Zero Libertad has been featured in Bleeding Cool with an interview. Check it out:
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/07/21/kickstarter-from-the-heart-zero-libertad/
We were also featured on Remezcla: http://www.remezcla.com/2012/latin/latina-heroes-fund-zero-libertad/
My name is Alana, and I'm the creator and writer of Zero Libertad. You might wonder what my background as an artist is, so here's a short run-down: I'm a writer with an MFA from CalArts. I've been a Semi-Finalist for the Sundance Screenwriters Lab, and Finalist for the NY Public Theater's Emerging Writer's Group and the Jerome Fellowship at the Playwrights Center. And I'm Nicaraguan, which means I come from the 2nd poorest country in the Western hemisphere, so I'm very happy about being able to write big stories for the world and represent a group of people who don't always get to do things like tell stories.
I wrote Zero because I've never seen stories in popular culture written about Nicaragua and it's history with the U.S. (it's a long and intimate one!), the history of what's been done in Latin America, or how that generational trauma can be transformed into something beautiful.
So I MADE it myself! I know there are people out there who want to read stories like this--stories that haven't been told. And since I am a writer AND a Nicaraguan who lived through the war (my parents were in the revolution), I thought I could tell one story based on this part of world history...but made into something more.
The Zero graphic novel is part of a much larger artistic experience that incorporates a live music performance and 3-D video, but right now this is about the graphic novel, which I'll tell you about. First things first, "Book One" of the four that comprise the Zero graphic novel is done. You get it first right here.
ZERO LOGO
THE STORY AND MYTH
Zero Libertad is the daughter of a CIA agent and Commander Eden Pastora, the leader of the Nicaraguan Contras. After being murdered, she is brought back from death by the spirits of the 3rd World dead. With them as her guide, she goes on a mission to avenge herself and all the 3rd World, starting with her mother, the agent who killed her.
ZERO RISES FROM A WATERY GRAVE
After she is brought back from death, Zero discovers her tears now have the power to cause trees and plants to grow out of nowhere, becoming sources of food and beauty.
ZERO'S TEARS TRANSFORM AND HER MEMORIES CLOTHE HER
She is also a “mirror,” who reflects the intentions and actions of
people against them, making her difficult to harm with direct
aggression.
Zero’s ultimate aim is to bring the tactics of the world
governments back home to them and dismantle a corrupt world economy and
the systems that support it. Is Zero freedom fighter or terrorist? Same
thing. Depends who you ask.
ZERO ASKS FOR HER MOTHER'S LOVE
THE BACKGROUND
I created Zero as a myth that is both a narrative and a visceral experience. For the last 2 years I have been working on Zero Libertad after developing it as a live show initially, and it deepened extensively when I started working with the visual artist, Andrew Morton.
But Zero isn't cynical.
Her experiences in the war have made her adept at transforming painful experiences into something beautiful. Her presence is a reminder that we are all capable of doing the same.
Andrew took the aesthetic inherent in the writing, costumes and video of the live show and put them in the graphic novel art. The story is mythic and also timely. Zero herself is the result of 1st World policies in the 3rd world, namely Central America, but the story is about the ways in which freedom and happiness are co-opted when we give our power away. It's about financial systems as a way of destroying people. Sounds appropriate for today's world, no?
How has the aesthetic of the original Zero translated into a graphic novel? See for yourself.
ZERO AS GRAPHIC NOVEL:
ZERO LIVE SHOW:
Andrew and I have just finished the work on the first chapter, or book, of Zero Libertad. It is in full, glorious color. Zero is a strong Latin-American female hero, who functions far beyond the boundaries of what we’ve traditionally seen from characters in both those groups. But more than that, she's not a victim, she's not what we are always taught to associate with representatives of the 3rd World. Zero gets sh*t DONE, and she is fierce and strong for those who can't be. And everyone likes watching a woman kick butt, right?
WHAT'S THE FUNDRAISING FOR?
Until now, the Zero graphic novel has been self-funded and with the help of one generous donor. That's been very hard to do, but this is a labor of passion and love. The initial live show of Zero, which developed the story and aesthetic, was made with a generous grant from the City of Austin Cultural Affairs Office.
I've got the first 32 pages done, which is the first book in the 4-book arc that makes up the complete graphic novel. That's a great accomplishment, but that's only the first chapter in Zero's story. I am looking for funding to finish this graphic novel. Donations will be used to pay the artists who have gotten the project this far, continue work, and create a fully illustrated graphic novel you can hold in your hands. YOU will have the first published copies of this graphic novel through these Kickstarter pre-sales, as well as Kickstarter-only rewards. The more money we raise, the more incredible the printed book can be, the more we can print, and the more amazing the Zero art and media objects can get.
Here are some examples of the beautiful rewards we have to share for your support:
STICKERS--
SHIRTS, NOVENA CANDLES, PRINTS--
You will also have first information and crack at the Zero live show, which begins touring in the Fall. This will mean the album becomes available to you first, as well as tickets.
Here's a peek at one of the tracks to come:
MUSIC--
"Libertad in Miami" by Zero Libertad
Even though I have a background in writing many different stories, Zero is special to me. I have spent so much energy and time on this project, and I feel strongly about it. In a way, I feel that I am able to speak for millions of people from all over the world who never got to use their voice. Thank you for your help, support, and generosity.
Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ
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Funding period
- (30 days)