Congressman John Lewis to release second Civil Rights-themed graphic novel in 2015
‘I hope the book will inspire people to speak out, to speak up, to be brave, and to be courageous’
- Courtesy Top Shelf
- “MARCH: Book Two”
On the heels of his highly-acclaimed 2013 graphic novel, March: Book One, Congressman John Lewis has formally announced that its sequel will be released next year.
The longtime Atlanta congressman and civil rights icon, who last year guest edited Creative Loafing’s nonviolence issue, will again collaborate with co-author Andrew Aydin and illustrator Nate Powell on March: Book Two, the second installment of a planned trilogy that explores the tradition of nonviolence within the Civil Rights Movement.
“I hope the book will inspire people to speak out, to speak up, to be brave, and to be courageous,” Lewis told CNN. “... I’m surprised that many of our young people have not been taught anything about the American Civil Rights Movement. And not just children or young people, but even adults.”
Earlier this morning, March: Book Two publisher Top Shelf offered several details about the graphic novel. The company writes in a blog post:
Book Two will be significantly longer than Book One, taking a step forward into the tumultuous events of 1961-1963 while continuing the framing narrative of President Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2009. Major plot lines include the famous journey of the Freedom Riders, imprisonment at Mississippi’s Parchman Penitentiary, and young John Lewis’ involvement in helping to plan and lead the legendary 1963 March on Washington.
Nate Powell’s powerful cover showcases (on top) the Freedom Riders’ bus set on fire by a white supremacist mob in Anniston, AL, May 14, 1961, and (on bottom) Lewis’ fiery speech at the March on Washington, August 28, 1963.
Top Shelf expects to release March: Book Two sometime in early 2015. It will be released in three different editions: softcover ($19.95), hardcover ($29.95), and limited-edition signed and numbered hardcover ($49.95).