Thursday, November 3, 2005

GROUND FLOOR: INFINITY UPRISING'S METRO
By Rik Offenberger

John DaCosta's new mini-series Metro debuts this month, and it's coming from a new publisher, Infinity Uprising. John took some time away from the drawing board to chat with Newsarama and he brought Metro writer Adrian Wilkins and creator Doug Bryan with him.

But - so we're all on the same page - the solicit for the series: Stavros "Stefan" Metrolopolous vanished, 9 years ago, right before the eyes of his lover/assistant. He returned four years ago, after Earth barely survived an attack from beyond the stars. His five years in exile left him marked and unable to reconnect with the woman he loves. He still suffers nightmares from what he has termed as his time in Hell. He considers himself blessed to have escaped and able to return to his business, becoming one of the wealthiest men in the world today. He knows all is not as it should be. He knows he is not safe.

Hell wants him back.

Already possessed of PostHuman abilities of Flight, enhanced durability and phenomenal strength, Stavros was modified in "Hell"; made into the ultimate instrument of Earth's downfall and charged with delivering Earth to his designers.

Now, 4 years after his return, his hellish masters have begun manifesting on Earth and sending their messengers to remind Stavros he has a job to do.

Newsarama: To start, what made you decide to go with Infinity Uprising rather then going though a bigger creator friendly publishing house like Image, Alias or Speakeasy?

Adrian Wilkins: Well, this title belongs to Infinity Uprising, but we have basically been given free reign on it so it feels like it belongs to us. But one of the plans is to eventually submit this title to larger companies such as the ones you just mentioned.

NRAMA: With the new Diamond Comics minimum order policy and the financial burden of independent publishing, how do you guys finance this project?

Doug Bryan: The only way we can for the time being. Totally out of pocket. Other, alternative financial options are always being actively sought, but waiting to find the exact right one is a sure way to not put anything out. We fund ourselves and play within our means.

AW: Right - Doug Bryan, the CEO of Infinity Uprising is handling the financing of not only Metro, but many other titles and projects coming out of the company.

JD: Diamond is only one outlet, sure it's a big one, but being Indy means being resourceful.

NRAMA: Metro is coming out this month, were orders sufficient that most fans will be able to find this at there local comic shop?

DB: Metro is our newest addition to the line but looking to be the greatest thus far. We are constantly in contact with comic shops and yes fans will be able to find the comics in a growing number of stores as well as directly from Infinity Uprising online.

NRAMA: If the mini-series does well, do you plan an ongoing series?

DB: Already planned. So that would be a yes.

AW: The ongoing series is being mapped out right now as we speak. The mini-series is, of course, the tester to see how fans react to it, but plans are to let a larger company handle this.

JD: Not to mention the other projects under way specifically relating to Metro, including spin-offs and one shots.

NRAMA: The main focus is Stavros accepting his powers and who he had become as Metro, how is this handled?

DB: Stavros already has some abilities he had chosen to keep under wraps and the newer power added to that from his time in the Ashescape is the source of the strife in the miniseries and the source of the question of destiny at the heart of the Metro series.

AW: It's not totally about Stavros accepting his powers. Stavros has it all. Money, success and any woman he can get his hands on. He's accepted his powers a long time ago. Just that he doesn't want to use them to help mankind out. It's only when he's about to lose something close to him that he decides to don the costume.

JD: While it's true that the story is about Stavros utilizing his powers, a centralized focus is to contest destiny. He doesn't want to conquer earth; he doesn't really care to save it. He enjoys his women and his possessions.

Newsarama: You have the search for a lost super hero, Maxima, going on. How do you get the readers to connect with the search for a new hero who starts off missing?

DB: The search for Maxima is a trope and will be used to sprinkle in various historical seeds about the Infinity Uprising Universe. His interest in what happened to Maxima stems from his belief that her disappearance was a precursor to the larger Vanishing, mass disappearance of supers in the course of one night, which left Earth bereft of a superhuman presence for the past few years...now with the advent of 4Play, Novights and by the end of this miniseries, Metro, there seems to be a population explosion on the HoriZon. That will continue in Infinity Uprising books to come.

JD: Now you can see that the Infinity Uprising isn't just creating a stand alone tale, but a massive universe with endless possibilities.

NRAMA:: You incorporate a tragic love story between Metro and Mira, what does this bring to the mini-series?

DB: The two principles of the series have a genuine love for each other but can't act on it any longer for fear of what the repercussions will be. It all ties into the question of destiny at the heart of the story. Will these two resume a love that could have dire consequences on the world? It also helps to bring a human element to the story.

JD: I think a great way to relate these two it to compare them to polarity of magnets. Opposites attract, and the same is true of Stavros and Mira, but the catch is what else gets attracted when these two are put together. As we all know, magnets tend to attract metal. Stavros was "modified" by the Ashe, so when the two are close, well put two and two together and you have a harbinger of doom on your hands.

NRAMA:: You seem to be coving a lot of ground for a mini-series, if the mini-series does not continue, is this a complete story unto itself?

DB: Actually, yes. It is a complete 4 issue story that leaves clear openings if a sequel comes about. In the time-honored tradition of Hollywood.

AW: For the most part, yeah. But I think that the ending will have people wanting to see more!

JD: The mini does move at high speed pace, and covers a lot, but you're not left wondering what the heck just happened?! It's been carefully handled and a lot of preparation has gone into the production. I think this will be a product we'll all be proud of.

NRAMA: What is it about Metro that will make our readers want to go out and search for Metro?

DB: Well, honestly, there are a lot of Type A superhero books out there. And, to me, they all seem to say "How can we tell a Superman story better than Superman?" or it's like Superman, but not. If we were going to do a book that fell in those lines, we wouldn't do it. Metro is very different from Superman and others like him. Sure he's an all-powerful type...but his story is totally different as is his ultimate path... Oooo...ominous, and in the end, I believe that difference alone will make all the difference in the world.

AW: He's not your average super hero. He really doesn't care about people unless it has to do with him. Doug and I have a few surprises for the people once the ongoing series takes off. I can't really talk about them, unfortunately, but let me say that when I was told some of the plots that I had to pick my jaw up off the floor!

JD: How can you add to that statement? It's fresh, and unique. It's not look at me I can kick your ass and save the world at the same time. It's the elements of changing your destiny and re-writing fate that ends up the true ass kicker.

NRAMA: What's next for all of you?

DB: Hopefully more Infinity Uprising work!

AW: I'm going to be working on Metro and a few other projects to submit to companies all over the place. One is called 12 Rings. It's a fun story and I have a very talented artist working with me named Mark DeVera.

JD: I'd actually prefer to stay with Infinity Uprising until they get sick of me. Well in all honesty, I want to keep making comics. I've donated a piece to Portal Comics for an Autism charity book. I'm working on a story that will probably be the pinnacle of my creativity, once it's complete and ready to go to print is when I'll track down a publisher. Hint, hint... Doug?