{"id":765,"date":"2011-02-09T07:31:24","date_gmt":"2011-02-09T03:31:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/?p=765"},"modified":"2011-02-09T07:31:24","modified_gmt":"2011-02-09T03:31:24","slug":"rep-john-lewis-and-top-shelf-productions-sign-historic-publishing-agreement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/rep-john-lewis-and-top-shelf-productions-sign-historic-publishing-agreement\/","title":{"rendered":"Rep. John Lewis and Top Shelf Productions Sign Historic Publishing Agreement"},"content":{"rendered":"

February 7, 2010<\/strong><\/p>\n

Atlanta, GA \u2013 Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Top Shelf Productions have signed a publishing agreement. Top Shelf Productions has agreed to publish the graphic novel March<\/em>, coauthored by Rep. John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, tentatively scheduled for release in 2012.<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/strong>
From left to right: Chris Staros, Congressman John Lewis & Andrew Aydin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI am very pleased to be participating in this effort,\u201d said Congressman John Lewis. \u201cThis is something I really wanted to do some years ago and there is no better time to do it than now. It is not just a story of struggle; it is a story of involvement. It shows the ups, the downs, the ins and the outs of a movement.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is my hope,\u201d said Congressman Lewis, \u201cthat this work will be meaningful and helpful to future generations to give many people here in America and around the world the urge, the desire, to seek, to build, their own world, their own future.\u201d<\/p>\n

A meditation in the modern age on the distance traveled, both as a nation and as a people, since the days of Jim Crow and segregation, March <\/em>tells the first hand account of John Lewis\u2019 lifelong struggle for civil and human rights.<\/p>\n

The publishing agreement is an historic first, both for the U.S. Congress and graphic novel publishing as a whole, marking the first time a sitting Member of Congress has authored a graphic novel. Top Shelf Productions is the first and only graphic novel publisher to be certified by the House Committee on Standards.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a proud resident of Georgia, and a long-time fan of the honorable Congressman,\u201d adds publisher Chris Staros, \u201cthis is truly a deep honor. To bring, not only his life\u2019s story, but that of the Civil Rights Movement to the comics medium is truly exciting. This will make this historical and timeless message accessible to an entirely new generation of readers.\u201d<\/p>\n

An artist has yet to be named for the project though candidates are being actively considered.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

JOHN LEWIS<\/strong>, is Georgia\u2019s Fifth Congressional District Representative and an American icon widely known for his role in the Civil Rights Movement.<\/p>\n

As a student at American Baptist Theological Seminary in 1959, John Lewis organized sit-in demonstrations at segregated lunch counters in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1961, he volunteered to participate in the Freedom Rides, which challenged segregation at interstate bus terminals across the South. He was beaten severely by angry mobs and arrested by police for challenging the injustice of Jim Crow segregation in the South.<\/p>\n

From 1963 to 1966, Lewis was Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). As Chairman, John Lewis became a nationally recognized leader. Lewis was dubbed one of the Big Six leaders of the Civil Rights Movement and at the age of 23, he was an architect of and a keynote speaker at the historic March on Washington in August 1963.<\/p>\n

In 1964, John Lewis coordinated SNCC efforts to organize voter registration drives and community action programs during the Mississippi Freedom Summer. The following year, Lewis helped spearhead one of the most seminal moments of the Civil Rights Movement. Hosea Williams, another notable Civil Rights leader, and John Lewis led over 600 peaceful, orderly protestors across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965. They intended to march from Selma to Montgomery to demonstrate the need for voting rights in the state. The marchers were attacked by Alabama state troopers in a brutal confrontation that became known as “Bloody Sunday.” News broadcasts and photographs revealing the senseless cruelty of the segregated South helped hasten the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.<\/p>\n

Despite more than 40 arrests, physical attacks and serious injuries, John Lewis remained a devoted advocate of the philosophy of nonviolence. After leaving SNCC in 1966, he continued his commitment to the Civil Rights Movement as Associate Director of the Field Foundation and his participation in the Southern Regional Council’s voter registration programs. Lewis went on to become the Director of the Voter Education Project (VEP). In 1977, John Lewis was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to direct more than 250,000 volunteers of ACTION, the federal volunteer agency.<\/p>\n

In 1981, he was elected to the Atlanta City Council. He was elected to Congress in November 1986 and has served as U.S. Representative of Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District since then.<\/p>\n

ANDREW AYDIN<\/strong>, an Atlanta native, currently serves in Rep. John Lewis\u2019 Washington, D.C. office handling Telecommunications and Technology policy as well as New Media. Previously, Andrew served as Communications Director and Press Secretary during Rep. Lewis\u2019 2008 and 2010 re-election campaigns. Andrew is a graduate of the Lovett School in Atlanta and Trinity College in Hartford, and is currently pursuing a master\u2019s degree at Georgetown University.<\/p>\n

TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS<\/strong> is the literary graphic novel and comics publisher best known for its ability to discover and showcase the vanguard of the comics scene. Founded by Co-Publisher Brett Warnock in 1995, and partnered by Co-Publisher Chris Staros in 1997, Top Shelf has produced over two hundred graphic novels and comics that have helped to revitalize interest in comics as a literary art form. Most notably, Alan Moore\u2019s FROM HELL, LOST GIRLS,\u00a0and THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN; Craig Thompson\u2019s BLANKETS; Andy Runton’s OWLY; Robert Venditti & Brett Weldele\u2019s THE SURROGATES, Jeff Lemire\u2019s ESSEX COUNTY, and Jeffrey Brown’s CLUMSY & UNLIKELY, all of which have garnered critical accolades from the likes of Time Magazine<\/em>, USA Today<\/em>, Entertainment Weekly<\/em>, People Magazine<\/em>, Publishers Weekly<\/em> , The New Yorker<\/em>, and the New York Times Book Review<\/em>.<\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

February 7, 2010 Atlanta, GA \u2013 Congressman John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Top Shelf Productions have signed a publishing agreement. Top Shelf Productions has agreed to publish the graphic novel March, coauthored by Rep. John Lewis and Andrew Aydin, tentatively scheduled for release in 2012. \u201cI am very pleased to be participating in this effort,\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpas_customize_per_network":false},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-765","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1opIU-cl","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3081,"url":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/top-shelf-goes-digital\/","url_meta":{"origin":765,"position":0},"title":"Top Shelf goes digital!","author":"AJ","date":"November 14, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Top Shelf dives into digital comics: Two apps, books on every platform, and one incredible sale! Some of the bestselling graphic novels of recent years now fit in your pocket -- for just a few dollars each. The comic book industry takes another significant step into the future today, as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/i1.createsend2.com\/ei\/y\/E6\/95C\/2AD\/csimport\/DigitalPRImage.062609.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1878,"url":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/super-0-comes-to-film\/","url_meta":{"origin":765,"position":1},"title":"Super 0 Comes to Film","author":"AJ","date":"June 7, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"From Variety \"X-Men: First Class\" visual effects supervisor John Dykstra has lined up his first feature as director, \"Super Zero.\" \"Super Zero\" is based on the graphic novel \"Tales From the Farm,\" by Jeff Lemire. John Carr has penned a screenplay, with Steven Gilder and Alec Chorches producing. Project has\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/Essex-County-Tales-From-the-Farm-Jeff-Lemire-Top-Shelf.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":15588,"url":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/get-ready-to-devour-coyotes-vol-1-this-april\/","url_meta":{"origin":765,"position":2},"title":"Get ready to devour COYOTES, VOL. 1 this April","author":"Forbidden Panel","date":"March 9, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Writer Sean Lewis (THE FEW, SAINTS) and artist Caitlin Yarsky will collect the first four issues of their dark fantasy series COYOTES this April. In a dusty desert town on the southern border of the United States, women are going missing. Detective Frank Coffey is called in to investigate\u2014and finds\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/9153b0ba-d131-425f-a740-de5951e005ef.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4415,"url":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/human-fly-superhero-movie-in-development\/","url_meta":{"origin":765,"position":3},"title":"Human Fly Superhero Movie In Development","author":"Forbidden Panel","date":"June 28, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The Human Fly might be buzzing around a movie theater soon, as a film about the former Marvel Comic character is in development. A Human Fly comic, based on real-life stuntman Joe Ramacieri, was licensed and published by Marvel from 1977-1979. Over its 19-issue run and in various other Marvel\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Human Fly Movie","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www-deadline-com.vimg.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/human-Fly__120627164046.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2163,"url":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/the-incredible-graphic-novel-lucille-by-ludovic-debeurme-hits-stores\/","url_meta":{"origin":765,"position":4},"title":"The incredible graphic novel LUCILLE by Ludovic Debeurme hits stores!","author":"AJ","date":"July 6, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"In the tradition of BLANKETS, ESSEX COUNTY, and SWALLOW ME WHOLE comes the next literary masterpiece from Top Shelf Productions: LUCILLE by Ludovic Debeurme. With the book arriving in stores worldwide this week, we present a video introduction to Ludovic Debeurme and his masterful book LUCILLE, featuring interviews and musical\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/i1.createsend1.com\/ei\/y\/3C\/6AB\/67D\/buhyhr\/LucilleCoversm220514.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14532,"url":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/ryan-gosling-developing-jeff-lemires-the-underwater-welder-as-movie\/","url_meta":{"origin":765,"position":5},"title":"Ryan Gosling Developing Jeff Lemire\u2019s \u2018The Underwater Welder\u2019 as Movie","author":"Forbidden Panel","date":"March 6, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Ryan Gosling, Ken Kao, and Anonymous Content have come on board to produce a movie adaptation of Jeff Lemire\u2019s graphic novel \u201cThe Underwater Welder.\u201d The New York Times bestseller details a man in the dangerous profession of underwater welding, who has a supernatural encounter at the bottom of the sea.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/the-underwater-welder-movie-ryan-gosling.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/the-underwater-welder-movie-ryan-gosling.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/the-underwater-welder-movie-ryan-gosling.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=765"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/765\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=765"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/forbiddenpanel.com\/PanelCast\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}