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A new comics anthology curated by the creators of Calexit aims to celebrate the Hollywood Labor Movement’s massive success and also support workers impacted by the dual Strikes as the WGA closes its historic new deal with the studios. General Strike: Calexit and Other Tales of Fighting the Good Fight is a collection of new stories dedicated to the struggle for economic equality is written by WGA members, and publisher Black Mask Studios is matching the writers fees with donations to the Entertainment Community Fund.
With official pre-orders opening today, General Strike is hosted by a brand new comic book heroine (labor organizing badass Gen. Strike) and features stories by a roster of WGA-writers including writer/producer/WGA NBCU Lot Coordinator Judalina Neira, Rodney Barnes, Tamara Becher, Daniel Dominguez, Charley Feldman, Grant Morrison, and Brian Michael Bendis. The project is being run by WGA-member writer and publisher Matteo Pizzolo.
General Strike is an anthology comic of genre stories about characters fighting the good fight against injustice, linked by the theme of confronting economic inequality. All of the stories are written by striking guild members. In addition to paying Marvel/DC-level writers’ rates, Black Mask is also matching the writers’ rates with donations to the Entertainment Community Fund, and the creators retain ownership of the IP to their stories and characters.
Comics’ newest superhero Gen. Strike, a bubblegum-chewing labor organizer, comes to life in a set of covers by comic book artists Tyler Boss, Iolanda Zanfardino, Ben Templesmith, Ramon Villalobos, Creees Lee, Elisa Romboli, Amancay Nahuelpan, and Darick Robertson.
Artists illustrating the General Strike stories include Antonio Fuso, Jamal Igle, Butch Mapa, Tyler Jenkins, and Josh Hood.
General Strike: Calexit and Other Tales of Fighting the Good Fight is available for pre-order now on Kickstarter.
Theme parks have already become political battlegrounds, but what if they became actual battlegrounds? What if the culture wars became actual wars? As mass demonstrations consume Hollywood, the comic book Calexit considers the question: What if California refused to be ruled?
This is the world of Calexit: The Battle of Universal City, the new comic book series launching this July from Black Mask Studios. Together writer Matteo Pizzolo and artist C. Granda, the creators of Rogue State, have created a timely title about young rebels willing to risk it all for freedom of thought.
In Calexit: The Battle of Universal City, it’s total war on the streets of Los Angeles as rebel leader Zora rallies her Mulholland Resistance to seize freedom or die trying. The battle rages all the way to the iconic Hollywood theme park in Universal City where Zora’s Resistance fighters make a last stand against Homeland Security’s Occupying Forces. Warzone courier Jamil has been hired to spirit Zora away from the firefight to a Resistance stronghold, but Zora won’t be dragged to safety without a fight.
The first issue of Calexit: The Battle of Universal City is set for release from Black Mask Studios at Comic Con International, followed directly by your favorite local comic shop.
This is a column that focuses on something or some things from the comic book sphere of influence that may not get the credit and recognition it deserves. Whether that’s a list of comic book movies, ongoing comics, or a set of stories featuring a certain character. The columns may take the form of a bullet pointed list, or a slightly longer thinkpiece – there’s really no formula for this other than whether the things being covered are Underrated in some way. This week: 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank
All images will be taken from the first issue preview pages to help alleviate the spoiler hammer.
At some point in the last two years you’ve probably heard somebody talking about the comic 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank. The first of the five issues in the series was released April 2016, but due to a series of delays the fifth issue only hit the physical and digital shelves in September 2017, which unfortunately left some readers less than enthused about the story – not because the quality was lacking, but because the inconsistent release schedule caused momentum and interest in the series to wane.
Personally, after the second delay I had almost forgotten to keep checking for the next issue, so it came as quite a welcome surprise to notice the trade. Finally, I could read the entire story in one sitting (or several but at least I had the full story in hand).
But first, before we talk about 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank, what’s the story about?
