Posted in: Comics | Tagged: boom studios, Comics, Enterainment, J.G. Jones, mark waid, strange fruit

The Great Mississippi Flood Of 1927 Is Coming In J.G. Jones & Mark Waid's Strange Fruit

Published Fri, 12 Jun 2015 08:00:04 -0500

Prolific creators J.G. Jones (52, Wanted, Y: The Last Man) and Mark Waid(Irredeemable, Superman: Birthright, Kingdom Come) are joining forces to bring forth a personal passion project entitled, Strange Fruit. From BOOM! Studios, Strange Fruit is set during the historic Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, in a fictional town called Chatterlee, Mississippi. The story examines a heroic myth that confronts themes of racism, cultural legacy, and human nature through a literary lens, drawing from Southern folklore and tradition. As the Mississippi River is rising, threatening to break open not only the levees, but also the racial and social divisions of this former plantation town. A fiery message from the skies heralds the arrival of a visitor, one that will rip open the tensions in Chatterlee. Some will see him as a savior, others will see him as a threat.

J.G. Jones spoke of his passion about the project:

I have always had a passion for history, as well as the tales told by the old folks when I was a kid growing up in Louisiana. The River usually figured in there, somewhere. It was the lifeblood of the Delta, as well as the sleeping giant you hoped would never rouse. When I tossed out the idea for a historical drama to BOOM!, I was half expecting them to say, 'Interesting… what else you got?' Instead, they were really excited about the concept of Strange Fruit. Since I was batting pretty well at that point, I figured I'd buttonhole my old pal Mark Waid, a fellow Southerner, and bring in one of the finest writers in comics to help steer this little boat through the swamp with me. I couldn't be happier with the results, and I'm thrilled to have such a great team to bring Strange Fruit out into the world.

BOOM! Studios Editor-In-Chief Matt Gagnon added:

J.G. Jones and Mark Waid are two of the most beloved creators in our industry—working with them on a passion project of this magnitude is such an honor. This is a complex, challenging narrative that's pushed both creators to deliver their best work. Anytime creators this talented crank their craft in overdrive it's truly something to behold.

You know when you read about something, and it all just sounds so epic that you know it's going to be a good read? Well, that's how I feel about Strange Fruit. It's clear that a lot of handwork and passion went into this project, and I can't wait to see how the creative team put it all together. Strange Fruit #1 arrives in comic shops on July 8th.

Christine Marie is a Staff Writer at Bleeding Cool, and bibliomaniac with a love for all things creative. She hopes to one day be a Superhero/Disney Princess/Novelist. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @AWritersWay or on her blog writerchristinemarie.wordpress.com.