Black Mask Studios
Black Mask Studios is a comic book and graphic novel publishing company formed by Matt Pizzolo, Steve Niles and Brett Gurewitz, designed as a new infrastructure to support comic book creators and a new pipeline for transgressive art.
Black Mask is known for the miniseries Elisa Romboli's Alice In Leatherland, Matthew Rosenberg's 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank, Magdalene Visaggio's Kim & Kim, Matt Miner's Liberator, Tini Howard's The Skeptics, Vita Ayala's The Wilds, Curt Pires's Mayday, Amancay Nahuelpan's Clandestino, Fabian Rangel Jr.'s Space Riders, and Kwanza Osajyefo's White.
Comic book writer Matthew Rosenberg, the writer of Uncanny X-Men and Batman whose first comic book 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank was published by BM, appeared on the Word Balloon podcast with John Siuntres and he said:
"There's going to be a moment in this industry when Matt Pizzolo is really viewed as one of the great eyes for talent. Up there with, I don't want to say up there with Karen Berger just to not throw myself in with that, but regarding the talent that came out of Black Mask versus other indie publishers: so many good people got their start there. Tini Howard's first creator owned book is at Black Mask. Vita Ayala's first creator owned book is at Black Mask. My first creator owned book is at Black Mask. Alexis Ziritt. So many people doing great work. Like Tony Patrick and Mags Visaggio. Curt Pires. Zac Thompson and Lonnie Nadler. All these people who are doing great, fascinating, cool books. All these people who are doing stuff that I love can point to Black Mask as that was the first door that was opened. I think in the history books Black Mask is not going to dominate sales anytime soon, but the eye for talent has been really impeccable."
Host John Siuntres agreed. "It's a great roster and responsible for a lot of the great new voices in comics."
According to publicly available data, Black Mask's top five bestselling series include Calexit, Godkiller, Black, 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank, and Rogue State. Black Mask's top reviewed debut issue of a new series is currently Young Terrorists #1 followed by a tie between Ballistic #1 and CalExit #1, and its top reviewed collected standalone story is currently a three-way tie between 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank, We Can Never Go Home, and The Dregs. The first Black Mask series to be adapted into a feature film is 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank starring Liam Neeson, to be released by Amazon Studios in 2026.
History
On March 20, 2012, it was announced that Occupy Comics, the charity comic book inspired by and raising funds for Occupy Wall Street, organized by Pizzolo, would not be released through an existing comic book publisher, but through a new company called Black Mask Studios.Niles and Gurewitz joined with Pizzolo to found Black Mask, Niles noting "if V for Vendetta were created today there would be no publisher for it." Pizzolo has explained that Black Mask will operate under the mottos "to create you must destroy" and "Inspire, never meddle".
On June 12, 2012, Black Mask Studios opened its webstore and officially released Occupy Comics No. 1 with the announcement that Pulitzer Prize-winner Art Spiegelman, Bill Ayers, Ryan Alexander-Tanner, Jimmy Palmiotti, and Matt Bors had joined the book's roster.
On September 17, 2012, the one-year anniversary of Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Comics No. 2 was released to the project's Kickstarter backers and via the Black Mask Studios website. The cover featured a new and iconic illustration by V For Vendetta artist David Lloyd pitting his seminal character V against the Wall Street Charging Bull.
Nearly a year later, on February 14, 2013, Black Mask Studios unveiled its first slate of comics with a two-pronged distribution strategy of supplying comics to traditional comic book shops as well as direct-to-fan through digital-physical hybrid subscriptions.
The following year, in October 2014, Black Mask Studios announced its second slate of 15 new series, a major expansion for the company, flagshipped by Sinatoro from Grant Morrison and Vanesa Del Rey and Disciples from Steve Niles and Christopher Mitten.
Black Mask Studios has since announced several non-comics productions: a TV adaptation of Five Ghosts by Frank Barbiere and Chris Mooneyham, executive produced by Pizzolo and Gurewitz for Syfy and Universal Cable Productions with a pilot by Evan Daugherty; an animated feature film trilogy of Godkiller by Pizzolo, Anna Muckcracker Wieszczyk and Ben Templesmith, a TV adaptation of The Disciples by Niles and Christopher Mitten at Universal Cable Productions, a TV adaptation of Mayday at Imperative, and an adaptation of Sinatoro by Grant Morrison and Vanesa Del Rey at Universal Television with a pilot by Heroes writers Adam Armus and Kay Foster, co-produced with Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Black Mask currently has 11 projects in development at studios.
Warner Bros. Pictures announced that it is developing a feature film universe based on the comic book series BLACK set to be directed by Gerard McMurray. Sony Pictures Television announced that Black Mask is producing an animated series adaptation of the comic book series Faust set to be written by Matt Pizzolo. Picturestart announced that it is developing a feature film based on the comic book series 4 Kids Walk Into A Bank set to be written by Matthew Robinson.
Titles
The first slate of titles was scheduled to launch on May Day 2013 with Occupy Comics No. 1.The second slate of titles began debuting in late 2014 with new series scheduled to launch through mid-2015.
The third slate of titles debuted in Spring 2016.
