Calexit (comic)

Last updated
Calexit
Publication information
Publisher Black Mask Studios
Scheduleirregular
Format Ongoing series
Publication dateJuly 2017–present
No. of issues8
Creative team
Written by Matteo Pizzolo
Artist(s) Amancay Nahuelpan, Carlos Granda, Butch Mapa
Letterer(s) Jim Campbell, DC Hopkins
Colorist(s) Tyler Boss, James Offredi, Lauren Affe
Collected editions
Calexit vol. 1 ISBN   978-1628751819

Calexit is a speculative fiction comic book written by Matteo Pizzolo, illustrated by Amancay Nahuelpan, and published by Black Mask Studios. [1]

Contents

The book has been called "prescient" [2] and "all-too-topical" [3] as if "Matt Pizzolo has some kind of crystal ball for this thing." [4]

According to Entertainment Weekly, the comic book was initially created prior to the 2016 United States presidential election and before the term Calexit was adopted by the Yes California initiative, [5] explaining that the story was actually inspired by the California droughts. Pizzolo said "The thought of having to rely on the federal government for something like water was scary... To my mind, the comic isn’t about secession or attacking the government, it’s about people learning to take care of one another at a time when it feels like we’re all slipping apart." [6] CNN reported that Pizzolo based the comic book title off of Brexit. [7]

The comic has been cited as "seemingly ripped-from-the-headlines" and predicting events, such as in The Battle of San Onofre, which "tells the story of friends radicalized by a DHS raid at their workplace, and though seemingly ripped from today's headlines, the story was written last year before the current wave of deportations." [8]

Publication

Black Mask put out three issues of Calexit from July 2017 to May 2018, followed by a trade paperback collection published in June 2018.

In July 2018, Black Mask released Calexit: All Systems San Diego written by Pizzolo and illustrated by Carlos Granda with colors by Lauren Affe and covers by Tyler Boss and Ben Templesmith. [9]

In July 2022, Calexit: Our Last Night In America was released, also by Pizzolo and Granda, with colors by Brad Simpson and cover by Sunando.

In July 2025, volume 2 Calexit: The Battle Of Universal City debuted [10] along with spinoffs Calexit: L For Luigi and Calexit: The Battle of San Onofre. [11]

Plot

Following an order from the United States federal government to deport all immigrants, California declares itself a sanctuary state, triggering a military intervention by the federal government plunging the state into chaos. The series follows Jamil, a smuggler, and Zora, a resistance leader, who escape together from a detention facility in Occupied Los Angeles.

Reception

Calexit sold out its first print run of 25,000 copies within 24 hours, [12] going on to sell through seven additional printings. [10] It received positive reviews from io9, [13] Boing Boing [14] Newsarama, [15] , New York Magazine / Vulture, [16] Entertainment Weekly, [6] Rolling Stone, [17] NPR, [18] Paste, [19] Salon, [3] and a starred review in Publishers Weekly. [20]

Calexit: The Battle of Universal City #1 debuted in July 23, 2025 and also sold out its first print run within 24 hours of release. [21] On August 7, 2025, a second printing was announced. [22]

Activism

Several Calexit comics have been designed as charitable fundraisers.

Pizzolo organized the political action committee "Become The Government" in 2017 to support first time political candidates in the 2018 midterm elections funded by royalties from the Calexit comic book. [23]

An Indivisible volunteer registers a new voter. Calexit's Emmie-X illustrated by Emily Pearson, created by Matt Pizzolo and Carlos Granda Volunteer registers a new voter at Comic Con, hosted by Emily Pearson and Matt Pizzolo comic Emmie-X.jpg
An Indivisible volunteer registers a new voter. Calexit's Emmie-X illustrated by Emily Pearson, created by Matt Pizzolo and Carlos Granda

Pizzolo hosted Indivisible to run voter registration at the Calexit booth on the showfloor of San Diego Comic-Con in 2018, where he unveiled the charity comic book Calexit: All Systems San Diego (referencing San Diego band Rocket from the Crypt's album) which introduced the new character Emmie-X, a pirate radio DJ in Occupied San Diego. [24] Profits from Calexit: All Systems San Diego were donated to San Diego Rapid Response to help families separated during the border crisis. [9]

Indivisible San Diego adopted Emmie-X as the face of their 2018 voter outreach efforts with the "Voting Is My Superpower" campaign. Artist Emily Pearson (The Wilds, Snap Flash Hustle, Bonding) illustrated Emmie-X for the campaign. [25]