Well the book’s synopsis reads: “A fun(ish) crime caper about children! Eleven-year-old Paige and her weirdo friends have a problem: a gang of ex-cons need her dad’s help on a heist… the problem is those ex-cons are morons. If Paige wants to keep her dad out of trouble, she’s going to have to pull off the heist herself. Like Wes Anderson remaking Reservoir Dogs, 4KWIABis a very dark & moderately humorous story about friendship, growing up, D & D, puking, skinheads, grand larceny, and family.“
Before we get to talking a little about the story, when you open the trade and see the comic’s credits you’ll notice that they’re done in alphabetical order; art and design by Tyler Boss, Flatting by Clare Dezutti, Lettering by Thomas Mauer, Wallpaper by Courtney Menard and written by Matthew Rosenberg. Rosenberg was a guest on Graphic Policy Radio last year where he said that he felt it important that each artist who contributes to a comic is recognized (I could be wrong in the exact wording, but I believe the essence of the quote is there), and it was on that episode of the radio show that I first heard the term “flatter.” I hadn’t really come across it before, and consequently had no knowledge of what a flatter did. Thankfully, the ever reliable Wikipedia was there to help;
“A flatter is a colouring specialist within the comic book industry that prepares the inked or sketched comic book page for the colorist with digital art software such as Adobe Photoshop. The specialist does so by selecting the objects on the page and filling them in with a solid color called a “flat”, so that the “flats” can be used by the colorist by way of the “magic wand” tool. In this way, the colorist may select each object during the rendering process-to the exclusion of the other objects on the page-so that the object’s base color may be changed, or to render the colors.”
They sound like a pretty important part of the comic industry, eh?
That’s a subject for another day, however, as today we’re looking at 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank in it’s totality.
Perhaps best likened to somebody throwing the Goonies, a supernatural-less Stranger Things and Reservoir Dogs into a blender and then poured it out over a nice crust of fantastic and baked for several minutes. Served with a side of wry humour and a glass of childhood innocence that may have started to sour a little, if you had started 4 Kids when it first came out but, like me, you’d let the series fall off your radar then you’ll be pleased to know that with the release of the trade you won’t need to put the story down.
I didn’t (well, not intentionally – I did fall asleep while reading but that’s because it was 3 am and I’d been awake more than twenty hours and thus should not be taken as an indication of quality).
4 Kids is one of those stories that really couldn’t work as well in any other medium; this is a story that exemplifies what it means to be a comic book. In an age of endless crossovers and reboots it is beyond refreshing to read a complete story that will take you along by the scruff of the neck as the characters end up going further and further down a rabbit hole – not only do the elements of humour in the comic play off the visuals, but they allow the deeper messages of the story to permeate your brain. Before you know it you’ve noticed that this story is so much more than just four kids walking into a bank (keep an eye out for some great narration bubbles there, too) – this is a story about family, societal debt and the folly of youth.
Rosenberg’s script is witty, the pacing of the story beats are utterly perfect; his writing so sharp I nearly lost a finger. When it comes to Boss’, his art may not be your cup of tea at first, but his command of the page and the characters upon that page couldn’t be better suited to this script. If this was a review rather than an entreaty to pick the trade up (I have despite having a review copy) then I would be giving this top marks across the board. 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank is a comic you must read.
That’s all for this week folks. Join us next week when we talk about something else that falls under the Underrated banner in the comic book world.
After immediately selling out at both Diamond Comics Distribution and Lunar Distribution, Black Mask is rushing new editions of two of its titles: Rogue State #1 and Godkiller: For Those I Love I Will Sacrifice #1.
Rogue State #1 hit the ground running by selling out of its First Printing on release day last November when it debuted as Black Mask’s all-time top-ordered book, and now both Second Printing covers by Jasmin Darnell have also sold out within days of release. The new Third Printing set for release on February 8th will feature a new cover by series artist C. Granda.
Godkiller: For Those I Love I Will Sacrifice #1 exploded onto shelves last week, with this newest launch from the Godkiller universe selling out immediately on its day of release. Its Second Printing is also planned for a February 8th release, featuring two covers (a standard edition and a bagged-NSFW edition) by Jasmin Darnell.
Rogue State is illustrated by C. Granda, written by Matteo Pizzolo, colored by Brad Simpson, and lettered by Jim Campbell.
Godkiller: For Those I Love I Will Sacrifice is illustrated by Anna Muckcracker, written by Matteo Pizzolo, and lettered by Jim Campbell.
The first printings of Rogue State #1 sold out at both distributors Diamond and Lunar on its first day of release, breaking Black Mask‘s all-time record for bestselling comic. Black Mask is rushing Rogue State to second printing with two covers by Jasmin Darnell that will arrive in both standard and ‘gallery’ (no-text) editions.
While Jasmin Darnell’s cover art presents a powerful image of post-apocalyptic street artist Dust Girl, Ramon Villalobos‘ Tour Cover pays homage to the history of socially-engaged public art in San Francisco’s Mission District, where Rogue State is set.
Rogue State #1 reunites C. Granda and Matteo Pizzolo, who first collaborated on the acclaimed CalExit: San Diego.
Rogue State combines Granda’s experiences coming of age amid political violence in Medellín-Colombia with Pizzolo’s street-politics, crafting the story of a near-future America overrun by political violence set in the embattled blue-enclave of ‘Occupied San Francisco.’
