Tag Archives: matteo pizzolo

Matteo Pizzolo and Anna Wieszczyk’s Godkiller is being developed as a video game

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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.

Godkiller

SDCC 2022: Matteo Pizzolo launches Rogue State

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Rogue State #1

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 (who illustrated 2018’s CALEXIT: San Diego comic book that raised funds for families separated at the US-Mexico border) and CALEXIT cover artists Soo Lee and Ashley A Woods. Rogue State will launch this October from Black Mask Studios. 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 Rogue State, a crew of young vigilantes will rise against an authoritarian state robbing Americans of their rights. The ongoing series tells the story of Vya Of Brightstars, a mysterious freedom fighter rising from the unrest, and Clara Cruz (she/her), a young professional who becomes activated in Vya’s movement when her fiancée Taylor Sanchez (they/them) is disappeared as militias take over their Mission District neighborhood. As a nationwide police state takes shape following a contested Presidential election and The Supreme Court’s Second Amendment ruling to deputize paramilitary groups, Vya and Clara’s rogue state will blaze a path across America, inspiring others to raise their own armies… some in solidarity, others in opposition. Each issue of Rogue State will also include non-fiction material about building local support networks and grassroots campaigning for coming elections.

The first issue of Rogue State will be available from Black Mask Studios in October 2022, with a special preview book available in extremely limited quantities this week at Comic Con International in San Diego. Black Mask’s full slate of exclusives can be found below, and fans can find out more at the company’s panel on Saturday July 24! 

Black Mask SDCC exclusives: 

  • Calexit: Our Last Night In America [Uncut] 
    (limited to 66 main cover, 25 clean art)
    An extended version of the FCBD 2021 Calexit story which was edited and had pages cut for FCBD’s T+ format. Exclusive cover by Sunando.
  • Godkiller: For Those I Love I Will Sacrifice #1 advanced issue 
    (limited to 66 main cover/25 clean art of a censored cover, and another 66 main cover/25 clean art of an uncensored cover)
    Complete issue for upcoming series launch. Exclusive cover by Jasmin Darnell.
  • Godkiller: Tomorrow’s Ashes Collected Edition Hardcover & Softcover 
    (limited to 200 hardcover/200 softcover)
    Collected editions in hardcover and softcover with limited edition art by Maria Llovet
  • Rogue State ashcan
    (limited to 50)
    Preview book for upcoming series
  • Destiny, NY Chapter 1
    (limited to 99 of main cover, 25 of clean art)
    Special edition of Destiny, NY’s first chapter. Exclusive cover by Amancay Nahuelpan (Calexit, Batman: Detective Comics)

Black Mask: Debuting Tomorrow’s Legends
Saturday July 23, 2022 5-6pm, Rooom 28DE
Black Mask has made a name for itself as the hottest launchpad to debut new talent and as the home for some of the coolest, most provocative comics around, including BLACK, Destiny NY, CALEXIT, 4 Kids Walk into a Bank, and Alice In Leatherland. Black Mask co-founder Matteo Pizzolo (CALEXIT) joins creators Kwanza Osajyefo (BLACK), Pat Shand (Destiny NY), Adam Egypt Mortimer (Ballistic), and others for a wide-ranging discussion of how new ideas are changing comics and how you can be a part of it.

Gerard McMurray will write and direct Black for Studio 8

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Black

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.

Godkiller Returns for a Fifth Volume

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After last week’s launch of Godkiller: Spiderland #1 sold out at the distributor level in 24 hours, Black Mask has renewed the series for a fifth volume Godkiller: For Those I Love I Will Sacrifice scheduled for Spring 2022, continuing its streak as Black Mask’s all-time longest running and bestselling series.

Fan-favorite painters Nen Chang and Liz Tecca return with an evocative handpainted cover featuring the sardonic bounty hunter Soledad. Series artist Anna Muckcracker channels Tommy’s psychotic descent into madness in cover-B. And Maria LLovet scorches the series with a sizzling NSFW wraparound to finish off her triptych of Godkiller covers.

In Godkiller: For Those I Love I Will Sacrifice, Halfpipe begins to master her newfound sorcery just as her relationship with Soledad becomes even more complicated. Meanwhile, Tommy struggles to break free of the vivisection table as the spider eggs in his blood are ready to hatch… for better or worse, we’ll finally reach the end of The Metarachnoid Larvae story arc.

Death and gore await some of our characters, rebirth awaits others… as the wildest comic on shelves thunders on in 2022. Godkiller is written by Matteo Pizzolo.

Godkiller will become Black Mask’s Longest Running Series when Spiderland debuts in September

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Hot off its bestselling launch of “Tomorrow’s Ashes,” Black Mask has announced Godkiller will return in September with its next volume “Spiderland,” becoming the publisher’s longest-running series.

The new volume will launch with a breathtaking, handpainted wraparound cover by Nen Chang, whose cover for vol 3 “Tomorrow’s Ashes” #1 was Black Mask’s all-time bestseller and sold out on its first day of release.

Red hot artist Maria Llovet will join Nen Chang and series artist/co-creator Anna Muckcracker on covers, bringing her stylish, sexy, NSFW vision to the series. Llovet made her US market debut at Black Mask with 2017’s There’s Nothing There before Faithless at BOOM! Studios and then writing and illustrating the graphic novella LOUD! at Black Mask.

In Godkiller: Spiderland, the relationship between anti-heroine Halfpipe and mysterious bounty hunter Soledad smolders as they discover a strange new sorcery they hope will help them rescue Tommy before he’s vivisected by The Republic.

