Welcome to another episode of
PopCultHQ’s BEYOND THE SYNOPSIS!
In this feature by PopCultHQ (and our official podcast – PodCultHQ), we interview comic book industry professionals via Zoom about their latest projects. For episode nine, I spoke with the creators of STUDENT GOVERNMENT – writers Dave Justus & Lilah Sturges and artist Joe Eisma.
The trio teamed for the hilarious young adult, comedy graphic novel at Mad Cave Studios, published under their Maverick imprint, entitled STUDENT GOVERNMENT. Though labeled as YA (young adult), the 200+ page tome is riddled with jokes, funny moments, humorous character illustrations, and even a little sassiness. There’s great pacing and a very strong narrative. It had me, older than I’ll say, busting out laughing throughout the book. Don’t let the YA tag fool ya! These talented creators showcased their comedic chops in the writing and artwork. I guarantee anyone and everyone would get a kick out of this graphic novel. Twelve to fourteen pages in and you’re already exceeding your money’s worth in enjoyment and entertainment.
Here’s a look at their amazing original graphic novel STUDENT GOVERNMENT!
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
Original Graphic Novel
Written by Dave Justus & Lilah Sturges
Art by Joe Eisma
Colors by Michael E. Wiggam
Letters by Simon Bowland & Charles Pritchett
Edited by Lauren Hitzhusen
Publication Date: March 2025
At America’s second-oldest university, four earnest, clever, and desperate teens on the interim student government exploit a loophole to turn their school into a sovereign nation, facing down pressures on campus and escalating hostility from the United States government.
For those who prefer to listen to the interview, here is the podcast episode (audio format) for you to play and your ears to enjoy. It can also be found on most podcast directories – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio and over a dozen others. Just search for ‘PodCultHQ‘ and find this and other interviews I’ve conducted with comic book industry professionals.
If viewing the interview is more your style, here’s the YouTube video for you to soak it in 🙂
I’d like to send a very big thank you to Dave, Lilah, and Joe for taking the time to speak with me to discuss STUDENT GOVERNMENT. And a special thanks to Mad Cave Studios, and especially James Faccinto, for setting up this interview for us. Be sure to follow the creators and publisher online (links below)!
About Writer Dave Justus:
Dave Justus bought his first comic book — a Robotech adaptation — at age nine, and that’s when he decided he wanted to grow up to write them. Isn’t that sad? He made his professional debut on House Of Mystery’s unique “exquisite corpse” issue for Vertigo in 2010, and helped lower the beloved DC imprint into its grave via series like Fables: The Wolf Among Us and Everafter: From The Pages Of Fables. He and frequent co-writer Lilah Sturges created their Ignatz Award-nominated series Public Relations for 1First Comics in 2015. That same year, Dave wrote the interactive fiction app Lifeline, a text game in the style of the “choose your own adventure” books of his youth, for 3 Minute Games. TIME Magazine was quick to name Lifeline “the best game on the Apple Watch,” and the original app’s runaway popularity led to Dave writing several sequels and overseeing an interconnected universe of titles that continues to expand, with more than seven million worldwide downloads. Dave lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Jamie and more than seven million cats and rabbits.
About Writer Lilah Sturges (She/Her):
Lilah Sturges is the Eisner-, Hugo-, and GLAAD Media Award-nominated writer of everything from Lumberjanes to Blue Beetle to The Magicians to Dune: The Official Movie Graphic Novel. With Dave Justus she’s written Everafter: From the Pages of Fables, and Public Relations. She loved college but her GPA was nothing to write home about. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her wife and a three-legged cat named Greg.
About Artist Joe Eisma (He/Him):
Joe Eisma is the Eisner nominated artist & co-creator of the New York Times Bestseller, Morning Glories, from Image Comics. In addition, he has drawn Star Trek from IDW Publishing, Archie, Riverdale and Jughead: The Hunger from Archie Comics, The Flash from DC Comics, and many more over the years. He resides in Dallas, Texas with his wife and sons.
About Maverick (imprint):
Maverick is Mad Cave Studios’ new Young Adult imprint that will feature stories that are not only engaging but authentic.
About Mad Cave Studios:
Driven by madness and committed to quality. Mad Cave Studios provides quality entertainment with a fresh take on an array of genres. From fantasy and action to sci-fi and horror, Mad Cave publishes stories that resonate with unapologetic and authentic audiences.
About PodCultHQ:
PodCultHQ is PopCultHQ’s official podcast. Maintained & managed by Jason Bennett, PodCultHQ is a feature-filled, ear candy of content highlighting the comic book, cosplay, and convention communities.
You can expect exclusive interviews with comic book creators, previous video features returning in audio format (“Pants Optional” Zoom interviews), crowdfunding promotions (“Just Kickin’ It!“), a deeper dive into the comic book world (“Industry Insider“), unpublished material finally seeing the light of day (“From the Vault“), plus so much more. And, of course, idle chatter.
And be on the lookout for some new, fun & exciting, outside-the-box shows, including a talk show, a weekend wrapup broadcast, and an amateur rap competition for comic creators where you, the fans, can vote for your favorite each week through our toll-free number! Crazy, right? Yeah, we question our sanity a lot of times. Every now and then, it replies.
Celebrate your fandom with us… audibly!
About Jason Bennett:
Jason Bennett (@TahoeJBennett) is a contributing writer & the chief editor for PopCultHQ. As a team member since PopCultHQ’s inception in February of 2015, Jason has written over 11,000 articles covering all aspects of pop culture. He established relationships with many of the comic book publishers with whom we work on a regular basis. Whether sharing news from the comic book industry, conducting spoiler-free reviews, interviewing creators, or working with publicity reps, he is dedicated in promoting those within the comic book scene, giving people a platform to share their projects, as well as always seeking to find ways in which PopCultHQ can grow and improve. Jason also attends comic conventions, representing PopCultHQ as a member of the press, and can often be seen at conventions up and down the west coast.