Political violence plunges America into turmoil. Local police forces join with the National Guard, but even their combined strength is unable to quell the rage. Filling the vacuum, militia groups rise into roving gangs of vigilantes.
In a strict interpretation of the 2nd Amendment, an embattled Supreme Court overturns two centuries of settled law by recognizing militias as Constitutionally protected. In an instant, every paramilitary gang in America is suddenly deputized, transforming the entire country into a vigilante police-state. Lockdowns set in. Fear spreads… and whispers of revolution.
What if a contested Presidential election plunged America into turmoil? What if political violence consumed the streets? And what if a raging Supreme Court, in a strict interpretation of the 2nd Amendment, legitimized and deputized all militias, transforming the entire country into a paramilitary police state? Rogue State #1 takes reality and moves it to the extreme so many of us are worried about.
Written by Matteo Pizzolo, Rogue State #1 is an interesting start but doesn’t quite have the hook that’s pitched. While I was provided the first three issues, I read what I believe is just the first (it’s one file, so wasn’t 100% sure) and there’s a lot of potential. The idea of a nation torn apart by an election is one that has so much potential for storytelling. Where this series is going is a mysterious figure eventually rising and whether that individual is a freedom fighter or a terrorist. Unfortunately, none of that is conveyed in the debut. Instead, we get an inept militia, corrupt cops, and a character who seems to be very acrobatic for unknown reasons. It all comes across as good ideas, but not meshed together well.
Where Rogue State #1 falls flat is that none of the crisis or danger feels felt. There’s little escalation from what we see every so often on television. BLM protests and Antifa/Proud Boy clashes have more danger, tension, and stakes felt around them. We get a main character who’s an unemployed architect that can scale buildings like Spider-Man and a clash between protestors and police. All of which feels a bit exaggerated or not exaggerated enough. There’s also something about drugs and bootlegging but none of that really feels relevant so far, it just fills space. In other words, the danger of the world is never really established. Pizzolo opens with an inept militia that can shoot something 20 feet away and come off more Barney Fife than Terminator.
Carlos Granda‘s art doesn’t help matters. Characters aren’t consistent in their look which at times distracts and moments that should have the feel of danger feel more like slapstick comedy. The art tone, and tone of situations as a whole, don’t match the pitch. Granda is joined by Brad Simpson on color and Jim Campbell on lettering. The color does stand out in its purples and pinks, a sky motif playing off the sunset and down of a new day. The lettering I noticed one issue where it looks like a word was cut off at the top of the word balloon, an odd mistake.
Rogue State has potential and maybe as it gets going things improve. But, as an opening issue, Rogue State #1 falls into the trap so many high concept comics have lately. The concept doesn’t match the execution and things fall short of what is promised. It feels a bit scattered in its focus overall. We’ll see if that continues to be true but for a first issue, this one stumbles.
Story: Matteo Pizzolo Art: Carlos Granda Color: Brad Simpson Letterer: Jim Campbell Story: 7.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read
Black Mask Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Wednesdays (and Tuesdays) are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in
Each week our contributors choose what they can’t wait to read this week or just sounds interesting. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look at!
Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this week.
Accidental Czar: Life & Lies of Vladimir Putin (First Second) – With everything that’s going on, this is a fantastic graphic novel to teach you about Vladimir Putin and some Russian history. It’s written by a former White House Russia expert and delivers a very even handed take on history and what lead to today.
Blade: Vampire Nation #1 (Marvel) – Blade as well as the Vampire Nation have been somewhat quiet recently but left with some much potential. Here’s hoping we get a solid story that does it all justice. A nation of vampires with lots of political intrigue sounds like too much fun.
By the Horns: Dark Earth #6 (Scout Comics) – We’ve loved this fantasy series. Don’t miss out on it and if you haven’t been reading it since the first issue, go start from the beginning!
Dino Mighty: Law and Odor (Clarion Books) – We’ve loved this series of dinosaur heroes. It’s meant for kids but adults will enjoy it too.
Einstein (First Second) – It’s the story of Einstein! Learn about the amazing person who has defined so much but how much do we know about his personal life?
GCPD: Blue Wall #2 (DC Comics) – Writer John Ridley explores policing in the GCPD. Ridley’s exploration of the DCU has been amazing so far including this series’ debut issue.
I Hate Fairyland #1 (Image Comics) – Over the top insanity is back!
Kepler (Dark Horse) – A graphic novel from David Duchovny? Yeah, we’re intrigued.
Maker Comics: How to Design a Game (First Second) – Step-by-step instructions for six tabletop game design projects!
