Some of the most important names in comics and TV are teaming up to inform tales of labor rights whereas elevating cash for placing writers.
Grant Morrison, Brian Michael Bendis, and Matteo Pizzolo, all WGA members and comic e-book writers, have teamed up with a bevy of different writers, prime artists and Black Mask Studios to have fun the continuing labor motion in Hollywood with General Strike: Calexit and Other Tales of Fighting the Good Fight. The anthology e-book, from the creators of Calexit, follows labor organizer Gen. Strike by the Calexit universe and tells tales “dedicated to the struggle for economic equality.”
The new e-book, which is out there for pre-order on Kickstarter, tells tales by a roster of WGA writers, together with author/producer/WGA NBCU Lot Coordinator Judalina Neira (The Boys, Gen V, The Flash), Rodney Barnes (Winning Time, The Boondocks), Tamara Becher (Doom Patrol, Daredevil), Daniel Dominguez (Seis Manos), Charley Feldman (X-Men ’97, Teen Titans Go!), Grant Morrison (Happy!, All-Star Superman), and Brian Michael Bendis (creator of Miles Morales and Jessica Jones). The venture is being run by WGA-member author and writer Matteo Pizzolo (Calexit, Godkiller, Rogue State).
“Our initial idea was to put together an anthology of new stories set in the world of Calexit, but, when we proposed that to the creators, they envisioned using Calexit as a launchpad for something bigger that could help support the community through the strikes,” Pat Shand, head of Black Mask Special Projects, mentioned. “And that’s how General Strike came together.”
The e-book received’t simply inform tales set in a fantasy world, both, as Black Mask Studios is matching the writers’ charges with donations to the Entertainment Community Fund. On prime of that, the creators retain possession of the IP to their tales and characters.
“With the longest-running dual strikes in Hollywood history reaching a crescendo, this is an amazing moment to celebrate the power and solidarity that got us here and also to keep telling stories that inspire us to fight these good fights,” Calexit author/co-creator Pizzolo mentioned. “The WGA and SAG strikes are part of the bigger labor movements growing across the country and around the world, but they’re also unique because they focus on creative artists – the public outpouring of support we’ve seen here hasn’t always been the case with past Hollywood strikes. It’s really inspiring and we’re hoping this project can honor that and also support the workers who are still struggling due to the impact of the strikes.”
Gen. Strike, a bubblegum-chewing labor organizer making her debut in General Strike, will likely be launched to the world by way of a set of covers by comic e-book artists Tyler Boss (4 Kids Walk Into A Bank, What’s The Furthest Place From Here?), Iolanda Zanfardino (Alice In Leatherland), Ben Templesmith (30 Days Of Night), Ramon Villalobos (America Chavez), Creees Lee (Lab Raider), Elisa Romboli (A Thing Called Truth), Amancay Nahuelpan (Calexit), and Darick Robertson (The Boys).
Artists engaged on the tales embody Antonio Fuso (Something Is Killing The Children: House Of Slaughter), Jamal Igle (BLACK, The Wrong Earth), Butch Mapa (Star Wars Adventures), Tyler Jenkins (Grass Kings), and Josh Hood (We Can Never Go Home).
“This strike isn’t just about writers in Hollywood, it’s about the exploitation of labor. As a proud member of the WGA and a recipient of Strike Fund assistance, I jumped at the chance to participate in this anthology,” Becher mentioned of the venture.
Previous initiatives from the creators of Calexit embody elevating cash for households separated on the U.S.-Mexico border through the Trump Administration, operating voter registration on the ground of San Diego Comic-Con, supporting Indivisible’s Get Out the Vote marketing campaign, and donating to bail funds through the George Floyd protests.
General Strike: Calexit and Other Tales of Fighting the Good Fight is out there for pre-order now on Kickstarter.
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