First Second Books has announced World Citizen Comics, a new imprint for non-fiction comics aimed at spurring civic involvement and media literacy among adults, young adults, and tween readers.  The primary concept here is pairing well-regarded non-fiction authors with comic artists, for example teaming Professor Seth Abramson (Proof of Collusion) consulting with comics artist Scott McCloud (Understanding Comics), or having cartoonist Ally Shwed adapt Cynthia and Sanford Levinson’s Fault Lines in the Constitution.

The first World Citizen Comics release, which is slated for March 2020, is Unrig: How to Fix Our Broken Democracy written by Dan Newman, the founder of Maplight.org, a non-partisan group that tracks the influence of money on our political system, and illustrated by George O’Connor, creator of the Olympians graphic novels.

The second World Citizen Comics offering will be Shwed’s adaptation of Fault Lines in the Constitution, which is due in May, 2020. 

In addition to Unrig, and Fault Lines in the Constitution, World Citizen Comics’ initial slate of releases includes five other titles: an adaptation of Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner’s What Unites Us by artist Tim Foley; The Media Adventurer’s Handbook written and illustrated by Melissa Hart; Citizen Journalist written by Seth Abramson with  Scott McCloud consulting; Re-Constitution written by Beka Feathers and illustrated by Kasia Babis; and Breaking the News by Jennifer F. Pozner, illustrated by Shelli Paroline and Braden Lamb.