Broken Frontier

A cataclysmic event occurs that hits too close to home and changes the entire landscape for a group of people randomly drawn together.  In the newest installment of the webcomic Stuck to be posted on Monday, September 11th, the series turns a corner as it explores the idea of terrorism striking at the lifeblood of New York City – its transportation system. "We want to examine the psychology of terrorism and choosing this poignant date is our way of honoring the victims, families and survivors of 9/11," said series co-creator and writer Vito Delsante. "This is really an opportunity for me to tell a story about survival, not death."

Stuck is a story of tragedy and the human condition, set on one car of New York City's N Train. Each chapter focuses on an individual passenger and his or her respective "Last Night." Told in a similar fashion to TV's Lost, Stuck is a story that has resonance and relevance in today's post 9/11 world. Serialized on the internet as part of The Chemistry Set (www.chemsetcomics.com), the stories being told are personal for everyone involved – from the readers to the creators themselves.

"The fact is unfortunately, without getting political here, terrorism has reached our shores or, I should say, the bubble has burst," said Stuck co-creator and illustrator, Thomas Williams. "We're more aware of it now than ever. The approach here with Stuck is more focused on the survival aspect. The people affected by the crazed antics of the few." Delsante describes the series as "a celebration of the New York spirit.

"With Stuck, Delsante and Williams masterfully capture the rhythm, vibrancy -- and unpredictability – of big city life," said Eric Wight, illustrator for My Dead Girlfriend and the television series The O.C.

"Even though the story is steeped in a controversial event, it is merely the backdrop," said the writer. "Things do get worse, but again, we're focusing on what makes a New Yorker a New Yorker." Born in Staten Island, Delsante is a lifelong resident of the New York area and currently lives and works in the heart of New York City.

"My intentions were to tell a disaster story, and while I could have placed Stuck in Chicago or anywhere else where mass transit and a subway exists, I chose New York because I live here," said Delsante. "I know the city like the back of my hand and I would have cheated myself as a storyteller if I went anywhere else."