SDCC News: Writer Matteo Pizzolo, the creator of Calexit and co-founder of Black Mask Studios, is back with a new tale of turmoil, Rogue State. Pizzolo and artist C. Granda (Calexit: San Diego) set their ongoing series in an America where a contested presidential election leads to unrest and the Supreme Court rules that the Second Amendment legitimizes all militias, resulting in a police state that tramples on the rights of ordinary citizens. Clara Cruz is a young professional who joins the movement led by a mysterious freedom fighter, Vya Of Brightstars, to create a sovereign state of their own, spurring others to set up their own armies on both sides of the conflict. The first issue will be published on October 5, 2022 with covers by Granda and Soo Lee; an ashcan was available in limited quantities at Comic-Con.

“A big part of building authenticity and depth to the characters and the world of Rogue State comes from C. Granda’s incredible eye for detail and the way he infuses the work with his own experiences and observations,” Pizzolo said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “Granda grew up in Medellin-Colombia, where he still lives and runs multiple cultural organizations devoted to supporting comic book creation in Latin America. He was a kid during the Palace of Justice siege when insurgents stormed the Supreme Court and left half the Justices dead. When Granda imagines a comic book world roiled by political violence, there’s a reason it feels so vital and lived-in.”

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