Earth Day started in 1970, capitalized on the public’s emerging consciousness, by channeling the energy of the anti-war protest movement and putting environmental concerns front and center.
Today’s environmental issues go much deeper than they ever have before. With twelve states suing the EPA Twelve states are challenging the Clean Power Plan, arguing that the impending rules are already negatively impacting the states. West Virginia taking the biggest hit in their coal industry with the EPA’s proposed regulations. Local to West Virginia, author and filmmaker Daniel Boyd has found himself at the epicenter of a national political battle that is threatening to tear apart his home state of West Virginia. Boyd’s new graphic novel Carbon is receiving its big national rollout from publisher Caliber Comics. Even Hollywood is showing interest in several Caliber titles, including Carbon.
Set in the southern West Virginia coalfields and several years in the making, Carbon tells the timely story of what happens when an evil coal operator lets his greedy disregard for miners safety cause him to awaken and release a cursed and banished underground civilization of monster demons onto the surface. Aware of the symbolism and sticky subject, Boyd says “Look, I know it’s not the most popular thing to say to a lot of people in the coal mining industry right now, but the fact of the matter is that a lot of mine operators have been raping and pillaging our state and taking the majority of the wealth out of here for over a hundred years. Now that the White House has its supposed “War On Coal” happening and the EPA wants to slash pollution from coal fired plants, these coal operators are in serious trouble because suddenly they have to play by the rules. So what do they do? They get a bunch of hard working miners all pissed off at the government, and then they close down the mines and lay off our miners, and cripple our state’s economy instead of even trying to figure out how to make it work. Call me a tree hugger, but I’m sick of the way the industry is trying to push their big, fat lies down our throats. They have been manipulating and disrespecting not only the miners, but also us citizens with these deceptions.
In Boyd’s Carbon epic, the only thing that stands in the way of the end of the world is a tight knit group of courageous coal miners. In fact, Boyd dedicated Carbon to coal miners and says “Whatever side of the debate over the industry you fall on, miners are the often the unsung heroes.” Boyd says that he’s 100 percent “pro-miner”, and that his graphic novels “primary goal is to entertain, but the story also reflects many real and complicated issues that face the coal industry today.” Carbon’s story will continue with the drafted sequel entitled: Salt.
Zero Gravity Management in LA represents Carbon publisher Caliber Comics intellectual property for development across all multimedia platforms. “This could ultimately result in a Carbon movie or television series, which of course could be great for West Virginia and the people here. Somehow I doubt if the West Virginia Coal Association will be coming aboard as a supporter though, and that’s pretty bad, since their supposedly beloved coal miners are the heroes of our story,” says Boyd. “But they know where their bread is buttered, and I’m sure some coal operators, will have something to say after they get their hands on Carbon.” American independent film production and distribution company Troma has just rolled out a DVD double feature of Boyd’s films: Strangest Dreams: Invasion of the Space Preachers and Chillers.
“Boyd marries sci-fi monster flick ideas with Appalachian tragedy, showing us imaginative allegory and authentic profundity do not have to be mutually exclusive.” Chris Oxley, Ain’t it Cool News.
BOOK: www.danielboyd.com/shop or www.amazon.com/Carbon-Daniel-Boyd/
WEBSITE: www.danielboyd.com
