SPECTRUM is Green!
Welcome.
I assume that if you've found your way into this obscure corner of the cyber-universe you're either:
A) a fan of CAPTAIN SCARLET
B) a fan of the work of Gerry Anderson
C) at least somewhat interested in what we're doing at Misc!MAYHEM (and if "C" makes absolutely no sense to you whatsover, I'd recommend a quick side trip to the Misc!MAYHEM website at http://www.miscmayhemprods.com/. Really. It'll be worth the trip, I promise).
D) someone with way too much time on your hands.
Whatever your reasons, welcome. This is the beginning of a journey that's taken way too long for me to start, and I'm very excited it's all coming together now.
What journey is that? As you may or may not know, my name is John Petty, and I'm writing (among other things) the CAPTAIN SCARLET comic series for Dallas-based Misc!MAYHEM.
Here's the scoop: growing up, there were two things I loved passionately: comics books and Captain Scarlet. See, I was one of those fortunate few who, living outside of Philadelphia at the time, was in one of those rare markets that actually broadcast Captain Scarlet in its original American release. I remember being entranced with everything from the cool theme music and the dark storyline to the wicked vehicles and the intriguing end-title paintings. My mom was trying to limit the amount of TV my brothers and I were watching at the time, and we had to chose a small number of shows we were allowed to see. Captain Scarlet was at the top of my list.
My other obssession was comic books. Spurred by the BATMAN TV show of the mid, mod-60s, I was a nut for anything four-color. I knew all the members of the Legion of Superheroes, their powers and their planets of origin. I could tell you all about all the different types of Kryptonite, and what each of the Mandarin's 10 rings did. I knew all the powers and secret origins of the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the Justice League and even the Justice Society. So how come I could never find a Captain Scarlet comic book?
The answer, of course, is that there were Captain Scarlet comics (of a sort), just not in America. That four color treat was reserved for those lucky Brits.
Flash forward thirty some-odd (some very odd) years. After a mystfying assortment of jobs/careers, I find myself Director of Auctions for Heritage Comics Auctions, the world's largest collectibles auctioneer. A perfect job for someone who has never, ever lost the comics collecting bug.
So, in the commission of the duties of my office, I find myself at Mid-Ohio Con, and I re-connect with Keith "Kez" Wilson, former DC (among others) inker/art director guy, and fellow Dallasite. Keith tells me he has acquired the rights to do the comic book versions of many of the Gerry Anderson properties. Of course, the first question out of my mouth is, "Who's doing your Captain Scarlet book?" to which Keith's answer is, "No one...yet." After a few drinks, a dinner or two, and a written proposal, it becomes clear that I'm doing the Captain Scarlet book.
And I couldn't be happier.
The road to any successful venture is, by necessity, rocky at first, and it's no different with Misc!MAYHEM. We're working hard to make this a reality. SUPERCAR #0 has already been published (and if you haven't gotten that book yet, I whole-heartedly recommend it. A first-rate production all the way. Ask your local comics dealer for it, or order it through the M!M website), and FIREBALL XL5 #0 and UFO #0 are fast approaching.
"But what about Captain Scarlet?", you ask.
Here's the scoop: The script for a 48-page #0 issue is all done. In it, you'll learn about Captain Scarlet, his family background, how he joined SPECTRUM, how he became indestructible, and why he's much more of a hero than anyone's ever expected. You'll also get the low-down on Colonel White. Believe me, there's more to him than meets the eye. All this behind a beautiful painted cover by a first-rate artist.
I'm going to hold off on giving any more details on the creative team for right now, but I'm planning on posting some images soon.
So here's my plan for this blog: I'm really excited about this project, and I can't wait to share exciting news about it. Hopefully, you'll come back fairly regularly (and hopefully I'll update this fairly regularly) and along the way we can discuss all things Scarlet. Beyond the first four-issue story arc, I've already got three or four more plots in my mind, so hopefully this series will be successful enough to allow us to continue the journey past the initial release.
Of course, along the way, I welcome your comments and your feedback. Let me know what you think.
It's going to be a wild ride.
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