The following is an interview with Shae Martin regarding the recent Kickstarter campaign launch for the comic book series, The Protector. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Martin about the creative process of bringing the historical fiction superhero series to life on the page, what readers may take away from the story’s themes, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on your Kickstarter campaign launch for The Protector! What can you share with us about the premise of this historical fiction superhero series?
Shae Martin: Thank you so much! The Protector is a story about an alien from the planet Zyronia who was sent back in time from 2095 to stop the Carnethian Empire from invading his home world in late 1940. He succeeds, but in doing so, he unknowingly sends the Carnethians to their next target over a hundred years too early. That target is Earth in March 1941.
The first issue of this 3-issue arc opens right as the invasion of Earth begins over Starlight City. The Carnethians tear through the streets, bringing death and destruction everywhere they go. Then, when all hope seems lost, The Protector arrives to turn the tide.
As the story unfolds in future issues, we explore more about who Kiran is as a person, his history with the Carnethians, and how he got his powers.
At its core, The Protector is about responsibility, and what it means to be a hero in a world that is not your own. This first arc, The Protector: The Carnethian Invasion, is also meant to be the starting point for a much larger story called The Saga of Heroes, where we explore the consequences of Kiran’s decision to save his world and the impact that advanced alien technology has on a 1940s world.
BD: How would you describe your shared creative process in working with artist Marcelo H. Santana to bring this world and its characters to life on the page?
SM: Working with Marcelo on this book has easily been the best part of the entire process. From the very beginning, it felt truly collaborative, and you can tell he does this for the love of art and comics.
The passion he brings to every page, along with the level of detail he puts into his work, really takes the artwork to another level. For Marcelo, it’s not just about drawing a page. It’s about taking what’s on the script and elevating it into something even more impactful.
What stands out the most to me is that you can see that same level of passion not just in my book, but in everything he works on. I truly believe Marcelo is line to be one of the next era defining artists within the comics industry, and it’s been an absolute honor collaborating with him on The Protector.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that Kiran’s story may connect with or impact readers?
SM: Even though he’s not “human,” I believe Kiran’s story connects at a very human level. At the core of it he is someone who carries the weight of past failures and the consequences of them. As we move into the story, we really explore his self-doubt and PTSD as the aftermath of the invasion starts to show up in the world. At the end of the day, he wants to make things right. There is also the fact that he is an outsider, he grew up in a world under Carnethian rule, and now he is thrown into this 1940s world as an outsider who now has to learn about humanity, the good and the bad, and fight for it anyway.
We all have things in our past we regret, decisions that we have made that led to pain and suffering of others. Things we wish we could take back but can’t, and these are things we have to learn to face those decisions without letting it define who we are. And that’s what Kiran’s story is truly about, learning to overcome the past so that you can forge a better future.
BD: Why do you feel that crowdfunding has been such a valuable resource to ensure the success of today’s comic book creators and publishers?
SM: Crowdfunding for me has been incredibly valuable as an independent creator. It has given me the ability to put my stories out there without having to go through a publisher. The Protector is the first thing I have ever put into the world, and I could not have done that without crowdfunding. There are a lot of amazing creators out there who have incredible stories to tell and crowdfunding is one of the most accessible ways to be able to do it.
BD: In light of the crowdfunding campaign, are there any particular backer rewards that you would like to highlight for our readers?
SM: There are several different reward tiers for this campaign. We have the standard physical edition and digital editions, but we also have a Golden Age Variant cover from Anthony Carranza/pulpamericana that is an amazing callback to the era of comics that came out in the 1940s.
We do have a couple tiers that include posters of artwork done by Marcelo, as well as some digital rewards to explore the process of select pages from sketch to ink, to color. And we also have tiers for people who may want both versions of the cover.
BD: Are there any other projects – past or current – that you would like to share with our readers?
SM: As of right now The Protector is the main focus for me. Once issue 1 has been printed, the plan is to immediately start working with Marcelo on the pages for issue 2. But The Protector is just the beginning for a larger world within The Saga of Heroes.
Following this arc we will be introducing several other characters, each with their own stories set during World War II that will build up to the conclusion of Chapter 1 with the formation of The Paragons of Peace.
I do also want to take some time to shout out some other incredible projects from other amazing creators who have been working with Marcelo.
Nick Ward is currently accepting late pledges for his book Peculiar #1 until April 17th.
Joshua-Wayne Hickman will be launching the color version of Lost Days #1 on May 1st.
Luis Gutierrez, who is the letterer for The Protector #1, will be launching his next comic, Downgrades #2, on June 1st.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell readers who want to learn more about The Protector campaign and your other work?
SM: Right now, the best way to learn more about the project would be through Kickstarter itself which is live until 3 p.m. CST on May 6th. I also share frequent updates and behind-the-scenes looks on my social media (FB: The Saga of Heroes / IG: the.saga.of.heroes).
If you are into alternate takes on history, superhero stories, or just seeing something being built from the ground up, this is the perfect time to jump into The Saga of Heroes.
