During Black History Month on Twitch, the founders of the award-winning animation studio Martian Blueberry and the creators from the Twitch Black Guild held an insightful conversation about the animation industry. The stream “Through Their Eyes: Black Voices in Animation” was hosted on Friday, February 20 by Twitch Ambassador David “DataDaveTV” Cherry and Black Guild Leader Idiosynaca, featuring the studio’s founders Carl Jones and Love Jones with viral content producer Chris Miles.
Carl and Love Jones saw the need for Black culture to be represented authentically throughout animation. Carl Jones described that when he worked on the production side he would constantly need to translate the culture both overseas and in the United States.
“I’ve always been a part of shows that have always been very culturally specific in terms of the story. They walked, talked, and dressed a certain way, but there were not a lot of people in my past history of animation that understood those nuances,” said Carl Jones.
A 2023 peer-reviewed publication by Wiley Online Library found that among 850 characters from 170 popular animated films released in the United States that voice actors of color, especially Black people in character roles, have remained underrepresented in pop culture. The research showed that from 1989 to 2019 Black voice actors were casted in only 8% of these roles, while their white counterparts filled 697 (82%) of castings.
A disproportionate amount of Black talent were casted most often in non-human roles.
In the wake of George Floyd’s passing and the world coming to a stop during the COVID-19 pandemic, the producer of “Black Dynamite” and “The Boondocks,” alongside the creative, entrepreneurial genius of his wife Love Jones, founded Martian Blueberry. Since its founding, the studio has focused on excellence in animation, while uplifting underrepresented stories and voices, especially as voice actors and behind-the-scenes talent like Chris Miles.
After watching the 90s animation “Freakzoid” as a child, Miles fell in love with animated storytelling. He began his career as a background extra working with directors like Steven Spielberg. Eventually, he worked his way up to writing a short story for Marvel Comics and Charlamagne The God, while managing his viral content page Critics of Culture.
Creators and viewers in the chat took an interest in Miles’ background because many share his passion for creating viral content on social media. The Martian Blueberry team advised that creators should let go of their ego while chasing their dreams, but don’t forget to keep the bills paid.
“You have to always have that hunger,” said Love Jones.
“Stay willing to work that 9-5 gig or just enough to keep your money afloat. The balance of pursuing your dreams while maintaining your [priorities] is our reality,” said Miles.
One piece of advice that stood out in the conversation was Carl Jones pointed out was around the skillset to “make it” in the industry. While hard skills get the job done, having a particular mindset when you approach your work becomes even more critical.
“Your main ingredient is your own perspective, point of view and experience that no one else has. We all need a very unique thumbprint within the industry. As a writer, you have to challenge yourself to really elevate your stories to a new place that you haven’t seen before,” said Carl Jones.
Creators flooded into the Twitch chat with an outpouring of support for Martian Blueberry as the team shared what’s to come in the near future.
This year at Blerdcon, Love Jones revealed that the studio will be doing an exclusive premiere. Since she didn't reveal any details, you’ll have to attend the convention to see what is in store.
Megan Thee Stallion announced at Dream Con 2025 that she would be working with Martian Blueberry on her first anime series. No release date has been set, but it was revealed that it would premiere on Prime Video.
Carving your own lane as a self-made entrepreneur is full of ups and downs, yet the team at Martian Blueberry continues to lay the foundation for original Black animated storytelling. Carl Jones imparted his own lessons on how solo creators should approach building without gatekeepers.
“Go into the industry with an independent mindset rather than thinking about how to get a job. Make sure you think of yourself as a business,” said Carl Jones. “Independent does not mean by yourself; it takes us doing things independent of the system. We need each other more than ever. Connect with everybody you know and you see.”
To learn more about Martian Blueberry, visit the official website. Watch the full conversation in the VOD here.
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