MARK SABLE DETAINED BY TSA FOR UNTHINKABLE SCRIPT

Ripped-from-the-headlines espionage series causes alarm at LAX




TSA did not understand that comic books could be about anything other than superheroes

“My privacy is a small price to pay for educating the government about the medium.”


Los Angeles - May 11, 2009 – Comics writer Mark Sable was detained by TSA security guards at LAX this past weekend when they discovered inflammatory material in a script for Sable’s new BOOM Studios miniseries UNTHINKABLE. The comic series follows members of a government think tank that was tasked with coming up with 9/11-type “unthinkable” terrorist scenarios that now are coming true.

Sable was detained while traveling from LAX to NYC to attend a signing for the premiere of UNTHINKABLE #1 at Jim Hanley’s Universe this Wednesday, May 13th.

Fans and friends were made aware of the TSA detention when Sable “Twittered” about the events at twitter.com/marksable, after he was released.

Sable wrote BOOM! Studios a more in-depth version of the encounter to release to the public:

"Flying from Los Angeles to New York for a signing at Jim Hanley's Universe Wednesday (May 13th), I was flagged at the gate for ‘extra screening’. I was subjected to not one, but two invasive searches of my person and belongings. TSA agents then "discovered" the script for UNTHINKABLE #3. They sat and read the script while I stood there, without any personal items, identification or ticket, which had all been confiscated.

“The minute I saw the faces of the agents, I knew I was in trouble. The first page of the UNTHINKABLE script mentioned 9/11, terror plots and the fact that the (fictional) world had become a police state. The TSA agents then proceeded to interrogate me, having a hard time understanding that a comic book could be about anything other than superheroes, let alone that anyone actually wrote scripts for comics.

“I cooperated politely and tried to explain to them the irony of the situation. While UNTHINKABLE blurs the line between fiction and reality, the story is based on a real-life government think tank where a writer was tasked to design worst-case terror scenarios. The fictional story of UNTHINKABLE unfolds when the writer’s scenarios come true, and he becomes a suspect in the terrorist attacks.

“In the end, I feel my privacy is a small price to pay for educating the government about the medium.”

Pre-release reviews of UNTHINKABLE #1 have been unanimous in their praise:


“Both writer and artist have given us quality here and the first chapter of an intriguing story. If you’re looking for an extra title to pick up, this is one with a promising start.” — Comics Bulletin

“… for anyone who loves a good conspiracy…” — io9.com

"...quite a thriller..." – Comic Box

"If you like an intelligent, well-thought out concept grounded in reality and that could conceivably happen, then you're in the right spot. Keep reading." – Project Fanboy

UNTHINKABLE follows Alan Ripley, a best-selling author who joins a think tank commissioned after 9-11 to think the unthinkable and protect America from possible nightmare terrorist scenarios. But years later, when the think tank's imaginary terror plots become frighteningly real, can he stop the UNTHINKABLE from coming to pass?

UNTHINKABLE #1 is written by Mark Sable and drawn by Julian Totino Tedesco with first issue covers by Paul Azaceta and Kristian Donaldson. The first issue of UNTHINKABLE ships May 13th and has a Diamond Code of MAR094127.

About BOOM! Studios BOOM! Studios (www.boom-studios.com) is a unique publishing house specializing in high-profile projects across a wide variety of different genres from some of the industry's biggest talents, including Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, The Henson Company's FARSCAPE, and the original Mark Waid series IRREDEEMABLE. BOOM! recently launched its youth imprint, BOOM! Kids, with Pixar's THE INCREDIBLES, CARS, and TOY STORY, as well as Disney's THE MUPPETS. This year, BOOM! Studios celebrates its fourth anniversary.