An anti-gun violence comic featuring Justice League writer Scott Snyder is rebranding itself as “Shots Fired” following a failed KickStarter in April.
The anti-gun violence anthology comic from Comicker Press was originally titled Every Day: An Anti-Gun Violence Comics Anthology. The project was canceled on April 9, 2019 due to a lack of funding. It had raised $4,425 from 173 backers. It’s goal was $19,395.
Comicker Press co-founder Sean E. Williams explained why they rebranded the comic:
“Since Kickstarter campaigns are all-or-nothing, when it became apparent that our last one wasn’t going to reach its goal, we decided to regroup and try again as quickly as possible. This issue is too important to not do this book, and the stories the creators are telling are truly unparalleled and need to be read.”
Shots Fired will be a 168 page anthology book with proceeds benefiting the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and the Community Justice Reform Coalition.
The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) claims they seek “to secure freedom from gun violence through research, strategic engagement, and effective policy advocacy.” They claim they have “led the way in exposing the dangerous insurrectionist ideology promoted by the NRA, Trump, and other allies in the gun lobby.”
The Community Justice Reform Coalition (CJRC) describes itself as a “collective action fund of Tides Foundation” They address “the intersection of gun violence prevention and criminal justice reform in urban communities of color.” Their website doesn’t really provide any information on what exactly they do. The Tides Foundation describes itself as a “philanthropic partner and nonprofit accelerator dedicated to building a world of shared prosperity and social justice.”
Shots Fired will see a number of comic book creators contributing to the anthology. Some of them include:
- Scott Snyder
- Kelly Thompson
- David Lafuente
- Phil Hester
- Ariela Kristantina
- Jamal Igle
- Devin Grayson
- Joe Keatinge
- Doselle Young
- Marguerite Sauvage
- Ron Marz
- Stuart Moore
- Shannon Wheeler
- Steven Grant
- Roger Langridge
- Matt Miner
- Ray Fawkes
- CW Cooke
- Alex de Campi
- Carla Speed McNeil
- Kelly Williams
- Emma Beeby
Editor of Shots Fired Brendan Wright stated:
“We simply couldn’t just watch anymore as our fellow human beings are senselessly killed on a daily basis. 96 people per day. That would make every single day the worst mass shooting in the US in modern times—by 38 people. To put that into another perspective, as of today the Washington Post has counted 1165 people killed in mass shootings in the US since 1966. So between suicides, accidents, crime, law enforcement, and other causes, there are more people killed with guns in two weeks in the US than in all the mass shootings over the last fifty years combined.”
He continued:
“Consistently, over 90% of Americans believe in common sense gun laws such as background checks. But the gun lobby, the NRA, and Mitch McConnell have kept them from passing. Mitch McConnell hasn’t allowed a vote in the Senate on gun control since 2015. That’s over 140,000 people who have died by gunfire in the U.S. under McConnell’s watch. That’s the equivalent of the entire population of Dayton, Ohio.”
Executive Director of CJRC said, “It’s truly an epidemic facing this nation, and it especially and disproportionately impacts communities of color.” Chelsea White, Director of Development and Events at CSGV added, “Once again, we want to thank everyone for their support to make gun violence rare and abnormal.”
The Shots Fired KickStarter campaign will launch on June 18th. Backers will have the option to get an exclusive limited-edition hardcover. Williams adds “We’ve also got some surprises and stretch goals in mind, once we reach our target.”