The Story

In a near-future America controlled by the United Nations, seven Texans and two Special Ops vets take a stand against a multi-national expeditionary force sent to probe the last remaining Republic's defenses.  Think: "The Magnificent Seven" meets "Red Dawn."   

Wisdom.  Times are tough for this tiny ranch town in the Panhandle of Texas. Tough even before the great Depression of 2018 and the following Texas secession from the U.N.-directed takeover of America.

But the town of Wisdom learned how to scratch out a living from the desolate plains and the small population survived, even thrived in some ways.  So when someone (home grown terrorist? foreign insurgent? a desperate Texas patriot?) detonated the EMP (electromagnetic pulse) rocket over Kansas and put out the lights...well, it hardly mattered.  No electricity, no running water: no problem. Life went on.

Sudden permanent cell phone outage caused widespread attacks of mania and catatonia among the hordes dependent on smart phones.  Those not willing to eke out a living ravaged the weaker ones.  In the big cities--major food riots erupted.  As for the less fortunate and sickly...no diabetics lived out here in the Panhandle, so insulin and other refrigerated drugs weren't missed much. People needing cancer chemo treatments...those folks left Wisdom long ago. They were were all gone by now.  It was a new world.  Harsher in some ways. Tougher.  Definitely a lot quieter. 

In one, brief flash, that missile over Kansas--the center-most portion of the old U.S.--turned back the clock.  Turned it back to the age of steam.  But the EMP also stopped the invading armies from nuking the Republic.  Or striking from the air.  Even laser-guided small arms stopped functioning.  Autos died and rusted in their tracks. Time moved back in all things, except for automatic weapons and the precious ammo to arm them.  Some of the soldiers (now stranded in North America) were still determined to strike against the hated upstart Texas and make the rebels pay. The deadly path for one expeditionary force lay through the Panhandle.  Through Wisdom. And through seven weather-bitten, gun savvy Texans aided by two Special Ops veterans.

A New Approach To Graphic Novels

From an international cast--Spain, the UK, Australia, Israel, and the United States--author Lucas Cole found Sketchup artists willing to let their creations come alive in Lucas' hands.  Howard F. Clarke, through his start-up publishing firm, Western Gate Books, is backing "Republic" as the tiny company's first major publication.  All artists, actor/models, and even the software used in the book's creation will be credited in the book.

The Project And Funding Uses

Lucas Cole is working on the art, story--basically the entire book production. Howard Clarke is handling the formatting, printing arrangements, and the rewards associated with this Kickstarter project.  This is a two-man operation and the costs--and demands--will be tough to handle alone.

"Republic: The Graphic Novel" expected publication date: October 2012.  (The Graphic Novel eBook and hard copy as a trade paperback included in rewards as described.)

"Republic: The Graphic Novel Sketchbook" provisional publication date: December 2012.  (The Sketchbook eBook in a preliminary .pdf form will be a reward as described prior to official hard copy publication.  Hard copy not included in project, because they could be a delay in final printing and because of additional costs.)

The funds derived through this Kickstarter project will help pay for the completion of:

•  the artwork, 
• comic/graphic novel formatting, 
• cover art finalization, 
• printing and distribution costs of the "Republic: The Graphic Novel."

Funds in excess of the project goal will go toward completing the Sketchbook, improving the graphics tablet status, and obtaining improved graphics software.

Please support this project and become part of the history of one of the most unusual, and likely to be controversial, graphic novels.

Copyright Information

"Republic: The Graphic Novel" by Lucas Cole was filed with the U.S. Copyright office on May 30, 2012 in the form of a preliminary sketchbook complete with plot synopsis (including the use of an EMP missile and the secession of Texas) and a brief history of the book. It contains 11 pages of sketches with the synopsis, and will be re-written as one of the rewards for this project. This project began in March 2011 with written correspondence between Lucas Cole and several contributors who will be credited in the book.

Note to supporters and readers: the final interior illustrations for Republic: The Graphic Novel will be in black and white. Only the cover and possibly chapter breaks, if any, will be in color.