Posted in: Black Mask Studios, Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News | Tagged: china, godkiller, kickstarter

Godkiller Spiderland Banned From Being Printed in China & South Korea

Godkiller: The Banned Edition launched on Kickstarter after Spiderland was banned from being printed in China, South Korea and Malaysia.

Godkiller: The Banned Edition has launched on Kickstarter, alongside the launch for Black Mask's sixth volume, The Color You Took from Her Eyes. Why banned? Well therein lies a tale. Godkiller has joined a number of graphic novel bans for apparently containing queer content and blatant nihilism.

Godkiller: Spiderland #1 by writer Matteo Pizzolo and artist Anna Muckcracker sold out from comic stores and distributors. continuing the story of teenage orphan Tommy and escaped slavegirl Halfpipe who travel through a post-nuke wasteland in search of a new heart for Tommy's dying sister. But censorship prevented a collection being published for a year. But not, as one might expect, from the schools, libraries and bookstore level of American politics. But from China, South Korea and Malaysia.

Black Mask's North American printers couldn't access materials for hardcover graphic novels at the time. So Black Mask set the book up at overseas printers, but each time it was about to print, production was cancelled at the last minute. Black Mask was told that Godkiller: Spiderland was blocked by the censorship board in China for being "anti-humanity." In South Korea and Malaysia, Black Mask was told censors blocked it for being "too explicitly LGBT." They state, "A printer in Korea told us the book was too explicit for their government censors because Halfpipe and Soledad are having LGBT sex (they also explained what LGBT stands for in case we weren't sure, which was thoughtful). They said if it were graphic sexual violence that would be okay, BUT since Godkiller's magickal girls are enjoying each other, it's No-No-No!"

Anyway, they eventually found a printer closed to home, Godland: Spiderland is going to print and Black Mask is bringing a special edition direct to fans with the Kickstarter campaign Godkiller: The Banned Edition, which has now launched and so far has raised $2,532 against a $1,666 goal from 31 backers. Plenty more to come.

At the same time, Black Mask will unveil Godkiller's next instalment, Godkiller vol 6: The Color You Took From Her Eyes, which unfolds Godkiller's deepest mysteries as Halfpipe masters her newfound sorcery, unearthing the secrets of the Starkiller, while Tommy is seduced into dark mysticism by the strange witch Bones, his dangerous new mentor.

And Bleeding Cool has exclusive covers by Duski Loveless, one for the Spiderland hardcover and one for The Color You Took From Her Eyes #1. These will be added as a special Bleeding Cool Tier, because they like us.

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