In May 2017, it was announced that Black Mask title Kim & Kim earned the company its first Eisner Award nomination.
Black Mask Studios announced in February 2017 that a new comic Calexit will be released in May 2017, which will be about the Pacific Coast Sister Cities Resistance in a California under martial law by the President of the United States set in an occupied Los Angeles.
| Year | Title | Author | Artist | Notes |
| 2013 | Occupy Comics | Various | Various | |
| 2013 | 12 Reasons To Die | Matthew Rosenberg and Patrick Kindlon | Various | Created by Wu-Tang Clan's Ghostface Killah, producer Adrian Younge, and executive producer RZA |
| 2013 | Ballistic | Adam Egypt Mortimer | Darick Robertson, Diego Rodriguez | Created by The Boys co-creator Darick Robertson. USA Today: Best of the Year Honorable Mention for "Most Insane Read Of The Year" |
| 2013 | Liberator | Matt Miner | Javier Aranda, Joaquin Pereyra | |
| 2014 | Toe Tag Riot | Matt Miner | Sean Von Gorman | Featuring Andy Hurley of Fall Out Boy. |
| 2014 | Godkiller | Matt Pizzolo | Anna Muckcracker Wieszczyk, Ben Templesmith | Kirkus Reviews: Starred review, Best Books Of The Year List. Diamond Comic Distributors: #1 on Advanced Reorder Charts. Number of printings: 3. |
| 2014 | Godkiller: Walk Among Us | Matt Pizzolo | Anna Wieszczyk | |
| 2014 | Critical Hit | Matt Miner | Jonathan Brandon Sawyer | |
| 2014 | Pirouette | Mark Miller | Carlos Granda | |
| 2014 | Last Born | Patrick Meaney | Eric Zawadzki | |
| 2015 | We Can Never Go Home | Matthew Rosenberg and Patrick Kindlon | Josh Hood | Diamond Comic Distributors Gem Award winner: Best Graphic Novel of the Year. Number of printings: 3. |
| 2015 | Mayday | Curt Pires | Chris Peterson | |
| 2015 | Space Riders | Fabian Rangel Jr. | Alexis Ziritt | Number of printings: 3. |
| 2015 | The Disciples | Steve Niles | Christopher Mitten | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2015 | Transference | Michael Moreci | Ron Salas | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2015 | Young Terrorists | Matt Pizzolo | Amancay Nahuelpan | Publishers Weekly: Bestselling Indie Graphic Novel of the Year. Amazon #1 Bestseller. Number of printings: 4. |
| 2015 | Clandestino | Amancay Nahuelpan | Amancay Nahuelpan | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2015 | X'ed | Tony Dreannan | Ayhan Hayrula | |
| 2016 | Jade Street Protection Services | Katy Rex and Fabian Lelay | Fabian Lelay, Mara Jayne Carpenter, Annie Wu | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2016 | Kim & Kim | Magdalene Visaggio | Eva Cabrera, Claudia Aguirre, Tess Fowler and Devaki Neogi | Eisner Award and GLAAD Media Award-nominated Issue 1, First printing sales: 20,000. Number of printings: 2. |
| 2016 | BLACK | Kwanza Osajyefo | Jamal Igle, Khary Randolph | Designed by Tim Smith III. Cover of The New York Times Arts Section. Issue 1, First printing sales: 22,000. Number of printings: 2. |
| 2016 | The Skeptics | Tini Howard | Devaki Neogi, Jen Hickman | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2016 | 4 Kids Walk into A Bank | Matthew Rosenberg | Tyler Boss | Acclaimed in The New York Times Book Review section. Issue 1, First printing sales: 31,000. Number of printings: 3. |
| 2016 | The Forevers | Curt Pires | Eric Pfeiffer | |
| 2016 | No Angel | Eric Palicki and Adrianne Palicki | Ari Syahrazad, Jean-Paul Csuka | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2017 | The Dregs | Zac Thompson and Lonnie Nadler | Eric Zawadzki | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2017 | Space Riders: Galaxy of Brutality | Fabian Rangel Jr | Alexis Ziritt | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2017 | Last Song | Holly Interlandi | Zoe Chevat | |
| 2017 | Beautiful Canvas | Ryan K Lindsay | Sami Kivela, Sami Kivela, Sami Kivela, Triona Farrell | |
| 2017 | Calexit | Matteo Pizzolo | Amancay Nahuelpan, Tyler Boss | Publishers Weekly: Starred Review. Amazon Bestseller. Cover of The New York Times Arts Section. Issue 1, First printing sales: 25,000. Number of printings: 5. |
| 2017 | Gravetrancers | M.L. Miller | James Michael Whynot | |
| 2017 | Quantum Teens Are Go | Magdalene Visaggio | Eryk Donovan | |
