Even if you’re a geek and don’t follow George Takei on Facebook, odds are that you see him on your newsfeed at least once a week because your friends can’t stop sharing links he posts. Or, if you’re like me, you do follow the social media powerhouse and science fiction icon, and are well aware of his sense of humor that never skimps on the puns.
But, like anyone who’s been around for some time, the former Star Trek actor has seen the harsh side of things in life and isn’t afraid to get serious when necessary. As such, he’s willing to share a moment in history from his point of view, lest we’re doomed to repeat something of this nature.
In 2018, expect IDW to publish an original graphic novel detailing the time Takei and his family spent in an internment camp under President Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066 following the Pearl Harbor bombing. Needless to say, this helped shape him into the humanitarian he’s become in the time since.
Here’s what Takei had to say about the endeavor:
“I have spoken publicly on numerous occasions during my life on the unjust internment of Japanese Americans in my ongoing mission of spreading awareness of this disgraceful chapter of American history. I do this, and will continue to do so, in the hope that my personal experience can serve as a cautionary reminder of our past leaders’ mistakes, and that as a society, we can learn from those transgressions and not repeat them.”
“When the opportunity to tell my story in the form of a graphic novel presented itself, I recognized the value in making it easily accessible for our youth to discover and digest the material, bringing attention to an important and relevant issue, while preserving it for generations to come. We live in uncertain times, and if stories such as mine can inspire us to do better and encourage positive change, I want to share it with as many people as possible, no matter who they are, or where they come from.”
Although this as-of-yet untitled book is George Takei’s passion project and he will serve as the narrator, scripting duties will be handled by Justin Eisinger and Steven Scott (IDW’s Senior Book Editor and PR Manager, respectively). As of now, an artist has yet to be named, but we’ll let you know once we hear more.