Murderworld: Avengers #1 (Marvel) – We love a good story featuring the villain Arcade who doesn’t seem to get the use and respect he deserves
Rogue State #1 (Black Mask Studios) – A Presidential election plunges the country into crisis from which a mysterious figure rises, but is she a freedom fighter or a terrorist?
Terry’s Crew (Little Brown Books for Young Readers) – Terry Crews digs into his childhood in Detroit in his debut graphic novel.
What if a contested Presidential election plunged America into turmoil? What if political violence consumed the streets? And what if a raging Supreme Court, in a strict interpretation of the Second Amendment, legitimized and deputized all militias—transforming the entire country into a paramilitary police state? What if a freedom fighter emerged from the chaos, raised a civilian army, and carved out a territory across the United States–pushing out police, militias, and National Guard… enforcing its own laws… sovereign. What if Americans refused to be governed?
This is the world of Rogue State, the new ongoing graphic novel series that marks writer Matteo Pizzolo’s return to comics for his first new series since 2017’s acclaimed CalEXIT, reuniting with artist C. Granda and CalEXIT cover artists Soo Lee and Ashley A Woods. Rogue State will launch with a special variant cover drawn by hip hop legend and higher thought leader Chuck D of Public Enemy. Together, Pizzolo and Granda have created a timely title about rebelling against tyranny, reconquering stolen land, punching fascists in the face, and building a better nation.
In addition to appearing as a cover, Chuck D’s illustration will also be inside the book itself as a street-art mural, in an homage to the Mission District’s history of socially-engaged public art.
In Rogue State, a crew of young vigilantes will rise against a paramilitary police state robbing Americans of their rights. The ongoing series tells the story of Vya of Brightstars, a mysterious figure rising from the unrest, and Clara Cruz (aka Dust Girl), who becomes activated in Vya’s movement when her fiancée Taylor Sanchez is disappeared as militias take over their Mission District neighborhood. But are Vya and Dust Girl freedom fighters or terrorists? Either way, their rogue state will not just blaze a path across America, it will also inspire others to raise their own armies… some in solidarity, others in opposition.
The first issue of Rogue State will be available from Black Mask Studios on November 9, with a special variant pulled directly out of the pages of the comic and drawn by Chuck D himself exclusively from your favorite comic book shop in extremely limited quantities. Retailers, consult your Diamond rep to find out how to order ahead of the book’s Final Order Cutoff on October 17.
Aya Cash will take on the voice role of a god-hunting dark witch in the narrative-videogame adaptation of beloved, bestselling comic series Godkiller by writer Matteo Pizzolo and artist Anna Wieszczyk. Pizzolo, who penned the screenplay adaptation of his Calexit comic that sold in a 5-studio bidding war and is currently producing the feature adaptation of Black at Warner Bros., will write the adaptation.
Following her role as the villain Stormfront on The Boys, Cash will perform the Godkiller role of Bones, an anti-hero sorcerer who survives her world’s descent into dystopia and leads a vendetta against the cruel men and strange deities responsible for the end of the world.
Produced by Emmy-winner Brian Giberson, the project leads a new gaming initiative at Black Mask Entertainment, the busy production arm with more than two dozen features and series in development at studios and networks.
Pizzolo and Wieszczyk self-distributed the Godkiller’ comic at comic cons starting in 2008, where it grew in notoriety leading to a Warner Bros.-distributed animated feature written and directed by Pizzolo in 2011. The comic book returned through publisher Black Mask Studios with 2021’s ‘Godkiller: Tomorrow’s Ashes’ to overwhelming success, selling out of a 40,000 book print run on the day of its release and going on to sell through numerous additional printings. It quickly became one of the top-selling indie comic books of the year, and Black Mask’s all-time bestselling series.
Godkiller will next return to comic shops in September with the brand new series Godkiller: For Those I Love I Will Sacrifice.
Gerard McMurray will write and direct the film Black, based on the comic series published by Black Mask Studios and created by Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3, with artists Jamal Igle and Khary Randolph.
Black debuted in 2016 and since has spun out multiple series set in the world. The comic is set in a world where only Black people have superpowers and it’s kept a secret. Kareem Jenkins discovers his powers after being shot by the police.
The film will take a similar direction following a young man who discovers his powers after surviving a violent crime. He then finds himself in the middle of a war over who will control the empowered and their abilities and the future of humanity.
Robinov and John Graham will produce for Studio 8. Osajyefo and Smith will co-produce with Black Mask Studio’s Matteo Pizzolo and Brett Gurewitz serving as producer and executive producer.
