Tag Archives: rogue state

Rogue State #1 and Godkiller: For Those I Love I Will Sacrifice #1 go back to print

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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.

Rogue State #1 is Black Mask Studios’ Highest Selling Premier Issue

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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.

Review: Rogue State #1

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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 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

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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ACCIDENTAL CZAR

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.

Black Mask Studios’ Rogue State gets a variant cover by Chuck D of Public Enemy

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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.

Rogue State Chuck D

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.