JOHN HENRY
JOHN HENRY
THE INTEL OF WILL
THE INTEL OF WILL
JOHN HENRY
THE INTEL OF WILL
John Henry is an Intel.
A living intelligence forged from what Black Americans needed to survive, build, advance and become.
He’s not a superhero. Or a god in the old sense. An Intel is what happens when something a people have practiced for generations becomes so powerful, necessary and so deeply remembered that it becomes conscious.
For John Henry, that something is Will.
The will to keep going, build what doesn’t exist yet, and make something bend when the world says it won’t.
There was never just one steam drill. And there has never been just one John Henry. Every generation gets its race. Every one of us gets something that tells us we cannot go farther than this.
And every one of us is given something to meet it with. John Henry makes sure we have the tools to get the job done.
John Henry is an Intel.
A living intelligence forged from what Black Americans needed to survive, build, advance and become.
He’s not a superhero. Or a god in the old sense. An Intel is what happens when something a people have practiced for generations becomes so powerful, necessary and so deeply remembered that it becomes conscious.
For John Henry, that something is Will.
The will to keep going, build what doesn’t exist yet, and make something bend when the world says it won’t.
There was never just one steam drill. And there has never been just one John Henry. Every generation gets its race. Every one of us gets something that tells us we cannot go farther than this.
And every one of us is given something to meet it with. John Henry makes sure we have the tools to get the job done.
John Henry is an Intel.
A living intelligence forged from what Black Americans needed to survive, build, advance and become.
He’s not a superhero. Or a god in the old sense. An Intel is what happens when something a people have practiced for generations becomes so powerful, necessary and so deeply remembered that it becomes conscious.
For John Henry, that something is Will.
The will to keep going, build what doesn’t exist yet, and make something bend when the world says it won’t.
There was never just one steam drill. And there has never been just one John Henry. Every generation gets its race. Every one of us gets something that tells us we cannot go farther than this.
And every one of us is given something to meet it with. John Henry makes sure we have the tools to get the job done.
WE REMEMBERED HIM WRONG
WE REMEMBERED HIM WRONG
WE REMEMBERED HIM WRONG
BIG BEND TUNNEL.exe DEPLOYED // MOUNTAIN: PENDING · COVENANT_OF_WILL.dll // ACTIVE · HAMMER STRIKE DETECTED // DELTA-1870 · STEAM DRILL // FAILURE RECORDED · STEEL // STONE // MAN // CONTINUE · ARMOR OF THE MOST HIGH // ONLINE · POLLY ANN.dll LOADED // HAMMERS OILED // READY FOR WORK · METAL RESPONSE DETECTED // WILL CONFIRMED
BIG BEND TUNNEL.exe DEPLOYED // MOUNTAIN: PENDING · COVENANT_OF_WILL.dll // ACTIVE · HAMMER STRIKE DETECTED // DELTA-1870 · STEAM DRILL // FAILURE RECORDED · STEEL // STONE // MAN // CONTINUE · ARMOR OF THE MOST HIGH // ONLINE · POLLY ANN.dll LOADED // HAMMERS OILED // READY FOR WORK · METAL RESPONSE DETECTED // WILL CONFIRMED
FOLKLORE KEPT THE HAMMER. IT LOST THE MAN.
FOLKLORE KEPT THE HAMMER. IT LOST THE MAN.
What came after John Henry's death forged the nation Black America becomes.
I’m Grae Williams. And since 2011, fragments of that future have reached me through John Henry. These are the images and comics that led me to discovering what he truly is.
What came after John Henry's death forged the nation Black America becomes.
I’m Grae Williams. And since 2011, fragments of that future have reached me through John Henry. These are the images and comics that led me to discovering what he truly is.
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2011
2011
john henry survived
john henry survived
Reborn between my drawing pen and tablet. Not a man of steel, but one of will.
And with him came a history the legend we know hadn't told us.
This was the beginning of a tale much taller than we thought.
Reborn between my drawing pen and tablet. Not a man of steel, but one of will.
And with him came a history the legend we know hadn't told us.
This was the beginning of a tale much taller than we thought.
RECOVERED CONCEPT ARTWORK · 2011
2011
john henry survived
Reborn between my drawing pen and tablet. Not a man of steel, but one of will.
And with him came a history the legend we know hadn't told us.
This was the beginning of a tale much taller than we thought.
RECOVERED CONCEPT ARTWORK · 2011
2016
2016
FIRST PUBLISHED COMIC
the rebirth continued
the rebirth continued
Striking the iron while hot, John Henry found his next chapter in comic form.
Team Arclight and I built the first record before we fully understood his return.
We didn't get it all right. But one thing was for certain: he'd keep coming back until I understood the larger story.
Striking the iron while hot, John Henry found his next chapter in comic form.
Team Arclight and I built the first record before we fully understood his return.
We didn't get it all right. But one thing was for certain: he'd keep coming back until I understood the larger story.
