Turtel Onli (January 25, 1952 – January 15, 2025) was an American artist, businessman, author, art therapist, educator and publisher.
Over Onli's career, his work has touched upon a variety of disciplines in fine and applied visual art, producing works in painting, drawing, illustration, publishing, fashion,[1] and multimedia production. Onli has authored and illustrated numerous comic books and graphic novels, including NOG, Protector of the Pyramids, Malcolm 10, Nog Nu and Grammar Patrol. He is known as "the Father" of the "Black Age of Comics,"[2] a movement dedicated to the promotion, creation, and support of Afrocentric comic books and graphic novels. Onli coined the term "Rhythmism" to define and interpret his stylizations,[3] which fuse primitive and futuristic concepts. A retired public school art teacher, Onli worked in the Chicago Public Schools for more than two decades.[4]
In 1970, Onli founded the Black Arts Guild (BAG), which featured touring art exhibitions and published work by its members.[6] In 1974, in conjunction with BAG, he published Funk Book and a series of greeting cards. In 1980, he co-published a zine called PAPER with the Osun Center of the Arts. In the early 1980s he created five issues of another early comics zine, Future Funk.
In 2005, Onli curated "Reverend Phillips and Turtel Onli: An Artistic and Spiritual Legacy," at the Center for the Visual and Performing Arts in Munster, Indiana, an exhibition featuring the visionary charts created by his late grandfather, the Rev. Samuel David Phillips, and Onli's own Rhythmistic paintings.[8]
In 2010 he opened the new Onli Studios at the Bridgeport Arts Center in Chicago.
Educator
From 1984 to 1989, Onli worked as an art therapist with young people in Chicago's Robert Taylor Homes. He worked as an art instructor in the Chicago Public Schools.
Onli was also the founder of B.A.G the Black Arts Guild where his “Rhythmistic” style and approach provides a futuristic think tank for young emerging artist to evolve in various mediums.[9][6]
Comics
Throughout his career, Onli has created Afrocentric Rhythmistic-powered characters who tap into humanity’s innate attraction to exaggeration, the supernatural, and pseudo-theological mythology. They represent Onli's belief in the ideal of the powerful defending the weak. He uses the "hero vs. villain" paradigm as his vehicle for reaching beyond “perceived” norms.[10]
Onli's character NOG, Nubian of Greatness, one of the earliest Afrocentric comic book characters,[citation needed] was featured in the Chicago Defender, starting in 1979, before transitioning to the comic book NOG, Protector of the Pyramides from 1981-82.[4][11] NOG returned in NOG is Back!! in 1994 and Nog Nu!! in 2011.
Black Age of Comics
In 1993, Onli spearheaded the inaugural Black Age of Comics[2] convention at the Southside Community Arts Center in Chicago,[11][12] where it was held for three consecutive years.[13] Black Age of Comics Conventions have since been held in Atlanta, Los Angeles,[14][15] and Detroit;[16] with Philadelphia's annual ECBACC being the most prominent.[17] Other recent Black Age of Comics conventions were held in Chicago's Bridgeport Arts Center and Kenwood Academy.[18]
Death
Onli died on January 15, 2025, at the age of 72.[19]
Honors and awards
2006: Glyph Comics Awards Pioneer Award – for bringing positive, diverse images to the world of graphic novels and comic books
Work
Bibliography
NOG: Protector of the Pyramides (self-published, 1981–1982)
^Washington, Cassandra. "The Next Panel," Chicago Tribune (27 July 1995), p. 14.
^Lacher, Irene. "Heroes of a Different Color Pow! Whoosh! Comic-book super-heroes of every ethnicity and gender are out to leap tall stereotypes in a single bound," Los Angeles Times (14 Nov 1993), p. 1.
^Schenden, Laurie K. "Celebrating Black History," Los Angeles Times (23 Feb 1995), p. 6.
^"Motor City Black Age of Comics: creators and fans urged to learn together," Michigan Citizen (18 Jan 2009), p. A8.
^Peters, Monica. "Celebrating blacks' work with comics: Two-day convention in Philly," Philadelphia Inquirer (18 May 2012), p. W.28.
^MacMillan, Kyle. "Beyond Batman: Comics come of age as art form: Exhibitions at Belmar and CU pay tribute to their increasing diversity and depth," Denver Post (06 Feb 2009), p. D.1.
^Boothe, Patricia. "Book: The Grammar Patrol No. 1," Everybody's vol. 18, #7 (Sep 30, 1994), p. 46.
^"Chi. – What's Up?", The Post-Tribune (23 Feb 2001), p. D13.
^"Urging Action Through Art," New York Times (Aug. 6, 2008).
Irvine, Martha. "Giving drawing power to black heroes: A handful of artists, some self-published, cross racial-ethnic lines in comic books," Associated Press (07 Sept. 1999).
Jennings, John and Duffy, Damian, curators. Other Heroes: African American Comic Book Characters and Archetypes (art exhibition catalog), (Other Heroes, 2007).
