George Takei to write graphic novel about Japanese-American internment in WWII

Japanese-American actor George Takei is known for his jokes and memes, but he’s also famous for playing the legendary role of Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the U.S.S Enterprise in Gene Roddenberry’s sci-fi classic series “Star Trek.”

Takei has been breaking barriers for decades, first by becoming a household name as an Asian-American actor and then by living as an openly gay man who speaks out for equality and rights.

Now, after creating a musical on the same topic in 2015, the actor is setting his sights on writing a graphic novel about the internment of thousands of Japanese-Americans in the US during World War II.

Takei, who was only five years old when then-US President Roosevelt signed an executive order that rounded up 120,000 Japanese-Americans into camps in the wake of Pearl Harbor, signed a book deal with comic books publisher IDW Publishing and will develop the graphic novel based on his and his family's experience in the camps.

In a press release from IDW Publishing, Takei said, “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.”

No official title has been announced for the graphic novel yet, but it will be released in 2018. — BM, GMA News