Black Mask's ROGUE STATE arrives in stores today, with plotlines ripped from the headlines.
The press release follows:
Media Release -- What if a contested Presidential election plunged America into turmoil...again? 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 one comic book writer presented such a terrifyingly realistic view of the future, that you could see tomorrow's headlines playing out on the pages of a new series out TODAY.
"This is an amazing and crucial moment in the history of comics. It's a real renaissance for socially relevant and politically challenging comic books and graphic novels, but at the same time these books are facing more attacks, lawsuits, and bans than they have in a generation," said Matteo Pizzolo, co-founder of Black Mask Studios and the writer of ROGUE STATE. "Researchers are pointing out the explosion in book banning has been disproportionately impacting graphic novels--and whether it's Maia Kobabe's powerful GENDER QUEER, Art Spiegelman's incredible MAUS, Alison Bechdel's moving FUN HOME, or Alan Moore and David Lloyd's piercing V FOR VENDETTA, it's clear that deeply personal and fearlessly political comics and graphic novels are capturing imaginations across our polarized world. There's never been a more robust range of comics and graphic novels speaking to the demand for social and political change than right now."
"Sometimes the best fiction could be ripped from tomorrow's headlines if you don't open your eyes today." – Chuck D
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 launches with a special variant cover drawn by hip legend and higher thought leader Chuck D of PUBLIC ENEMY TODAY from Black Mask Studios, the Los Angeles based indie publisher of beloved titles including BLACK, 4 KIDS WALK INTO A BANK, SPACE RIDERS, KIM & KIM, ALICE IN LEATHERLAND, and GODKILLER. 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.
"The concepts Matt is presenting here are so familiar they should be terrifying"
– Chuck D of Public Enemy.
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 is available from Black Mask Studios TODAY, with the special variant drawn by Chuck D himself available exclusively from your favorite comic book shop in extremely limited quantities. To celebrate, Matteo Pizzolo will be signing copies of ROGUE STATE #1 at New England Comics in Boston at 12pm EST, and then again at Jetpack Comics in Rochester, NH at 4pm EST. Catch Pizzolo with fellow Black Mask creator Matthew Rosenberg on their 2022 east coast signing tour, with full details below!
ABOUT THE ARTIST: C. Granda is a freelance comic book creator and teacher with more than 20 years of self-study and more than 16 years dedicated to the creation and promotion of comics in his homeland of Medellín-Colombia, where he founded and was the associate director of the National Comic And Manga Hall cultural corporation, and one of the leaders of FICCO (Independent Colombian Comics fair) and the creator of COMICFAN a small press publisher specialized in creating comics for the Colombian market and creating content aimed at the teaching of comic book creation in Latin America including a Youtube channel with more than 250 videos about the making and analysis of comics for and in the Latin Market. He is also an experienced comic book artist with more than 10 years of experience in professional work with several US and UK publishers such as Heavy Metal, Black Mask, Zenescope, Markosia and others, with titles including CALEXIT: SAN DIEGO, PIROUETTE, GRIMM FAIRY TALES, ESCAPE FROM MONSTER ISLAND, THE JUNGLE BOOK, HEROES OF HOME ROOM C, and ARACHNA, as well as handling his own self published titles. Currently Granda lives in Medellín with his wife Cindy and their four cats; Shazam, Mister Darcy, Totoro and Achu.
ABOUT THE WRITER: An Amazon #1 bestselling author, Matteo Pizzolo was named Wired Magazine's "World's Most Wired Comics Creator," one of Bleeding Cool's Top 100 Most Influential People In Comics, and has appeared on CNN, NPR, and FOX News. While living out of a backpack as a teenager in NYC's Lower East Side, Pizzolo got his start as a playwright in Hell's Kitchen's Ensemble Studio Theatre's Youngblood program. At 19 he wrote and directed THREAT, an independent feature financed with credit cards and set in NYC's hardcore punk & underground hip hop scenes, which premiered at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, won a Best First Time Filmmaker award at the Rome Independent Film Festival, and was distributed by Sony He then wrote the comic book GODKILLER (selected as one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Books Of The Year and currently in production as a videogame starring Aya Cash of The Boys and Laura Bailey of Critical Role) and directed its animated film adaptation, distributed by Warner Brothers. He wrote the comic books YOUNG TERRORISTS (second only to Lumberjanes as the highest selling indie graphic novel of the year) and CALEXIT (recipient of international acclaim, including a Publishers Weekly starred review), and co-founded Black Mask where he's championed "subversive, provocative, and just plain awesome comics and creators." Utilizing his background in political organizing, Pizzolo created the Occupy Comics project and devotes himself to supporting and creating some of the bravest comics on shelves.
ABOUT BLACK MASK STUDIOS: Bringing the punk rock ethic to comics c/o co-founders Brett Gurewitz, Steve Niles, and Matteo Pizzolo, Black Mask supports creators telling awesome and important stories.
