Graphic-novel storyteller Scott Palochik is creating a world inspired by ancient legends, history, and one of the craziest incidents in the annals of wars.
I must admit that I’m particularly biased when it comes to this incredible project, so I should tell you why.
A few years ago, Pennsylvania-based comic book creator Scott Palochik asked if he could “borrow” aspects of my life for a graphic novel series featuring a reporter character who gets shot in the head in Afghanistan by an RPG.
“Of course!” I told him, granting Palochik’s request even before he explained his vision for the story: a combination of myth and real-world events fused into a fantastical tale of heroism with the fate of the world in the balance.
So when the first issue of “MARCVS” (That’s a Roman “U”; more on that later) came out, I was excited to see how their fictional universe incorporated the very real, painful events leading up to my 2010 injury in Afghanistan.
Pouring over that first issue, I was amazed at how the gritty drawings by the immensely talented Chase Cowan capture the raw, untamed beauty and dangers from a remote corner of eastern Afghanistan.
And the artwork depicting my injury is so vivid and intense I’ve only seen it once. That was enough for me.
Without giving away the story, my character is “catapulted into a heart-pounding adventure that spans continents and centuries,” with characters from ancient Rome driving the narrative.
Palochik and his crew are now putting the finishing touches on Issue #2, with the aim to debut it at New York’s Comicon in October.
To learn more about Scott and his “MARCVS” series and support his work, click here.
