The B-Side of a Comic Mind: Talented one of Many

By Andre LaVelle

The B-Side of a Comic Mind is a raw, confessional collection of poems that invites readers into the interior life of a Black man who feels everything. From tender odes to Black women to unflinching portraits of grief, from the sounds and smells of the 'hood to the weight of racism, Andre LaVelle flips to the "B-side" of Black masculinity-the vulnerable, reflective, spiritual side the world rarely lets men show.

Moving through love and lust, loss and regret, brotherhood and faith, these poems blend spoken-word cadence with street-level detail and a gospel of emotional honesty. Whether you're a Black man who has never had words for what's happening in your chest, a woman curious about the inner lives of the men you love, or a reader drawn to contemporary African American poetry, this collection offers language for the feelings we're taught to hide.

For fans of accessible, performance-ready verse and voices rooted in real neighborhoods and real love, The B-Side of a Comic Mind is both medicine and mirror: a place to be seen, to grieve, and to hope out loud.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GJ3F53X8
• ISBN13: 9798244708356
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 80 Pages
• Weight: 0.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"