A sci-fi romp full of violence, mayhem and satire is on its way, as Justice Warrior emerges from the minds of cartoonists Ben Clarkson and The Nib founder Matt Bors. Comics publisher Ahoy Comics recently revealed the upcoming title; a series that promises to be equal parts outrageous humor and thoughtful commentary. The new book isn’t only Ahoy’s latest offering of satire, but a return for Bors to the comics medium.
Matt Bors will be better known to some as the founder of The Nib, a publication dedicated to “publishing and promoting political and non-fiction comics.” Bors is a political cartoonist himself, publishing comic strips on Medium before creating The Nib. In April of 2021, Bors retired from political cartooning to pursue other opportunities without the stress of weekly deadlines. Now, partnering with fellow cartoonist Ben Clarkson, colorist Felipe Sobreiro, and publisher Ahoy Comics, Bors returns to the world of comics with an ambitious new tale.
Speaking exclusively to io9, Bors and Clarkson detailed their new comic book, Justice Warriors. Described as “a violent mashup of The Wire, Robocop, and ‘The Itchy and Scratchy Show,’” the story is about two police officers, Swamp Cop and Schitt, who serve and protect Bubble City. Their beat is a haven and a perfect place to live, with its citizens living in a utopia. However, their oasis is heavily outnumbered by the mutated denizens of the Uninhabited Zone. Trouble brews when a self-driving bus kills Swamp Cop’s partner, shattering his perception of the perfect society, and forcing him to make a difficult decision regarding how he and his new partner, Schitt, plan on bringing justice to the lawless surrounding area.
The comic is clearly a passion project for Bors, who spoke of his excitement on being able to channel his creative energies into the new book. His collaborator, Ben Clarkson, also aims to bring his own brand of alternative humor to Justice Warriors. The new title seems to fit right in with the offerings distributed by Ahoy Comics previously. Making waves with titles such as Second Coming, High Heaven and Snelson: Comedy is Dying, the publisher hasn’t been afraid of creating comics that revel in the absurd as well as deliver poignant satire. Though a smaller publisher, Ahoy has quickly become a platform for comic creators to get their messages out in the format that they love.
Matt Bors and Ben Clarkson’s new series already sounds like it’s got a few things to say on some timely topics, such as wealth disparity and over-policing. With Bors’ background, a bit of commentary on the state of the world is to be expected, but he seems happy crafting “the kind of over-the-top genre work I have wanted to make for years.” Justice Warriors will be available in stores June 8, 2022.
