Broken Frontier

Pressure. That’s what you’re bound to feel when your publisher compares your new book to an Eisner-Award winning series (Sleeper) and one of the top mainstream releases of the year (Secret Warriors) months before it’s even on the stands.

Yet, that’s exactly what Jim Valentino did when announcing the new Image mini-series, Descendant, noting the title would have as much going for it as Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips’ instant-classic espionage thriller or the book that re-establishes Nick Fury in the Marvel Universe in a big way.

Valentino didn’t stop there, going on to say that writers Michael Dolce and Marcus Perry have found a new spin on superheroes that will have fans flocking to stores for a copy of Descendant #1 when it hits next Wednesday.

BF sat down with Dolce and Perry to find out what the fuzz was all about. 

BROKEN FRONTIER: Descendant revolves around a US Counter Terrorist Agent named Rayne Santiago. Who is she?

MICHAEL DOLCE: Rayne is believed to be the embodiment of an ancient Incan prophecy. She is forced to return to her South American homeland of Martagal when she receives word that her brothers have been abducted by a rogue pharmaceutical
conglomerate bent on using their DNA to manufacture super powers.

MARCUS PERRY:  But Rayne’s also a very reluctant hero.  After being exiled from her country as a child for abusing the pyrokinetic powers she now fears, Rayne must not only win back the trust of her people, but come to terms with her own inner-demons as well.  It’s a journey of self-acceptance that everybody can relate to.
 
BF: The issue #1 cover shows a group of characters shows two other characters, one on each side of Rayne. What’s their role in the story?
 
MP:  To her right is Dr. Alexis Bane, the main villain of the book. Not only is Bane a deadly foe, she’s also got a few layers of her own.  Rather than being motivated by world domination, Bane legitimately feels it’s her calling to advance the human race, and that endowing them with Rayne’s abilities is the next step in evolution.  In her own twisted way, she thinks of herself as being as much of a savior as Rayne is.

MD: The key to manufacturing Bane’s an army of super humans is based on the Santiago DNA ­ and that includes Rayne’s two brothers Marco and Javier. Getting back to the cover, to her left is Rayne’s commanding officer William Priest ­ who also serves as her love interest in the story. But after the traumatic events of her youth, she finds its way easier blowing away terrorist cells than showing off her more vulnerable side, so Priest is trying to help her learn to open up and trust people again.
 
BF: Are there any other characters running around that will play a critical role as the series goes on?

MD: There’s father Vergarra is Rayne’s former mentor from when she was a child and
the catalyst for bringing her back to Martagal. He’s really more than just a mentor, he’s as close to a father-figure that Rayne’s ever had. Vergarra’s also the only one that believes in the prophecy that states she’s a descendant of an Incan God.

MP:  As we’ve already noted, two other characters that play a pivotal role in Rayne’s life are her brothers, Javier and Marco.  Forced to abandon them as a child, she’s worn that guilt like armor all her life.  It’s Rayne’s love for them that gives her the strength to return to Martagal and confront her past, so in many ways Marco and Javier motivate the entire series.

BF: Jim Valentino has compared the book to Sleeper, Secret Warriors and Captain America. What was your inspiration to create Descendant?

MD: It was bananas actually! [Laughs] I’d read somewhere a rumor that the U.S. military invaded a small South American country in the 50s to overthrow the regime in power with the sole reason of raising the stock of Chiquita Bananas. So I came to Marcus with the idea of what if a super human was manipulated into doing the same thing, thinking she’s saving her country from a ruthless regime, but in reality ushering in something far worse.

MP:  I was really intrigued by the idea of a super-powered adventure story set in South America.  I’d never seen a blend quite like it, and it gave us a chance to tap into the rich mythology of that culture.  Making Rayne the descendant of an Incan God seemed like the perfect fit, and it provided her with a destiny that anyone would be terrified of trying to fulfill.  That apprehension makes for a wonderfully conflicted hero, which as far as I’m concerned are the ones that seem the most real.

BF: When and how did you hook up with artist Mariano Navarro?

MD: It was actually pretty smooth. A friend of mine, Brendan McGinley recommended him to me and sent me his contact info. I got in touch with him and after I saw his samples I immediately emailed Marcus saying, “This is the guy!”

Seriously, the 5 pages we’ve shown online doesn’t even come close to demonstrating how great Mariano’s artwork is throughout the book. Believe me, he just gets better and better with each page. And how Mariano pulls you in with the pencils, we hopefully keep you in the seats with the story.
 
BF: Mike, you took your first steps in the industry as a self-publisher with Sire a few years ago. Why did you take Descendant to Image?
 
MD: I did some freelance work for Image a year ago and that got me in contact with Jim Valentino and Shadowline editor Kris Simon. For me, self-publishing was a lot of fun, but Image is the place to be if you want the kind of exposure to really reach a broad audience. Working with Jim and Kris had been and continues to be a pleasure, so when Marcus and I were developing the proposal I had Image in mind the entire time.

BF: What's the status of Sire? Are there any new stories in the works there?

MD: Descendant’s been keeping me busy but I do have a Sire Annual in the works for release at Wizard World Chicago 2009. The artwork’s been done for a while, and really it’s just me holding us up at this point. [Laughs] Going forward, I really want to start utilizing the web to launch more Sire tales, so expect that later in the year.

BF: Bowing out, why should people give the first issue a try?

MD: Because it kicks ass! [Laughs]

MP: It does, but there’s more to it than plain action: Descendant may be an action series, but it’s loaded with character and humor as well. If you dig super heroes or action movies like The Bourne Identity and Man On Fire, this series is for you.

MD: Indeed. Anyone that enjoys a healthy mix of super heroes, action movies and real character driven stories, this book is for you. It’s going to surprise the heck out of you by the time the first story arc is over, believe me.

Descendant #1 goes on sale July 15 through Image Comics and Shadowline at a cover price of $3.50.