( ENSPIRE Community Spotlight ) They Chose Violence Comic Book Pits Black HBCU Vigilantes Against Unchecked Racism And Crime
ENSPIRE Contributor: Joaquin Fernandez
AWA (Artists, Writers, and Artisans) Studios is releasing a new comic book series called They Chose Violence. The series will have a five-issue limited run. The story follows three black HBCU women who form a vigilante team to target unchecked white supremacists. Laneka, Deidre, and Karen are the main protagonists seeking justice outside a corrupted system of law that is not too dissimilar to the real world. They hide their identities with minimalistic white masks while delivering violence to deserving criminals. The trio is forced to confront themselves when a copycat killer writes out a specific message to them, which leads to a morally grey situation in the future. They Chose Violence aims to reflect the maturity and dark themes that permeate our own. It’s promising to show how far these vigilantes will go for the sake of justice without losing themselves in the end. Topical issues like racial injustice, police brutality, and public riots will be touched upon throughout the comic.
AWA Studios is a growing independent comic studio, founded by Jon Miller, Bill Jemas, and Axel Alonso in 2018. They aim to put the creators first and allow them to retain full ownership and creative control. In 2020, AWA released its first of many comic series called The Resistance. From there, the studio kept growing with more and more creator-run comics tackling bold ideas and characters. They Chose Violence is the latest in AWA Studios’ drive to give comic creators the proper platform for risks outside the major publishers. Allen has a diverse resume on series like Spider-Man Unlimited, Snatched, Concrete Jungle, and Crucified. Mauricio Campetella is the main artist to work alongside Allen across most of his titles as well.
How did the initial idea for THEY CHOOSE VIOLENCE develop from pitch to page?
Sheldon Allen: There wasn’t a single apple falling on the head moment. Nothing like that. I knew from the beginning I wanted the main characters to be Black women. This story had to be told from their perspective. Once that was established, their backgrounds, education, professions, personalities, and motivations took on a life of their own. Theme-wise, I’d say it was more of an accumulation of my observations over the last five years or so of the rising anger and cavalier approach to violence metastasizing within the world. I have my opinions on the root causes, but the book itself is more about what it would really look like if someone just went full-Travis Bickle in today’s environment. So I kind of honed in on that theme and merged it with the topic of social justice, and sprinkled in a bit of thriller elements on top for good measure. I wanted a book that was charged and relevant to the world unfolding around us, but at the same time, I wanted to make sure that we were telling an engaging, and dare I say fun, story.
What was the specific process and relationship between the art and writing for this comic?
Sheldon Allen: Man, this is my third book where I’ve been lucky enough to have Mauricio put my words to art. We’re getting to that point where we have a symbiotic relationship with how it should look on the page. It’s funny because I just recently finished writing a script for a book with no artist attached, and it’s an entirely different approach than when I know I’m in Mauricio’s capable hands. When I initially pitched THEY CHOOSE VIOLENCE to Mauricio, I thought the book might be a bit too culture-specific for him since he’s from Argentina, but he had an insatiable enthusiasm for the material and dove right in. It’s a career high for him as an artist in my totally biased opinion. He brought these girls to life. You’ll feel like you’ve met Laneka, Deidre, and Karen before. Their mannerisms. Their looks. Mauricio was 100% locked in.
How has racial injustice and historic discrimination been implemented into the characters and story of THEY CHOOSE VIOLENCE?
Sheldon Allen: It’s a big part of who are ladies are, and it’s always on the periphery of the story, but I can’t stress enough that this is a story seeking to entertain you before anything else. The last thing I want to do is come off as preachy or sanctimonious in my storytelling, and so it’s important for me to craft a tale that anybody can pick up and feel as if they are a part of what’s happening. I don’t mind having the tough conversations that’ll inevitably arise due to the book’s nature – I welcome those debates – but by far, my only true agenda is to thrill the reader and hopefully get them to pick up some more comic books when they’re done with mine.
What has been the most creatively satisfying part of seeing the comic finally be revealed to the public?
Sheldon Allen: I have to be honest – the book was written a few years back, and I was a bit worried some of the material would be outdated or old news, and much to my surprise, the book might be more socially relevant TODAY than it was when I first sat down to write it. But mostly, as any creator can attest, you’re just happy to get the product out there for public consumption. Being a writer can be such an insular craft, and really, the only thing you want is for people to just read your words. That’s the biggest reward for me, at least.
Can you tell us what experience and emotions were involved in writing THEY CHOOSE VIOLENCE, both for the artist and the writer?
Sheldon Allen: Just the experience of watching the world evolve around you in a way that runs counter to the values you were raised with. When I was a young’n back in the day, we were taught to be kind to one another. The act of sharing was a reward. Empathy and compassion were preached to us. Now? Seems like being the loudest bully is the goal. I don’t care much for this trend. Where violence is spoken of so passively. Like a thing that can be contained or forgotten. Where revenge is seen as the only path to viable justice. And yet, here we are.
What was it like creating an original story outside of the massive publishers in the comic industry?
Sheldon Allen: My very first published work, right out of the gate, was a SPIDER-MAN story. I still look at my name on that cover, next to the Marvel and Spidey logos, and I’m in awe. But there’s nothing like working on your own material. One of my favorite bits of feedback to get is from first-time comic readers who say they thought superhero stories were the only type of comic books being put out. I love filling that void of alternative themes in the medium. I concluded a long time ago that I’ll never be able to do the cape stuff better than Marvel and DC – I mean, you’re not going to create a better superhero than Batman, Superman, or Spider-Man. Be for real. But what you can do is create stories that are just as compelling, and so that’s been my approach from Day 1 with all my original creator-owned stuff.
What do you hope readers get to see out of the five issues?
Sheldon Allen: Without sounding too pretentious, I hope readers close the last page of THEY CHOOSE VIOLENCE and feel as if they’ve gone on a journey. A full meal that they didn’t even know they were hungry for. I want them to have a new appreciation for the medium. I want them to ask difficult questions about themselves, their views, their beliefs, their sympathies, and whether there’s a solid foundation there. Who knows, maybe they conclude there is. The purpose of THEY CHOOSE VIOLENCE isn’t to advocate one way or another. I simply hope that no matter where you stand that when the book is finished, you take a step back and evaluate that position with an entirely new set of eyes.
They Chose Violence by AWA Studios is a promising new crime thriller comic pitting three black crimefighters against racism and murder. It’s aiming to cover darker themes like racial injustice and unchecked corruption in the law. The comic places its protagonists in a tough situation where they have to confront themselves and their violent actions. It’s going to reflect the real world in both uncomfortable and interesting ways not seen in many comics today. The writer/artist duo of Sheldon Allen and Mauricio Campetella are cooking up a daring new story with complex characters and themes. The five-issue limited series is set to release #1 on Wednesday, June 18, with the rest becoming available weekly.
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