INTERVIEW: ‘Ignited’ comic touches upon issue of school violence
Image: Courtesy of Humanoids / Provided by Superfan Promotions with permission.
Mark Waid and Kwanza Osajefo’s new comic, Ignited, follows a group of students and faculty after they’ve experienced a horrible act of violence in their school. They are haunted by the memories of the attack, and the survivors begin to see changes in their lives and what they’ve become.
The survivors have become “ignited” and gained superpowers after the terrible incident, and now they must deal with this new reality.
The comic, which recently released issue #1, is the first-ever ongoing series from Humanoids, an international graphic novel publisher. In addition to Osajefo and Waid’s writing efforts, Phil Briones provides art, and John Cassaday and Yanick Paquette provides the covers.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Osajefo about the new title and the difficult subject matter of school violence. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
When did the initial idea for Ignited come to you and Mark Waid?
Ignited came together in the initial brainstorming meetings between myself, Yanick, Carla [Speed McNeil] and Fabrice [Giger]. I came up with the concept prior and pitched it to the group. We workshopped it together — took out some things, added some things — but Ignited [is] pretty close to how it was originally envisioned.
Was there any hesitancy about creating a comic based on such a difficult issue?
No hesitation but plenty of caution and empathy. Domestic terror of schools, black churches and LGBTQIA clubs has been prevalent since the 1970s, and 2018 saw the biggest spike on record.
Art is a reflection of life, so while we are sensitive to the people this affects directly, it’s just as important to not ignore it.
How did you create and write authentic characters who were much younger than you and Mark Waid? What kind of research did you conduct into high schools, students and this topic?
Friends have told me I’m secretly a teenage girl, maybe because I love the 1975 and BTS? But I tend to stay aware of pop culture and youth trends. If for no other reason than to keep them off my lawn. Seriously though, I think certain core things about being a teenager don’t change from generation to generation. I still remember being these kids age.
Mark has been great at researching these tragedies so that we’re thoughtful and accurate when incorporating things into the story. He’s been amazing at telling a story that is engaging but also respectful of people’s experiences.
Do you believe Ignited is an example of activist literature? Do you hope readers ultimately change their viewpoints?
Activists feels like a label for political rhetoric. There are real dedicated activists out there fighting every day for civil rights that are still denied women, POC and LGBTQIA. We’re writing a comic book. That it’s about a very serious matter our government is too compromised to address strikes me as a very relevant story to tell.
What’s it like working for Humanoids?
Really cool. It’s amazing to build an entire universe from the ground up. Basically creating the physical laws for how this universe will operate is a rare opportunity. Doing so for such a renowned publisher even more so .
Do you believe Ignited will solely be about the issue of gun violence, or will there be other social commentary in the future?
That’s a catalyst for the story and a key motivator behind our protagonists’ choices, but I think Ignited is more about challenging apathy and fighting to change the world for the better.
What’s it like working with Mark Waid and artist Phil Briones?
Amazing. I’m really fortunate as a newer writer to have such seasoned artists to work with. It makes it easier for me to wild out and have a team who can balance that out and learn from.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Ignited issue #1, written by Mark Waid and Kwanza Osajefo, is now available from Humanoids. Click here for more information.
