PATRIOT-1 - AN ALL AMERICAN INDIE

The 33rd President of the United States, Harry S. Truman, once said, 'America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand'. And do you know what? I'd say this quote was right on the money, especially if you check out the following interview I did with my mate Kevin.





1) What are your own origins, Kevin? Plus what path did you take in life prior to getting to where you are today?   I'd say I'm a dreamer at heart. I could say writer, I could say creator... but overall I just want to craft big stories. I'm from Stamford, Connecticut, I graduated from Ithaca College in 2006 with a degree in Cinema & Photography with a screenwriting concentration, so storytelling is just in my blood.

By day I'm officially a "Multimedia Producer" for WWE.com. It entails writing, content management, and more or less a variety of different types of content creation.

2) What inspired the creation of ‘Patriot-1’?   Patriot-1 is the character I've been creating my whole life. I've always been fascinated with the U.S. military, specifically Special Operations Forces like Navy SEALs. Those guys are real-life superheroes. I’ll be the first to admit I just didn’t have the stones to serve, but that hasn’t stopped my support and interest in them.

A lot of my writing has always been somehow related to the military. Most of my favorite comic characters have military backgrounds -- Captain America and Moon Knight, for example. There are scripts and short stories where certain characters featured in Patriot-1 do exist and were first introduced. So it’s really been a long time in the works. 

The real catalyst for its current form was the ‘Death of Captain America’ story-line a few years back. Sometimes I create characters in pre-existing universes in an effort to flesh them out and that’s where the first incarnation and the character’s basics really took shape.

3) In your own words how would you describe this story?   This is a story about fighting for what America really stands for. Politically I’m very liberal and progressive, but I’m a true patriot at heart - not one of those anti-government conservative types that throw around the word “patriot” without understanding the meaning of it. America was built on the idea of doing what was right and being able to enjoy freedom away from corruption.

Over the years, and very recently, I think we've lost sight of that. Patriot-1 is about the men and women who still fight for that ideal and morality that made America great, that made the U.S. a world leader following World War II. 

But it’s also a smash-mouth, non-stop action movie. It’s written like a summer blockbuster and the artists -- line-artist: Dexter Wee, and colorist: Donna Gregory -- really brought the story to life. The explosions are big, the fights are intense, and even the quieter moments bring a great deal of weight to the characters. I’d say it’s the total package for a really enjoyable read and comic experience. 

4) What song would you say best represents this project and why?   I’m not really sure. Maybe Metallica’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”. The opening scene of the finale is pretty intense and I always hear that song in my head when I think about it. There’s kind of an 'in your face' intensity about that song. It’s pulse-pounding and badass… that’s how I see Patriot-1 sometimes.

5) If you could get a celebrity –- either living or dead –- to promote your wares, who would you choose, and why would you want to choose this particular person?   I’d probably have to say the late Tom Clancy. He is my favorite author and was very instrumental in my development as a storyteller. He’s also the definitive source when it comes to espionage and military fiction (and non-fiction). 

6) What have you learnt about yourself through this endeavour? And were their any unforeseen obstacles you had to contend with along the way?   This project has been in development for years, and I’ve had a few artists attached to the project during that time. I wanted a very specific style and tone for this book and it led to many late nights scouring deviantArt and searching many, many artists.

The first artist attached was great – great guy, great artists – but after a while I think he lost interest. It wasn't going anywhere and the communication started to break down. It was unfortunate. The second artist actually redesigned the uniform and completed the first five pages. He was attached for a couple of years and was the artist I had listed when I submitted the book to Image. But after time went by he dropped off the project because of commitments to BOOM! 

After that, and the initial Image rejection, I completely rewrote the book. It went from being a five to six issue series to its current 176 page form. It’s much better now than it ever was and I am ecstatic about the result.

Dexter was an artist I had been watching for some time and after a couple of other artists did not want to do the project, I contacted Dexter. I would soon kick myself for waiting so long to bring him on board. He more than realized the project and the book wouldn’t be what it is without him. 

The same can be said for colorist, Donna Gregory. Without her, the book wouldn’t have the life it does within the pages. She was highly recommended by the book’s editor, Keith Dallas, and she was SUPER easy to work with and the best colorist I’ve worked with. 

7) During your time in this field, what is the one thing that has kept you in good stead?   Passion. I love comics. I love storytelling. I’ve worked part-time at a comic store since I was 17. I read a ridiculous amount of comics every week and I believe in the stories I tell. That’s the most important thing… if you believe in what you’re creating then you are unstoppable. That’s the most important thing. In order to pay the bills, I tell the stories I need to tell… but the rest of the time, I tell the stories I want to tell. 

8) If ‘Patriot-1’ had a motto, what would it be?   “America… F**k Yeah!” Haha! No, it’d probably be a major theme of the book -- “Rise up and make a statement…”

So there you have it, dear reader. My mate Kevin and his new comic book, 'Patriot-1'. When you have the time I'm sure you'll click on his website and facebook page. As he really does have a great way of telling his tales.