This past May, Stephanie Williams made history as the first Black woman to be nominated for Best Writer at the Eisner Awards for her work on Street Sharks (IDW), Temporal (Mad Cave), and Roots of Madness (Ignition Press), all of which showcase her ability to write vivid original stories blending sci-fi and horror with Black history, as well as re-invigorate old IP.

Ahead of her appearance at this year’s Comic-Con, where the Eisner Awards will be presented on July 24, Williams talked with PW about how she got here, the diversity of this year’s Eisner nominees, and what she’s working on next. Readers attending Comic Con can find her packed schedule here.

You built your following on Twitter through viral pop culture memes before publishing Living Heroes, your indie, slice-of-life comedy featuring Black superheroes in the world of the hit TV show Living Single. How did those origins shape who you are as a writer?

It kept me honest. Not everyone experiences Blackness the same way, and I didn't realize that until I got on social media. I grew up immersed in it [Black culture]: family, neighborhood, school. It wasn't until I was online that I understood that wasn't universal. So bringing that cultural lens to comics, to things I already loved, meant presenting them in a way where people could see themselves. I didn't intentionally set out to build a following, but when you are your most authentic self, people pay attention whether they want to or not.

Your voice is so distinct that readers can identify your work without seeing your name. You’re especially known for how well you write Black women. How do you approach those characters specifically?

It really boils down to treating them like fully realized people. I have to tip my hat to Black romance writers like Beverly Jenkins, Ayana Gray, and Donna Hill. Through them, I saw Black women characters who still had their struggles, their hardships, but also had space for joy, sisterhood, and love. They got to be their full selves. In mainstream superhero comics, I didn't always feel like I was getting that full picture and the interior life outside of the service story. If I'm going to be in this space, I'm going to do my due diligence. I want readers to get the totality of whoever they're supposed to be rooting for or against.

You are now the first Black woman nominated for Best Writer at the Eisner Awards. The last Black writer to be nominated in this category was Dwayne McDuffie, 31 years ago. You've also written in the Milestone universe, which McDuffie co-created and for which he was nominated. Does this feel like a full circle moment?

I cannot shut up about this! McDuffie's work through Justice League comics, the Justice League Unlimited TV series, and both the comic and TV versions of Static Shock all jump off the page and across the screen. His characterizations gave you the full breadth of who these people were: their interiority, their humanity. If I'm going to be nominated in the same category as someone who literally showed me you can do comics this way, that is something I will forever be processing. It is a very surreal experience.

This year's Eisner nominees are among the most diverse in the awards’ 38-year history. What do you think shifted?

I want to point specifically to the judges—one very specifically: Regine Sawyer. I believe she may be the first Black woman to serve as an Eisner judge, and I think we can see the impact immediately. [Editor's Note: Sawyer is the second Black woman Eisner judge, after Pam Noles in 2000.] Five or six years ago, a nominees list like this would have been doing numbers on Twitter because it's what we've been saying we wanted. And beyond my own nomination there’s [Best Writer/Artist nominee] Jamal Campbell, and [Best Adaptation nominee] Vita Ayala. Rodney Barnes is being recognized for Crownsville, which is a book that just needs to exist in the world. The Noir Is the New Black anthology is getting its due. And Tate Brombal, a queer white man, is telling phenomenal stories in Everything Dead and Dying. That diversity and actual range I do believe is a direct result of having judges who reflect more of the world.

What upcoming projects can you share?

Vengeance Unchained: The Legend of Black Caesar with Ray-Anthony Height for Archie Comics and Shaq. That's a pirate epic, and yes, I put a love story in it, because if there are no pirates and no love story, why are we here? There’s history woven through it and I hope it sends people to the library. Any Given Smile (IDW, Sept.) is me finally showing how much of a football fan I am. It also leans into the horror of that world: the pressure, the performance, the stakes of Black men at the highest level of sport. I didn't realize how much of a horror story it was until I was deep in it. Also, it'll be a little sexy. But it's horror, so don't get too comfortable. And in Wonder Woman issues 35 and 36, I get to retell the origin story of how Diana became Wonder Woman. Getting to work with Leon Williams on that was great, and we'll be doing more together down the line.

What do you want your nomination to signal to Black women and girls who want to break into comics?

Hey, you can do it. You can be seen doing it. Don't let anyone tell you differently. For me, it was being undeniable and doing as much work as I could with as much range as I could so that even if they turned their heads, eventually they'd have to pay attention. Is that fair? No. Am I enjoying it? Yes. And I want y'all to enjoy it too. Write whatever you want to write. Tell the stories you want to see. Come make some comics with me! The more the merrier. I do not enjoy being the Highlander.