Brash, bold, brutal, sexy, and over the top in all the best and most exciting ways, Godkiller will return with a vengeance in September.

Black Mask Studios Rushes Godkiller: Tomorrow’s Ashes #1 Back To Press For a Second Printing Featuring a New Cover by Yasmin Flores Montanez

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The first issue of the twisted, dark fantasy saga Godkiller: Tomorrow’s Ashes by writer Matteo Pizzolo and artist Anna Muckcracker has sold out on its first day of release despite a massive print run, and publisher Black Mask Studios is going back to press for a second printing ahead of the release of issue 2.

The second printing of Godkiller: Tomorrow’s Ashes #1 will feature a new cover by Yasmin Flores Montanez and will be on sale on August 4.

This series provides a fresh jumping-on point for new readers while continuing the saga for Godkiller’s devoted fans.

In Godkiller: Tomorrow’s Ashes, orphan Tommy continues his quest to find a new heart for his dying sister, but he’s been captured by The Republic. Anti-heroine Halfpipe wants to rescue Tommy, but she’ll need help from mysterious bounty hunter Soledad, who’s not exactly in the helping-people business.

Godkiller: Tomorrow's Ashes #1 2nd printing

Godkiller Returns with Tomorrow’s Ashes

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Back in 2008, Matteo Pizzolo and artist Anna Wieszczyk envisioned a dark future: after a pandemic and insurrection topple civilization as we know it, a Fascist government known as The Republic rises, and a misfit crew of orphans, sex workers, and pariahs come together to bring it down.  

Thirteen years after its debut with Godkiller: Walk Among Us, this tale of caring for one another as the world falls apart around us is as urgent and relevant as ever. And it’s back.

April 2021’s Godkiller: Tomorrow’s Ashes picks up after the events of Walk Among Us, which was originally released as an underground comic in 2008, adapted into an animated film in 2011, and re-released in comics format by Black Mask Studios in 2014.  

In Godkiller: Tomorrow’s Ashes, orphan Tommy continues his quest to find a new heart for his dying sister, but he’s been captured by The Republic. Anti-heroine Halfpipe wants to rescue Tommy, but she’ll need help from mysterious bounty hunter Soledad, who’s not exactly in the helping-people business. From Matteo Pizzolo (CALEXIT) and Anna Wieszczyk (INTERESTING DRUG), the comic that Zac Thompson said “pushed me further than I’ve ever been pushed” returns to ratchet up the chaos and roar through the comic market, spitting punk rock fury, thundering into your eyeballs and running roughshod across your brains with its often mindbending, sometimes horrifying, always clever & devious tale of sci-fi magic, apocalyptic sex, and subversive mindbombs.  

Godkiller: Tomorrow’s Ashes #1 hits stores on April 21, 2021 with a stunning painted cover by Nen Chang and beautiful variant covers by Anna Wiesczyk and Leila Del Duca.

Warner Bros. Acquires Black to Adapt for Film

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Black

Studio 8 has announced that Warner Bros. has acquired Black, the comic series co-created by Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3. Original artists and writers of the comic and its spinoffs include Jamal Igle, Khary Randolph, Jennifer Johnson, Vita Ayala, and Liana Kangas.

Bryan Edward Hill, who is a comic creator as well is a producer on DC’s Titans, wrote the script for the film.

In 2017 Studio 8 announced they had obtained the rights to the film with Seith Mann having originally been hired to write the script for the film in 2018.

The original Black comic series focused on Kareem Jenkins who survives being gunned down by police and joins an underground group of black superheroes learning about the world conspiracy that hides the revelations that black individuals have superpowers.

The series debuted with a teaser campaign at New York Comic Con in 2015 and went on to a Kickstarter campaign in 2016 that raised almost $92,000 from 2,775 backers. Since then, it’s resulted in numerous spin-off series featuring numerous writers and artists creating its own comic universe. The series was eventually released through comic publisher Black Mask Studios. A follow-up series, White, was Kickstarted in 2019 and went on to raise a little over $47,000 from 1,420 individuals. That series has seen release delays due to COVID.

Jeff Robinov, Guy Danella, and John Graham will produce from Studio 8 with Black Mask Studio’s Matteo Pizzolo and Brett Gurewitz to serve as producer and executive producer. Osajyefo and Smith are co-producers as well. The team is currently searching for a director.

Preview: CalExit Vol. 1

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CALEXIT Vol 1

Written by: Matteo Pizzolo
Illustrated by: Amancay Nahuelpan
Colored by: Tyler Boss
Lettered by: Jim Campbell
$14.99 | full color | mature | 160 pages
IN COMIC SHOPS 8/1
IN BOOKSTORES 8/14

What if California refused to be ruled?

SDCC 2018: Calexit: All Systems San Diego Raises Money for Immigrant Families

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As the lines between fictional dystopias and our actual reality continue to blur, critically acclaimed comic book Calexit is making a difference for real families at the Mexican border. Profits from the brand new Calexit: All Systems San Diego #1 will be donated to San Diego Rapid Response Network, an organization dedicated to aiding immigrants and their families in the San Diego border region. Writer Matteo Pizzolo teamed with artist Carlos Granda, colorist Lauren Affe, and cover artists Ben Templesmith and Tyler Boss to create the new Calexit story, which goes on sale this week at San Diego Comic Con. The comic book, a story within the Calexit world, features all new characters in a San Diego-based adventure.

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