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Attacking Voting Apathy With Comic Books

This latest issue takes on voting, emphasizing the power younger voters hold. Allen discusses how many feel as if their voice doesn’t matter, resulting in apathy and disengagement.

When the people of Philly needed a hero more than ever, Derek “Lonzo Starr” Allen answered the call, delivering stories of hope, strength, and resilience right to their doorsteps.

Last week, we sat down and chatted with Derek Allen, CEO, founder, and creative force behind Konkret Comics. Since launching the publishing company in 2019, Allen has taken his vision sky-high, amassing awards and publishing multiple celebrated titles with trailblazing vigor. The company danced with success since its inception and did it their way.

While Konkret Comics specializes in fantasy, sci-fi, and traditional superhero storytelling, at its heart, its true focus is on Black narratives, stories, and characters. Konkret Comics’s entire team is composed of Black creatives working across the country to build the worlds they see themselves in. Konkret’s ethos is rooted in the idea of storytelling "for the people, by the people." With every release, they aim to make an impact and inspire, carrying forward a mission that transcends traditional comics.

This mission made them the perfect partners for the Philly nonprofit Show Up Strong, using comic books as a dynamic medium to both inform and entertain. In just 4 weeks time, Allen and his team brought to life The Liberty Knights, a team of Philly crime-fighting heroes tackling a spectrum of real-life issues from homelessness to gun violence to sexual assault.

This latest issue takes on voting, emphasizing the power younger voters hold. Allen discusses how many feel as if their voice doesn’t matter, resulting in apathy and disengagement. His team created Liberty Knights to quell that anxiety, using heroes as a conduit to speak to young voters, the power they hold, and how to wield it to produce change in their own backyard.

The issue will hit the mailboxes of 100,000 Philadelphians aged 18-35, equipping them with crucial voting information and a renewed sense of empowerment in their role as change-makers. Derek Allen and his team at Konkret Comics stand as a testament to the power of using art to give back, reaching and inspiring those who need it most, and proving that stories, like heroes, can truly make a difference.