Phillip Thompson

Phillip Thompson — known widely as DJ Big Phill — is a Pittsburgh-based DJ, multimedia educator, comics collector, and curator specializing in original Black comic book art and comics by and about Black characters and Black history. A lifelong collector inspired by a childhood spent sneaking looks at his father's forbidden comics stash, Thompson has built one of the most focused personal collections of Black comics art in the country. In 2024, he organized and curated Collections in Black: A Celebration of Black Comic Book Culture at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center in Pittsburgh — an exhibit drawing from his personal collection and a national network of fellow collectors, featuring works tied to Jackie Ormes, Matt Baker, Black Panther, Luke Cage, The Falcon, and other landmarks of Black comics history. He also produced a short documentary film of the same name. The August Wilson African American Cultural Center recognized the significance of his work by naming him a 2024 B.U.I.L.D. artist in residence. A regular presence at comics conventions across the country, Thompson is also a contributor to Black Comic Lords (BCL) and teaches multimedia for the after-school program at nonprofit ACH Clear Pathways.