Crossfire, Blazergirl, Shifto, Black Beetle, and Radioactive are the newest heroes to wage war against crime.
SFCC and SCC’s own Preston Smith and Charlie Powell, creators of Splotch comics, present their first comic storyline in Crossfire. The story, written by Andrew J Lucas and drawn by David Jaxon features a newly formed superhero team fighting gangsters and thugs in Chicago all while learning to work as a team, led by Crossfire. They group have published issue one and are currently working on the second.
“Crossfire is an ex mercenary to vigilante, and now the leader of a superhero team that is fighting organized crime in Chicago and Detroit,” said Smith.
With all the heroes that have come from Marvel, DC, and the many indie comic companies it can be hard to create an original idea. Conner Monroe, a local cosplayer and comic fan, thinks that they already have a way to stand out.
“I think it’s impossible to be one hundred percent original these days,” said Monroe. “However these guys are taking their favorite elements of their favorite comics and creating their own piece of art to share with the world. That’s what makes them different and that’s what makes it cool.”
To afford the production of their comics, Smith and Powell pay out of pocket and take in support from their Kickstarter.
“In the beginning we paid for everything out of pocket and used school resources,“ said Powell. “But now we have the Kickstarter for issue two, but Preston paid for issue one all out of pocket, and it turned out awesome.”
According to the duo, their goal isn’t to take the hobby and make it as big as a Marvel or DC; they prefer to stay small.
“I feel like I want to keep it small, I love small indie comic business,” said Powell. “I think a lot of true passion comes through, and a lot of good work comes through.
The current goal for Splotch comics is to reach 3,000 followers so that they can continue with their hobby.
“I just want to tell the stories I had in my head for awhile, but I would like for it to pay for itself,” said Smith. “If we had around 3,000 active followers buying our books it would be a hobby that pays for itself.”
You can download Crossfire issue one for free as a PDF, contact the staff, or see upcoming new characters at their website at https://www.splotchcomics.com/.