Broken Frontier

Kevin Grevioux, the 6’ 2’’ actor/writer, and passionate Minnesota Vikings fan, not only created the Underworld franchise with his first screenplay but also starred as the lycan Raze. Grevioux has appeared in an impressive variety of films and TV series, such as Men in Black II, Angel and Planet of the Apes, as well as giving Solomon Grundy a voice in The Batman. Since then he’s written New Warriors for Marvel, as well as the current Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel mini-series, exploring a masked hero facing racism. January’s Sista Samurai is his latest series, from Ape Entertainment which gives a long-awaited cross-over between supermodels and the Yakuza.

BROKEN FRONTIER: You had considerable input in the first Underworld film, but not the last two. Why is that?

KEVIN GREVIOUX: I was unrepresented at the time. So I had a script, but no one except my friend, Len Wiseman, fighting for me. But that's the nature of the beast in Hollywood. You have to give the first one away.  It allows you to start a career. 

BF: Was Adam: Legend of the Blue Marvel your pitch to Marvel, or did they come to you with the concept?

KG: I came to Marvel with the idea.  It was something that I have had in my head since I was a kid. At least part of it.  So when I started working for Marvel I decided to pitch them the idea and they went for it.

BF: With Truth, the Captain America series, the Ultimate version of Nick Fury and now Blue Marvel, do you think Marvel is consciously trying to promote African American heroes?

KG: I would say so, yes.  We now live in a global economy where everyone should be able to sit down at the table and participate. Black characters were something that was hard to find when I was a kid, so when I became a pro, seeing more characters of color was part of my goal.  I thank Marvel for that opportunity.

BF: Do you hope to write New Warriors again sometime in the future?

KG: The New Warriors and everyone involved was a great experience for me. I would approach the situation differently, but I would welcome the chance to tackle those characters again if the right circumstances presented themselves.

BF: What does Sista Samurai’s story entail?

KG: Sista Samurai is about a super-model turned ninja that takes place in the Japanese underworld. Years ago, her mother, the daughter of a Japanese Yakuza figure, and her father, an African-American got married, much to the chagrin of her father.  As a result, he had Keiko's father killed.  Keiko's mother, fled in horror, but she was pregnant. 

Not wanting to raise her daughter in this crime-ridden environment, and fearful of what her father might do to his biracial child, she flees and gives the child to a secret clan of ninjas. These ninjas train the young Keiko in their ways well. But she discovers that these ninja, her adopted family, also walk on the dark side of the law.  She leaves them to oppose the evil things that they do and creates a persona known as the RED SAMURAI to fight for justice and bring them and her Yakuza grandfather to justice.  At the same time, Keiko also tries to find her mother. 

BF: Antonio Campo’s dynamic art works perfectly with fast paced story. Do you work well together?

KG: I would say so.  He's the kind of artist that you give very few notes to because he’s right on point with virtually everything. He's a great artist and I hope to work with him for some time to come.

BF: Will Keiko have further adventures if this miniseries does well?

KG: That's the plan.  But only time will tell.

Click  here for the Sista Samurai #0 preview courtesy of Ape Entertainment. Sista Samurai #0 is out now priced $2.00 with Sista Samurai #1 available on January 28th from Ape priced $3.50.