by Kaity
Angélique Roché is a writer, photographer, podcast host, voiceover artist, and moderator, among many other things — she does it all. Boasting an incredible resume in the comic world and beyond, everything she’s done is an inspiration to geeks (especially women) everywhere as she paved her way through the crowd to be a stand alone force. During the busy weekend at ACE Comic Con, you can expect to see her up on the stage moderating panels with the biggest stars, and she does it with a finesse and ease that is enjoyable to both the fans and artists.
Image courtesy of ACE Comic Con & Angélique Roché
Along with moderating panels and hosting podcasts (such as Marvel’s Voices, Geeksplain, and The Women of Marvel, among others), she is also behind a new project — Marvel’s Voices #1.
THE WORLD OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOW!
Marvel’s acclaimed podcast series focusing on telling the stories of diverse creators and their unique perspectives becomes a one shot of brand new adventures! The X-Men find their place in the world after declaring a new nation! Killmonger strikes! Moon Girl and Devil Dino return!
Derived from Angélique’s podcast Marvel’s Voices celebrating the diverse artists and heroes is a one-shot anthology featuring 14 superheroes crafted by Marvel veterans and cultural icons making their debut to the comic world. It’s available now on comic shelves.
Nerds and Beyond had a chance to hear from Angélique prior to her appearance at ACE Comic Con Northeast this March. For more information and to keep up to date with where you can see her next, you can find her on Instagram, Twitter, and her website angeliqueroche.com.
Nerds and Beyond: For anyone who may not know you, can you tell us little about yourself and where we can find you?
Angélique: I do and have done a lot of things that I think are pretty cool, i.e. performance poet, attorney, political campaign manager, an associate director for a Presidential Inauguration but, currently I am a communications strategist, events consultant, professional host, moderator, voiceover artist, journalist, and producer/content creator.
As a writer and photographer, I’ve contributed to NBC News, Black Girl Nerds, Syfy Wire, Marvel.com, and Rewire News. I currently host Marvel Entertainment’s Marvel’s Voices podcast, I am a Senior Contributing Editor at Syfy Wire, and I host New York Public Radio’s live monthly podcast Very Biggest Questions at The Greene Space.
I live in Brooklyn but I am originally from Port Allen, Louisiana and I am a graduate of Southern University and A & M College (yes the school where Lizzo filmed her latest video), the Southern University Law Center (Juris Doctorate), and The George Washington University Law School (Legal Letters Masters, LL.M.).
Nerds and Beyond: What was your introduction into the comic world?
Image courtesy of DC
Angélique: While my brother-in-law introduced me to the X-Men in 1992, I received my first comic book as a Christmas gift from my father in 1993.
I was 11 and although he had never taken me to a comic book shop or given me a comic before, he gave me the first printing of the TPP of The Death of Superman because he remembered wanting to be able to afford Superman comics when he was a kid in New Orleans. It was a pretty big deal for me and I still have that book to this day.
Nerds and Beyond: I read that Monica Rambeau is your favorite Marvel hero, and with her return coming at the end of the year in WandaVision what are your hopes for her MCU story?
Angélique: Yes, Monica Rambeau is my favorite Marvel hero and I encourage EVERYONE to go read up on her origins in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #16 written by Roger Stern and art by both John Romita Jr. and John Romita Sr., and her history in Roger Stern’s amazing Avengers run in the 80s. Honestly, I am just excited to see the next chapter of Monica’s story. She is such an awesome character with such cool powers that I love any story she is in.
Nerds and Beyond: Two major franchise sagas had their ends in 2019: The MCU’s Infinity Saga and Star Wars’ Skywalker Saga, in your opinion, who closed out their story better?
Angélique: You can’t ask me to choose just one! I love both of these franchises for very different reasons and I think they both ended in a way that strived to do honor to the legacy of their characters and the future of their respective universes.
Image courtesy of Angélique Roché
Nerds and Beyond: Do you have any advice for women trying to make their way, even possibly a career, in the world of comics, which is widely viewed as a male-dominated field?
Angélique: Like the world of comics and genre cultural, I think this a pretty broad question with very few wrong answers.
It all depends on what your objective is. If you want to be a content creator, create your own content. If you want to be a host, then think about hosting your own show from your unique perspective. If you want to be a commentator or a critic then start by posting your work and using your authentic voice.
A universal truth that I have learned as a fan, a nerd, a trained journalist and lawyer working in this field — regardless of your objective — is that your strongest assets are being yourself, honoring your word, and creating a strong friend and collegial network. I believe that as a woman and a woman of color that includes making room for other people within the space, coming from a mentality of abundance, and bringing other people with you into the space regardless of how small it seems sometimes. None of us got here alone and the most successful people I know in this space have continued to pay it forward.
Nerds and Beyond: You do a fantastic job of moderating panels that make the experience enjoyable for the fans and guests alike — what is your favorite aspect of moderating?
Angélique: This may seem corny … but the fans. I am a storyteller at heart and I view each show, panel, and interview as an opportunity to not only unearth stories but as a story itself with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Hopefully, if it’s a good story then the interviewee has a great time and the fans enjoy what they have seen and heard. That is definitely the best part.
Nerds and Beyond: You’re the host of the podcast Marvel’s Voices, a bi-weekly podcast where you interview diverse storytellers from around the Marvel Comics Universe, and now that has evolved into the very first issue of Marvel’s Voices. Can you take us through how that came to be? Are you hoping to do more?
Image courtesy of Marvel & Angélique Roché
Angélique: Marvel’s Voices #1 was the brainchild of one of the show’s regular guests and a Senior Associate Editor at Marvel, Christopher Robinson. Chris, the Marvel’s Voices team, and I worked together with its phenomenal “cast” of creatives including cultural journalists and comic book experts to bring together this amazing comic book anthology and one-of-a-kind essay collection. One can only hope the future holds the possibility of a Marvel’s Voices #2; we shall see.
Nerds and Beyond: What upcoming Marvel project are you most excited about?
Angélique: All of them! I am particularly excited about WandaVision for all the obvious reasons as well as 2020, Ironheart #1, by Vita Ayala and Danny Lore.
We are a nerdy site after all, so we have a few rapid fire nerdy questions for you:
What color would your lightsaber be?
Angélique: Purple, read into what you will [laughs].
Did Han or Greedo shoot first?
Angélique: Han (he is faster, you can at me).
Baby Yoda or Baby Groot?
Angélique: NOT FAIR! I love Yoda Baby but … Baby Groot all day.
Team Cap or Team Iron Man?
Angélique: Team Shuri? But, seriously, Team Cap.
You can see Angélique Roché hosting the weekend’s panels at ACE Comic Con Northeast, being held March 20-22 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Tickets for the event are on sale now.