In 2025, Pizzolo debuted two new Calexit comics: The Battle of San Onofre (illustrated by Butch Mapa) and L For Luigi (illustrated by Elisa Pocetta), with profits from both being donated to Alliance San Diego to help families affected by the ICE Raids. Pizzolo explained to Comics Beat that he was inspired to donate the profits after seeing The Battle of San Onofre story become darkly prophetic when real-life ICE raids mirrored the book's speculative-fiction after he wrote it:

“With Calexit, I do my best to keep the dystopia optimistic and constructive. I focus on characters struggling to do the right thing for each other in a world gone mad. I wrote this character-origin story last year, and it’s heartbreaking to see real world events devolve at such a rapid clip and mirror the comic’s dark speculation. We’re doing what we can with the tools at our disposal, raising money for an organization that is on the frontlines, helping people.” [11]

Adaptation

A television pilot based on Calexit, written by Pizzolo, was optioned by MRC in a five-studio bidding war. It was then purchased by the studio, but ultimately reverted before being produced. [10]

In July 2025, Chad Stahelski was announced to produce a feature film adaptation of the comic. Pizzolo wrote the spec script. [10]

References

  1. ↑ Garcia, Arturo (14 July 2017). "'Calexit' Comic Depicts State Under Siege Following Secession". Snopes. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  2. ↑ Rivera, Mickey (14 August 2018). "'Calexit Vol. 1' exciting, engrossing—and disturbing in its implications". Doomrocket.
  3. 1 2 Bell, Gabriel (28 June 2017). "Comics resist: Secessionist Californians battle Trumpism in "Calexit"". Salon.
  4. ↑ Johnston, Rich (18 May 2023). "What If Universal City Went To War With California? Calexit Returns". Bleeding Cool.
  5. ↑ Robinson, Melia (9 November 2016). "People in California are calling for a 'Calexit' from the US in the wake of Trump's win". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 11 November 2016. Retrieved 10 August 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. 1 2 Holub, Christian (12 July 2017). "New comic Calexit sees California rebelling against President Trump". Entertainment Weekly.
  7. ↑ Hamedy, Saba (19 July 2017). "There's now a dystopian comic book called 'Calexit'". CNN.
  8. ↑ Johnston, Rich (23 July 2025). "Black Mask Sell New Calexit Comic At SDCC To Benefit ICE Victims". Bleeding Cool.
  9. 1 2 Holub, Christian (18 July 2018). "'Calexit' releases Comic-Con issue to raise money for immigrant families". Entertainment Weekly.
  10. 1 2 3 4 Kit, Borys (July 23, 2025). "'John Wick' Filmmaker Chad Stahelski Tackling California Rebellion Comic 'Calexit' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
  11. 1 2 Puc, Samantha (July 23, 2025). "SDCC '25: Black Mask announces CALEXIT benefit comic". Comics Beat. Retrieved July 23, 2025.
  12. ↑ Gustines, George Gene (18 July 2017). "Comic Books That Put the Pow in Political Power". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  13. ↑ Pulliam-Moore, Charles (23 July 2017). "Calexit Is a Bloody, Dystopian Vision of Trump's America and the People Bold Enough To Resist It". io9. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  14. ↑ Doctorow, Cory (16 December 2018). "Calexit: a fractured California, where militias and the DHS battle the resistance in Trump's future America". Boing Boing. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  15. ↑ Lydon, Pierce (12 July 2017). "Best Shots Review: CALEXIT #1 'Is The Most Political Book On Stands Now'". Newsarama. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  16. ↑ Riesman, Abraham (30 June 2017). "The 8 Best Comics To Read In July". Vulture.
  17. ↑ Garcia, Arturo (23 July 2018). "Black Mask Draws The Resistance". Rolling Stone.
  18. ↑ Martinez, A (25 July 2017). "In 'Calexit' comic, a seceded California is beset by civil war". NPR.
  19. ↑ "Required Reading". Paste. 10 July 2017.
  20. ↑ "Calexit, vol. 1". Publishers Weekly.
  21. ↑ "Calexit vol 2 #1: First Printing Sold Out".
  22. ↑ Johnston, Rich (2025-08-07). "PrintWatch: Ultimate, Transformers, Godzilla, Calexit, Darkstalkers". Bleeding Cool.
  23. ↑ Gustines, George Gene (2017-07-18). "Comic Books That Put the Pow in Political Power". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2020-09-24.
  24. ↑ Callwood, Brett (2018-07-12). "Black Mask Studios Is Dragging the Comic Book Medium Into the Politically Aware Era". LA Weekly. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
  25. ↑ Holub, Christian (2018-07-18). "Calexit releases Comic-Con issue to raise money for immigrant families". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2020-10-08.
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