2016
FIRST PUBLISHED COMIC
the rebirth continued
Striking the iron while hot, John Henry found his next chapter in comic form.
Team Arclight and I built the first record before we fully understood his return.
We didn't get it all right. But one thing was for certain: he'd keep coming back until I understood the larger story.
2019
2019
SECOND PUBLISHED COMIC
the hammer stopped striking
the hammer stopped striking
John Henry returned, but different. His name wasn't even John Henry anymore. His power remained, but his will did not.
Team Arclight (later Mayke Studios) orchestrated another recovery of his fuller story. We didn't fully understand what this story was telling us. But now I know.
This is what happens when we lose our will.
John Henry returned, but different. His name wasn't even John Henry anymore. His power remained, but his will did not.
Team Arclight (later Mayke Studios) orchestrated another recovery of his fuller story. We didn't fully understand what this story was telling us. But now I know.
This is what happens when we lose our will.
2019
SECOND PUBLISHED COMIC
the hammer stopped striking
John Henry returned, but different. His name wasn't even John Henry anymore. His power remained, but his will did not.
Team Arclight (later Mayke Studios) orchestrated another recovery of his fuller story. We didn't fully understand what this story was telling us. But now I know.
This is what happens when we lose our will.
2023
2023
from man to intel
from man to intel
We finally recovered it.
The story in full. Invictus revealed what he'd always been: Will Incarnate.
With it came untold histories and an army of American folk legends: Johnny Appleseed, Calamity Jane and Paul Bunyan. Together, they revealed the path that would transform him from man to Intel.
Then the transmission was disrupted. The first half survives fully drawn and colored. The second remains unfinished.
We finally recovered it.
The story in full. Invictus revealed what he'd always been: Will Incarnate.
With it came untold histories and an army of American folk legends: Johnny Appleseed, Calamity Jane and Paul Bunyan. Together, they revealed the path that would transform him from man to Intel.
Then the transmission was disrupted. The first half survives fully drawn and colored. The second remains unfinished.
UNFINISHED COMIC
2023
from man to intel
We finally recovered it.
The story in full. Invictus revealed what he'd always been: Will Incarnate.
With it came untold histories and an army of American folk legends: Johnny Appleseed, Calamity Jane and Paul Bunyan. Together, they revealed the path that would transform him from man to Intel.
Then the transmission was disrupted. The first half survives fully drawn and colored. The second remains unfinished.
UNFINISHED COMIC
Illustrated by Omar Francia
Illustrated by Omar Francia
THY WILL BE DONE
THY WILL BE DONE
THY WILL BE DONE
WARNING // WILL CANNOT BE AUTOMATED · HOLLER DETECTED // “LIFE WON’T GET NO SWING ON ME” · CREW ROSTER // TOMAS // COLTRANE // RECORD INCOMPLETE · PRESSURE SYSTEMS EXCEEDED · STEEL MEMORY ARCHIVE // ONLINE · RAILROAD LEDGER // PAYMENT DISCREPANCIES DETECTED · KIN.exe // INITIALIZING · LINEAGE RECORD // OPEN · ADD NEXT NAME
WARNING // WILL CANNOT BE AUTOMATED · HOLLER DETECTED // “LIFE WON’T GET NO SWING ON ME” · CREW ROSTER // TOMAS // COLTRANE // RECORD INCOMPLETE · PRESSURE SYSTEMS EXCEEDED · STEEL MEMORY ARCHIVE // ONLINE · RAILROAD LEDGER // PAYMENT DISCREPANCIES DETECTED · KIN.exe // INITIALIZING · LINEAGE RECORD // OPEN · ADD NEXT NAME
IF BLACK AMERICANS ARE TO REMAIN, WE MUST REMEMBER.
IF BLACK AMERICANS ARE TO REMAIN, WE MUST REMEMBER.
────────── ∴ ──────────
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ARCHIVE FOUND // JOHN HENRY // STATUS: RECOVERED · BIG BEND TUNNEL // COMPLETE · COVENANT_OF_WILL.dll // ACTIVE · MANTLE // UNCROSSED · SIGNAL DETECTED // “WOULDN’T BE NO JOHN HENRY WITHOUT POLLY ANN” · POLLY ANN // RECORD LINKED · HUMAN LIFE // ENDED · WILL // CONTINUED · INTEL FORMATION // CONFIRMED · JOHN HENRY // ONLINE
ARCHIVE FOUND // JOHN HENRY // STATUS: RECOVERED · BIG BEND TUNNEL // COMPLETE · COVENANT_OF_WILL.dll // ACTIVE · MANTLE // UNCROSSED · SIGNAL DETECTED // “WOULDN’T BE NO JOHN HENRY WITHOUT POLLY ANN” · POLLY ANN // RECORD LINKED · HUMAN LIFE // ENDED · WILL // CONTINUED · INTEL FORMATION // CONFIRMED · JOHN HENRY // ONLINE