Pepe the Frog Cartoonist Resurrecting Character to Prove He is Still a ‘Positive’ Symbol
Associated Press, June 27, 2017
Los Angeles-based cartoonist Matt Furie told AP he intends to resurrect the character he killed off last month after racist, anti-Semitic internet trolls hijacked his creation and transformed it into a hate symbol.
Furie and his brother, Jason, have launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise $10,000 for a new comic book featuring Pepe.
“Once we get the money together, we’re going to do it from scratch,” he said, adding he’s also trying to “gain some entrepreneurial control” over Pepe with his attorney’s help.
His attorney, Kimberly Motley, is also exploring possible litigation against those profiting from Pepe’s image without Furie’s permission.
In May, Furie released a cartoon showing Pepe in an open casket.
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The Save Pepe campaign Furie launched on Monday on Kickstarter said its aim was “reclaiming his status as a universal symbol for peace, love, and acceptance”.
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The Anti-Defamation League branded Pepe a hate symbol in September 2016 and promoted Furie’s efforts to reclaim the character.
