Launching Today with a Kickstarter Campaign that Runs Through October 22, the Series Brings Together Some of the Most Prolific and Award-Winning Black Creators in Comics Including Writer Bryan Edward Hill and Artist Denys Cowan
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 17, 2024 – At long last, The Black ILLuminati will be revealed. In partnership with Charlamagne Tha God, one of the most influential voices in hip-hop and pop culture, Artists Writers and Artisans (AWA) today launched its Kickstarter campaign for an all-new supernatural thriller called ILLuminati. Produced by Charlamagne, the upcoming 128-page graphic novel merges the worlds of hip-hop and comics and introduces an all-new female hero in a story that delves deep into one of the most enduring urban legends of our time: the existence of a Black Illuminati. With a passion for riveting storytelling that showcases authentic hip-hop culture, Charlamagne and the AWA team worked to bring some of the greatest and most influential Black talents together to create this original story, cover art and variant cover art. Kicking off today, the ILLuminati Kickstarter campaign runs through Tuesday, October 22.
ILLuminati is written by acclaimed writer and filmmaker Bryan Edward Hill (CHARIOT, ULTIMATE BLACK PANTHER), drawn by Inkpot Award-winning artist and producer Denys Cowan (BLACK PANTHER, STATIC SHOCK), and inked by Eisner Award-winning artist Bill Sienkiewicz (NEW MUTANTS, LEGION), with cover art by Eisner and Ringo Award-winning artist Sanford Greene (BITTER ROOT, POWER-MAN & IRON FIST, 1000). Additionally, unique variant covers were created to honor five of the greatest and most influential hip-hop albums from the last 50 years. The albums and artists being showcased were personally selected and curated by Charlamagne and celebrate the ground-breaking album art of each record.
“For me, The Black Illuminati is the most enduring urban legend of our day,” said Charlamagne Tha God. “I am tremendously passionate about merging the hip-hop and comics genres and wanted this story to be told authentically. Through my media endeavors, I’m committed to celebrating Black creators in all forms, and I couldn’t be happier with what Bryan Edward Hill, Denys Cowan, Bill Sienkiewicz, and the AWA team have achieved with ILLuminati. This story introduces a brand-new hero who embodies the definitions of grit, determination, and love, and I’m thrilled her story will soon be available for the world to fall in love with just as I have.”
Through Kickstarter, fans will have access to tiered rewards not available anywhere else including special digital, softcover, and hardcover editions, high-quality merch bundles, and VIP experiences with Charlamagne and the project’s creative team. Alongside Sanford Greene’s main cover, AWA is also working with world-renowned and fan-favorite artists including Glyph Comics Award-winner Shawn Martinbrough (LUKE CAGE NOIR), Keron Grant (FANTASTIC FOUR), DC cover variant artist Irvin Rodriguez (BLACK ADAM), and Eisner Awards and Harvey Award-winner Kyle Baker (PLASTIC MAN) to create variant covers inspired by five hip-hop albums curated by Charlamagne. Additional details surrounding the covers and the records that inspired them will be revealed soon.
Those interested in supporting the campaign and reviewing its exclusive reward offerings can check out the official Kickstarter page here. By offering ILLuminati to fans through Kickstarter, AWA allows fans to support this graphic novel in more than 200 countries and the publisher to ship it worldwide once complete.
The story is set in Los Angeles, a city of secrets where fame has a price. In ILLuminati, when a rising hip-hop star dies under mysterious circumstances, her twin sister Lily – a young woman with psychic abilities – journeys to the City of Angels for answers and becomes enmeshed in a dark conspiracy that snakes its way through the pillars of power, fame, and popular culture. ILLuminati is a relentless supernatural thriller that tackles head-on the most enduring urban legend of our day: The Black Illuminati.
Chief Creative Officer of AWA Axel Alonso added, “When Charlamagne Tha God said he wanted to produce ILLuminati, I was down from day one. With ILLuminati, we have assembled a team of the best Black talent to create a gripping story that explores the most enduring urban legend of our time. From the special editions to the unique hip-hop variants and more, I’m confident that fans will love this new story and the truly unique universe it introduces.”
ILLuminati marks AWA’s fourth Kickstarter project, following the successful campaigns for Ronda Rousey’s EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED, Frank Cho’s FIGHT GIRLS – DELUXE DIRECTOR’S CUT EDITION, and Garth Ennis’ MARJORIE FINNEGAN, TEMPORAL CRIMINAL, each of which surpassed their initial funding goals within their respective launch dates.
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