Marcus Torbert is a multidisciplinary artist based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, whose work spans illustration, comics, character design, storyboarding, and creative consulting. He is best known for creating Black-centered artwork that celebrates identity, imagination, and representation through a distinctive blend of Afrofuturism, contemporary illustration, and themes of body positivity, joy, and empowerment. Torbert is the creator of the long-running online comic series B.R.U.H. (Black Renditions of Universal Heroes) and the published art book of the same name, a project that reimagines iconic characters through a Black cultural lens. His creative portfolio includes illustrating children’s books and mature publications, as well as providing character design, storyboarding, and consulting for a variety of productions across the entertainment and publishing industries.
In addition to his commercial and narrative work, Torbert has produced impactful political and social commentary through art that has garnered national attention and helped advance conversations around inclusivity, equitable representation, and opportunities for Black creators within the creative industries. His work continues to inspire audiences by combining bold visual storytelling with a commitment to celebrating Black culture, creativity, and possibility.
Statement
“This installation presents a small collection of relics from a millennial boy’s childhood—comic books, magazines, VHS tapes, action figures, and other treasured objects dating back to the 1980s. Each item is a reminder of a time when imagination transformed bedroom floors into battlefields, galaxies, and entire worlds.
“Do you know what a VHS tape is? More importantly, do you know what it feels like to spend hours on the floor with every action figure you owned, creating stories limited only by your imagination? If joy is a feeling that lingers long after a moment has passed, then what evokes it more deeply than nostalgia?
