Blerdy for 30: KC comic creator’s documentary takes Black nerd culture from niche to your screen

A recently launched Kansas City entertainment company hopes to become the digital epicenter of “Blerd” — shorthand for Black nerd — content, said Brandon Calloway.

Now the founder of Blerd TV, Calloway debuted the Blerd YouTube channel in January, where more than 3,000 subscribers already have access to free content, he said.

However, that represents only the tip of the iceberg, Calloway said, adding that Blerd TV plans to soon introduce a subscription model streaming app that features original content, primarily focused on anime and live action fantasy series.

Darkmoon Comics still from the Blerd Culture Documentary

“Blerd TV has a wide reach, wide appeal, and low barrier to entry for customers, so that’s exciting,” Calloway said, noting that Blerd TV reached 30,000 followers on its Facebook page and 3,000 subscribers to its YouTube channel within 45 days.

On Sunday, Blerd TV released an original documentary called “Blerd Culture Documentary: Past, Present, and Future,” which explores the evolution of Blerd culture in America, Calloway said.

“Blerds have existed forever, but it hasn’t always been cool to say that you were a nerd,” Calloway said. “As nerd culture has begun to blend with Black culture, it’s become more and more cool.”

The essence of Blerd culture, Calloway said, is feeling free to express yourself authentically and pursue your passions without shame or fear.

“For me, being a Blerd is one of the primary intersectionalities of my identity,” Calloway said. “I think for a lot of people being a Blerd is about really being our true authentic selves and allowing ourselves to enjoy what we enjoy despite any potential negative connotations that come with it.”

Watch the Blerd Culture Documentary below, and keep reading.

Calloway described the documentary as “a real look at Blerd culture,” noting that he made the documentary with the intention that it would resonate with two audiences at once: Blerds themselves, and people completely unfamiliar with Blerd culture.

“My goal was to speak to the Blerds while also telling a compelling story and creating a window into the community [for those] outside of the Blerd community,” Calloway said. “I feel like we did a good job of doing both of those things simultaneously without sacrificing any kind of quality or cohesiveness.”

That desire for Black nerds to see themselves represented is what motivated Calloway to create Blerd TV, he said, drawing on his experience as a comic book creator; he’s also the founder of Darkmoon Comics (as well as the co-founder of the non-profit Kansas City G.I.F.T., which provides grant funding to local Black-owned businesses).

Darkmoon Comics still from the Blerd Culture Documentary

“I knew people would love to watch a lot of these stories if they had the opportunity,” Calloway said. “So I said to myself, ‘Why sit back and wait for that?’”

Rather than wait for Netflix, Hulu, or Crunchyroll to beat him to the punch, the “Very business-minded” Calloway decided to create Blerd TV. He plans to partner with other Black creators to feature their work on the streaming platform, he said.

“Our audience is the same,” Calloway said. “The core of our audience are Blerds who are trying to find characters who represent them. … It feels like this big family of people.”

Ultimately, Blerd or not, Calloway hopes anyone who enjoys compelling stories in the anime, sci-fi, and fantasy genres will subscribe to Blerd TV.

“If you’re looking for good, compelling original stories with relatable, authentic Black characters in the realm of anime, sci-fi, or fantasy in general,” Calloway said, “then Blerd TV is literally the place for you.”