Americans in comic books: A critical study. McFarland & Company, Inc.

James J. Donahue's book Indigenous Comics and Graphic Novels - Studies In Genre

focuses on contemporary examples of stories in the genres of superheroes, science fiction, historical narratives, and experimental storytelling. Unlike the other two books listed here, it features the efforts of Indigenous authors and artists trying to gain commercial and narrative relevance in the modern comics market while also focusing on stories of survivance, resilience, and confrontation of identity-based expectations.

Donahue, J.J. (2024). Indigenous comics and graphic novels: Studies in genre. University Press of Mississippi.