“Black History in the Making: Ian Jones-Quartey”
There are many brilliant and powerful figures in African American history. That being said, I think it’s equally important to recognize history as it’s being made. So I’ve chosen to write about one of my favorite current creatives in the animation industry: Mister Ian Jones-Quartey!
Jones-Quartey has been working at Cartoon Network for the past decade, starting as a storyboarder on Adventure Time, one of the channel’s most beloved and well-known shows. Since Adventure Time is a “board-driven show,” meaning any given episode is written and drawn simultaneously, Jones-Quartey was essentially in-charge of his episodes’ content. Later on, he helped his partner Rebecca Sugar, which is literally one of the cutest famous-people relationships I’ve ever seen, develop her series Steven Universe. This has also gone on to be one of Cartoon Network’s most-watched programs. He worked as a director, helping create some of the first season’s best episodes.
In 2013, Cartoon Network uploaded the animated short Lakewood Plaza Turbo to its YouTube channel. This was actually a pilot created by Jones-Quartey, and, as with many other shorts, it was posted online to gage popularity. It proved to be successful, and next thing you know, Ian Jones-Quartey had his own television show! The original pilot was retooled and redesigned and in 2017, OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes televised.
I connected with the show because of the love of video games it wears on its sleeve; I kept a running list of all the references I could find throughout its run. Despite its surrealist nature, it also managed to have a very grounded emotional center in each episode. The show ended with three total seasons late last year.
I may have written this to gush about a bunch of shows I absolutely adore, but I think it’s pretty incredible that this one individual has managed to work on so many legendary works of animation. With his return to work on Steven Universe Future, it doesn’t look like he’s slowing down anytime soon. I look forward to all of his projects, as should you.
Drew Hickman is a sophomore studying communication.