Broken Frontier

Sometimes, the good guys lose track of what’s right and what’s wrong—readers of Marvel’s Civil War sure know. In that series, heroes on each side of the conflict have never stopped fighting for what they believe in and at no time can these heroes be called villains. Sure, Iron Man’s side may have locked people up in the Negative Zone and enlisted villains and Captain America’s crew may have gone underground—but neither group of supers has gone rogue.

That, however, is what happens to The Combatant, the world’s greatest superhero in Ape Entertainment’s Magnitude, a five-issue, monthly mini-series by Greg Waller and Axel Gimenez. “Magnitude tells the story of The Combatant, suddenly going rogue and declaring global war against mankind,” says Waller as he describes the story. “Now, the greatest superhero in the future, Magnitude, must travel back in time in an attempt to stop The Combatant from eventually destroying the planet.

“And he WILL eventually destroy it, as we see in the first 4 pages of issue #1, if left un-checked. But it’s not just a typical "guy-travels-back-in-time-to-save-the future" story. There are definitely BIG consequences in the story.”

What causes the greatest ‘megahuman’—the term Waller has dubbed those with superpowers in the Magnitude universe—ever to lose his sanity? “The Combatant has been fighting against crime and injustice since World War 2, but the nature of his mission on Earth forces him to suddenly turn against mankind. The reasons why are explored within the story, so you'll have to read to find out!

“Suffice to say The Combatant is probably the most powerful megahuman on Earth, opposing him isn't going to come without some harsh consequences… for everyone on Earth.”

Luckily, there’s someone brave enough to stand up to this out-of-control whacko, someone who’s seen what the world will look like of no one dares to wiggle their middle finger in his face. “Magnitude grew up almost 200 years in the future, where human beings are all but wiped out and the Earth is a lava-covered nuclear wasteland,” Waller says of the title character.

“Raised as a soldier from the age of 4, he's seen everyone he's ever loved or cared about destroyed, and all he's ever known is fighting and war—he's never had a place he could call home. Despite this, he's extremely caring and compassionate to those around him, and will do whatever it takes to try and set history right, even it means dying.

“He's a throwback to the old-school superhero, noble and self-sacrificing, but also young and headstrong. He's not the type to make wisecracks in the heat of battle; he's more likely to grit his teeth, roll up his sleeves and let his actions do the talking. I'm so tired of the cynical ‘feet-of-clay/woe-is-me’ superheroes and superhero-parodies I seem to see so much of these days. I think too many writers these days forget about the "hero" aspect of "superHERO".

“Everyone seems to want to explore their "dark side", break them down and show them as realistic, and ignore or throw away the things that make them great. I just want to see a guy who can do and would do the things that I couldn't here in the real world. Someone more noble, giving, self-sacrificing and talented than I could ever be!”

“I've had this character in my head for years... I think I created my first Magnitude story somewhere around Grade 3. I've just always been a huge superhero fan, and when I started working in comics as a colorist I was frustrated that the one genre I'd always been a fan of had always eluded me professionally. I've worked on a bunch of horror, sci-fi, fantasy, bad-girl, historical and educational stuff, but never an actual, full-on superhero book. I figured that if I was ever going to get the opportunity, I'd have to create it myself.

“So, I more or less ended my freelance coloring run at the beginning of 2005 to begin work on what has become MAGNITUDE. I always had the character in my head; it was just a matter of putting all this stuff down on paper and getting it done. It’s been very cathartic!

The series is titled Magnitude, not to make clear which hero’s front and center, but also to point at the enormity and scale of the perilous situation threatening mankind. And since the scope of the problem is so big, Magnitude isn’t the only megahuman fighting the good fight. “There are a ton of other costumed characters running around,” says Waller. “Characters like Skygirl, War Eagle, and Overcast. The plot revolves around an established superhero going to war against mankind, and I couldn't really do a story of that scope without bringing in a lot of his former allies to oppose him. So, Magnitude isn't alone in his mission, and he needs all the help he can get. There are new characters introduced every issue leading up to the conclusion in issue # 5. A lot of costumes!”

One of the reasons Waller created the book in the first place was to honor the superhero genre, and revisit everything that made superheroes great in the process. That’s right, made, past tense, because the scribe feels many of the current superhero titles have  strayed too far from where he feels they're at their best. “I'm definitely NOT saying that there aren't good superhero books out there, because there are some great ones,” he clarifies. “But in my eyes, too much of what once made this genre great has been lost or intentionally thrown away. I'm not sure what it is or why that is... there are a number of reasons, and I have my own opinions as to why.

“I think the audience for superhero comics in general has grown a bit older, and so some creators, whether by editorial mandate or simply through their own self-interests, have perhaps written for an older or more "mature" demographic. I think there's definitely a place for that—"adultification" of superheroes for lack of a better term—a book like Powers for instance, which doesn't hurt the history of anything that has come before it because its in its own self-contained universe. But I get so frustrated when overtly adult and "mature" themes and agendas are foisted upon characters that were always meant for all-ages. "All-ages" doesn't mean 13 and below... "all-ages" means EVERYONE, young AND old.

“Superhero books, good superhero books, have ALWAYS had a level of sophistication to them—where you could get something out of it when you were 5 years old and read something else entirely different when you were 25. I feel someone like John Byrne has always been great at this. When I was young and reading ALPHA FLIGHT, I had no clue Northstar was gay. Then I got older and understood there was so much more there than what I read on the surface as a little kid. I always look to guys like Byrne, Geoff Johns, Kurt Busiek, Mark Waid, Chuck Dixon, and Walter Simonson (among others) for inspiration in that regard—they know how to write for all ages.

