As well known as he is for his role in Star Trek as Hikaru Sulu, George Takei has utilized his fame to bring awareness for an issue that has affected not only him, but many other lives as well. George Takei is a very proactive, public advocate and spokesperson for Japanese history in the United States. More specifically, he promotes historical decisions that consequentially placed Japanese immigrants and Americans within internment camps. Takei hopes that by doing so, the American people can understand and learn from mistakes – otherwise, we are doomed to repeat them. In an effort to further his human rights activism, he has teamed up with IDW Publishing to create a brand new series of graphic novels pertaining to Japanese internment during World War 2, including the retelling of his family’s personal experience.

In a public statement, the actor stated:

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.

According to the press release from IDW Publishing, it will begin around the time President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, authorizing the seizure of well over 100 thousand people. At this point, the fear mongering propaganda of there being spies from Japan was very widespread. Any person who looked Japanese was detained in crowded facilities. Surely, these moments of history can be applied to the social issues going on today as well with Latinx and Middle Eastern families.

The series has an anticipated release in 2018, with more details on specific dates to be revealed in due time.

What do you think of George Takei’s project with IDW Publishing? Would you purchase the graphic novels to show support? What’s your opinion on the matter? Feel free to let us know in the comments section below or begin your own conversation on Don’t Feed the Gamers official Disqus channel! To stay up to date on the latest news in the gaming world, follow us on Facebook and Twitter!