Captain Shit is a superhero invented by Ofili, who has appeared in a number of his paintings since 1996. Partly inspired by the Marvel Comics character Luke Cage, Captain Shit is a symbol of black superstardom. The collaged black stars refer to the many untold stories of fame in black history. The distinctive surface of the painting was created by gradually building up layers of paint and resin, combined with paper cut-outs, glitter stars, map pins and elephant dung.