| 2017 | There's Nothing There | Patrick Kindlon | Maria Llovet | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2018 | America's Sweetheart | Kwanza Osajyefo | Jennifer Johnson | BLACK spin-off |
| 2018 | The Wilds | Vita Ayala | Emily Pearson | |
| 2018 | Come Into Me | Zac Thompson and Lonnie Nadler | Piotr Kowalski | |
| 2018 | BLACK : Widows And Orphans | Kwanza Osajyefo | Tim Smith III | BLACK spin-off |
| 2018 | Breathless | Pat Shand | Renzo Rodriguez | |
| 2018 | BLACK : Devil's Dye | Vita Ayala | Liana Kangas, Maika Sozo | BLACK spin-off |
| 2018 | Devil Within | Stephanie Phillips | Maan House, Tula Lotay | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2018 | Eternal | Ryan K Lindsay | Eric Zawadzki | |
| 2018 | Survival Fetish | Patrick Kindlon | Antonio Fuso | |
| 2018 | Sex Death Revolution | Magdalene Visaggio | Becca Farrow, Kasia Witerscheim, Kiki Jenkins | |
| 2018 | We Are The Danger | Fabian Lelay | Fabian Lelay | |
| 2018 | Calexit: All Systems San Diego | Matteo Pizzolo | Carlos Granda | Calexit spin-off |
| 2019 | Space Riders: Vortex of Darkness | Fabian Rangel Jr | Alexis Ziritt | |
| 2019 | Snap Flash Hustle | Pat Shand | Emily Pearson | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2019 | Lab Raider | Matt Miner | Creees Lee | |
| 2019 | Nobody Is In Control | Patrick Kindlon | Paul Tucker | |
| 2020 | LOUD | Maria Llovet | Maria Llovet | Number of printings: 3. |
| 2021 | WHITE | Kwanza Osajyefo | Jamal Igle, Khary Randolph, Tim Smith, Derwin Roberson | Sequel to BLACK. Issue 1, First printing sales: 40,000. Number of printings: 3. |
| 2021 | Alice In Leatherland | Iolanda Zanfardino | Elisa Romboli, Elisa Romboli | Amazon #1 Bestseller. Number of printings: 3. |
| 2021 | Destiny, NY | Pat Shand | Jenn St-Onge, Elisa Romboli, Manuel Preitano, Rosi Kampe | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2021 | Godkiller: Tomorrow's Ashes | Matt Pizzolo | Anna Wieszczyk, Jen Bartel and Tess Fowler | Issue 1, First printing sales: Over 40,000. Number of printings: 4. |
| 2021 | Everfrost | Ryan K Lindsay | Sami Kivela | |
| 2022 | Godkiller: Spiderland | Matt Pizzolo | Anna Wieszczyk, Nen Chang | Number of printings: 3. |
| 2022 | Hecate's Will | Iolanda Zanfardino | Iolanda Zanfardino | |
| 2022 | Calexit: Our Last Night In America | Matteo Pizzolo | Carlos Granda | Calexit spin-off |
| 2022 | Rogue State | Matteo Pizzolo | Chuck D, Soo Lee, Ashley A Woods, C. Granda | Issue 1, First printing sales: Over 48,000. Held five of the Top 12 spots on Comichron Advanced Reorder Charts. Number of printings: 4. |
| 2022 | Gangster Ass Barista | Conor Hughes | Renzo Rodriguez, Elisa Romboli | |
| 2023 | Godkiller: For Those I Love I Will Sacrifice | Matt Pizzolo | Anna Muckcracker | Number of printings: 2. |
| 2023 | Destiny, NY: Mystic Mafia | Pat Shand | Elisa Romboli | |
| 2023 | Don't Avert Your Eyes | Patrick Kindlon | Valentina Pinti, Simone Sellecchia, Andy Duggan, Kelsi Jo Silva, Lesley Leirix Li, Maria Llovet | There's Nothing There spin-off |
| 2024 | Faust: Love of the Damned | David Quinn | Tim Vigil, Tim Tyler, Tom Brunton, Augie Pagan | |
| 2024 | How To Steal An Election | Matteo Pizzolo | Elisa Pocetta | |
| 2024 | Godkiller: The Color You Took From Her Eyes | Matt Pizzolo | Anna Muckcracker | Preview |
| 2025 | Calexit: The Battle Of Universal City | Matteo Pizzolo | C. Granda | Calexit sequel. Number of printings: 3. |
| 2025 | Nightvision | David Quinn | Hannibal King, Tim Vigil, Kyle Hotz | |
| 2025 | Calexit: L For Luigi | Matteo Pizzolo | Elisa Pocetta | Calexit spin-off. |
| 2025 | General Strike | Grant Morrison, Brian Michael Bendis, Matt Pizzolo, Judalina Nera, Jeff Perreca, Tamara Becher-Wilkinson | Jamal Igle, Michael Avon Oeming, Joshua Hood, Elisa Pocetta, Butch Mapa, C. Granda, Tyler Boss, Ben Templesmith, Creees Lee, Elisa Romboli, Iolanda Zanfardino, Darick Robertson, Amancay Nahuelpan | |
| 2025 | Calexit: The Battle Of San Onofre | Matteo Pizzolo | Butch Mapa | Calexit spin-off. |
| 2026 | Leaded Gasoline | Patrick Kindlon | Lorenzo Re | Preview |
| 2026 | Calexit: Say Goodbye To Hollywood | Matteo Pizzolo | C. Granda | Calexit sequel. Announced for Spring 2026 launch. |