“John Byrne had Sue Storm miscarry a baby in Fantastic Four # 267 without sacrificing the action between Reed Richards and Dr. Octopus in the pages that preceded it, without cheapening or trivializing the impact such an incident would have, and without spreading the story out over 6 issues. There is more drama, sophistication, emotion, pathos, and maturity in that single issue of Fantastic Four than you'll find in just about any present-day 6-issue storyline.

“The action isn't gratuitous and the emotion isn't forced or ham-fisted. I don't see a lot of sophistication like that in many superhero books these days. It feels like everything is overt and nothing is sacred anymore. Nothing is left to the imagination. It just seems like in too many instances "why not" has become policy. I don't feel the same sense of "wonder" or "grandeur" or "scope" that I used to...

“I feel like there's been too much of a shift into "irony" and "feet-of-clay" with superhero books and I'd like to see that swing back the other way. I used to read superhero books for an escape from the mundane... now I feel like real life is being reflected back at me too much. I want escapism! I don't like that a lot of the "staples" that once made superhero books great are now considered "trappings", things like secret identity's and continuity. These things should be celebrated, not discarded or ignored.”

Since Waller holds creators like Walt Simonson and John Byrne in such high regard, he really got a kick out of getting the legendary artist to illustrate the cover to the first issue of Magnitude. “Oh yes! John Byrne is a personal hero of mine, especially as a Canadian. He was the first artist I really took note of and that I followed, no matter what he worked on. In the process he made me a fan of so much stuff that I might never have looked at otherwise. His stuff is magic and his work just speaks to me. I feel really bad that in recent times he's taken such a bad rap in some segments of fandom.

“The internet has given everyone on the planet a soapbox to say whatever the heck it is they want to say, whether it makes sense or not or insults others, yet when John Byrne says something it’s immediately put under a microscope, blown out of proportion or simply misconstrued—purposely. No one else in this business, fan or pro, has what they say as closely scrutinized as Byrne—and its not like he goes out of his way to speak anywhere other than his own forum. I feel that he is one of the legends of this business that we fortunately still have in our midst, still working and still producing amazing stuff. I don't want him to be dead and gone before he's finally given the credit he deserves based upon his work and what he's contributed to the industry.

“So, feeling the way I do about him, it was always a career goal of mine to work on some of his stuff, in some kind of 'official' capacity. When I began working on Magnitude, I thought it couldn't hurt to at least ask him to do a cover. It took me a long time to muster the courage to do it, and with my wife's encouragement I finally e-mailed to ask him... and he said yes. It was as simple as that!

“And for all the "Byrne-Bashers" out there, let me say this: in the limited contact I did have with him, he was nothing but gracious, kind, and courteous in our communications. As he's been doing for 30+ years, he delivered when he said he would. He took the time out of a very busy schedule to fit the Magnitude cover in and help a virtual unknown out. True professionalism. In the end, it was an absolute thrill to actually have THE John Byrne draw my character. If nothing else, I can retire from comics knowing I fulfilled one of my career objectives: working on an actual John Byrne piece!”

Originally, it was Waller’s intention to do the entire project by himself, from scripting the tiniest plotline to actually publishing it on his own. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. “The first thing that fell by the wayside was drawing it,” he confesses. “I started out doing the pencilling, but my inexperience and my pace might have meant the book wouldn’t have come out until sometime in 2012.

“The first thing I did was seek out a penciller to help, someone who's style would fit and who showed an understanding for the character and the 'universe' the book is set in, and that was Axel Gimenez. He fit my vision perfectly. After I had enough of the series produced that I could start looking at the publishing aspect... the picture became a lot less clear to me. The creative end was taking up so much of my time and resources, I was beginning to realize that going at it on my own as publisher was perhaps biting off more than I could chew, especially in this market.

“I began to research the different independent publishers out there. I could see the forest for the trees with a couple of them, and recent history has unfortunately proven me right in that regard as some of them have fallen by the wayside. In the end I contacted three independent publishers—two by e-mail and one with an actual submission—looked at what they were putting out and how Magnitude might fit in with their existing line-up.

“Not ten minutes after I e-mailed Ape Entertainment, Brent Erwin, Ape's marketing manager, actually called me back! Didn't send out a form e-mail. Didn't get all condescending and demand I go through the usual company submission guidelines before they'd even consider my project. He actually phoned me back, showed great interest in Magnitude, and treated me with dignity and respect. I felt, in that conversation, almost as if I was talking to someone who'd already known me for a long time and understood where I was coming from and what I was attempting to do.

“I then spoke to Dave Hedgecock, Ape's Director of Finance, who'd actually encouraged me to explore all my options despite Ape's desire to take on the book. He actually challenged me to compare their deal with that of all the other independents out there, and then decide. At that point, my mind was already made up—APE would be Magnitude's home. No one else could show me this much love or support, even if they were a bigger publisher or more well known. There was no need for me to look elsewhere.

“It’s very important to be a part of something where you know you'll get the respect, honesty and support you need. Ape looked at me as someone they wanted to help out and wanted to work with. They showed that with their enthusiasm and dedication to Magnitude within 10 minutes of my initially contacting them. I highly recommend anyone putting a book together to give APE a shot, not as your second, third, or even fourth choice down the list, no, go to them first and see what they say compared to what the other guys tell you.

“I am so happy to be with APE now, the guys there are great, and I'm in excellent company with books like Horrorwood, Athena Voltaire, Black Coat, and Nightmare World, among others. I think their line-up stands up next to anything anyone is putting out right now.”

For more on Greg Waller and Magnitude, visit www.voltagecomics.com and www.ape-entertainment.com. Issue #2 went on sale yesterday. Ask for it at your local comic shop.