Hello.
Welcome back to the Live Stream Lounge.
I'm Langston.
I am joined by incomparable Writer and Creator, Nic Stone.
Nic, how are you?
Incomparable.
I'll take it.
I ain't trying to compare you anybody (LAUGHS)
I'll take it.
[LAUGHTER]
- How are you? - I'm good.
I'm good.
Yeah.
This is my first Comic-Con, and I'm like, ooh, people.
Lots and lots and lots of people.
This is your first San Diego?
- My first San Diego Comic-Con. - OK.
So-- - Yes.
--now I want to talk about that.
So-- - Yes.
--this being your first San Diego Comic-Con, give us
a brief, if you can, a brief--
give us the impression that you had walking
in here for the first time.
I mean, it's magic.
It's awesome being surrounded by people
who are passionate about things that I'm passionate about.
That part's awesome.
It's also, like, oh my God, there are so many people--
[LAUGHTER]
--which after two years of no people.
Right.
Yeah.
Not seeing people through screens
was something that was--
Yeah.
--but also very, very refreshing that I was, like--
- It is. - Yeah.
And also I feel, like, I'm, like,
OK, this is baptism by fire.
It's like, we have to people again.
Yeah.
Well, now, and also you are a writer
that is giving voice to a very beloved character
in the Marvel universe, Shuri.
My girl.
I'm saying.
So, please, tell us about your novel.
Please.
Yeah.
So I write middle grade.
I wrote a middle grade trilogy about Shuri.
She's 13 in the series, which gave
me an opportunity to kind of, like, flesh out her backstory.
That was probably the coolest part of the experience
is, like, creating canon.
Like, what?
Yeah.
Who'd have thunk?
But, yeah, so in the first--
I mean, she's just trying to save
things and figure herself out.
She's a 13-year-old girl.
So it was such a delight getting to tell those stories largely
because I kind of was her when I was a kid,
and I got clowned for it all the time.
I remember being 12, my favorite book
when I was in seventh grade was Michael Crichton's Sphere.
Yeah.
OK.
Hard core, adult science fiction that is really intense.
And everybody was, like, you're such a nerd.
And now I'm writing one of the coolest Marvel characters
ever, so.
So who has the last laugh now, huh?
No. (LAUGHING) - Come at me.
- Exactly. - Right?
So, like you said, you felt like you kind of were Shuri.
What was it like kind of stepping
into your own past and kind of putting yourself
almost in Shuri's mindset?
Like where you-- or what has that
been like because that's such an important part
in people's lives. - It is.
Yeah.
And it's so validating being able to validate
yourself through creation.
Anytime I get the opportunity to speak to kids,
whether they are elementary school, middle school,
high school, I tell them to write their stories down
because there's something very powerful about putting
your experiences down on paper in a way
that other people can engage with.
And so writing her was me validating
my little science-loving seventh grade self.
And I think I haven't had an experience
like that in any other writing projects that I've done.
So I'm eternally grateful.
It's powerful getting to express yourself
as you've always been in a world that was unkind to yourself
when you were that way.
But, yeah, it's been so much fun.
So much fun.
And just getting to kind of engage with a superhero
with no powers.
And that part has, like, her power is her brain.
And, yeah, so getting to write her,
hopefully, it's also just encouraging
for like little Black kids in STEM who want to invent things
and who want to save the world by innovating.
Go do it.
Yeah and I know you're--
Go do it.
I'm sure it's an understatement
to say that you're an inspiration to
many young creators out there.
So what would you say to young creators
out there that want to start writing, want to start
creating, want to tell their own stories,
but maybe have been clowned a little bit,
and sometimes you kind of feel, like, maybe I
shouldn't, maybe I--
what, for you, gave you that drive
to go, like, no, I'm going to tell the story no matter what?
Not seeing me.
I think that there's something--
sometimes it's, like, well, I don't see myself,
so that means I don't belong here.
And that was kind of my thinking for a long time.
And then I think I had a kid.
Having a kid kind of will change things in so many ways.
But when my older son was born, I just
recognized that there wasn't a single book that I wanted
to give him, like, I want you to read this when
you're five or six or seven because it
represents what you can be.
They didn't exist.
There weren't any.
And it was seeing that and recognizing
that, wait a minute, if I'm not seeing myself or kids like me
reflected in the spaces where I like to be,
I have to put myself there.
So that would be what I would say to young creators.
Put yourself in the places you want to be.
Nothing can stop you, but you.
So do it.
Let nothing stop you from chasing the dreams
that you have.
And then, once you grab them, work
hard to keep them because you've got to work hard to keep them.
I know.
And speaking of working hard, and you mentioned your oldest,
now I understand that y'all, the family that cosplays
together is famous together.
[LAUGHTER]
So, please, this is something I really think--
I mean, I'm going to try to get my mom
to dress up to cosplay one day.
Yes.
But, please, talk about, not only being,
I mean, the most awesome mom in the multiverse,
but cosplaying and sharing that fandom with your kids.
That's awesome.
Oh, my God, my kids.
So I have two sons.
The little one, he's six.
His name is Milo, and he is Spider-Man--
[LAUGHTER]
--if you ask him.
We took him rock climb to a rock climbing experience,
and now he is fully convinced that he is Spider-Man.
And he lives in his Miles Morales costume.
My older son is more into Peter Parker
Spider-Man and Black Panther.
So his costume of choice is, typically, Black Panther.
I like dressing up as a Dora Milaje because--
How can you not, right?
Right.
And their dad we have not gotten to dress up yet.
No?
Not yet.
Who are you going to try to get dad dress up as?
You know, I really want him to dress up as Thanos.
Just feel very powerful for a second, and then feel--
recognize that maybe you shouldn't destroy happiness.
[INAUDIBLE]-- full purple.
Yes.
Full-- wrinkled chin.
The whole nine.
Just the whole thing.
Or Korg.
That'd be fun.
Put some rocks on him.
Yeah.
We'll just cover him in rocks.
(LAUGHING) Well, I think he'd go for that.
Nic, thank you so much for joining me.
Yes.
It's been an absolute honor and a pleasure talking to you.
Same. It's been a pleasure.
Yes.
And please, please, read all of Nic Stone's novels
featuring Shuri.
And please follow Nic Stone.
Where can people follow you on social media?
I am @nicstone, super creative, on Instagram.
That's really the place to follow.
It's @ N-I-C-S-T-O-N-E.
Do it.
And, please, stay tuned for all the cool things
happening here from Marvel at the San Diego Comic-Con 2022.