The Mighty Titan – Kickstarter

5 Issue Miniseries that wraps Joe Martino’s cancer in a superhero shell. Who will protect The Mighty Titan’s alter ego from cancer?

• Launched: Jul. 05, 2012
• Funding ends: Aug. 14, 2012
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The Mighty Titan is my newest creation that essentially takes my cancer (and other) experiences and wraps them in a superhero shell. This isn’t autobiographical. I have researched and talked to other cancer survivors to try and get the feeling of what other people have experienced. The plan is to do a 5 issue mini-series with the possibility of it continuing. I created Titan in 2004 during my first bout with Kidney cancer. It was a tough decision to take some of my personal experiences and put them to paper in order to entertain and possibly allow people a glimpse of what some of us go through while battling this potentialy deadly disease.

Make no mistake, this is still a cool, fun superhero book with vile villians, giant Mechas and some really great mythological creatures. But there is certainly an underlying theme of fear and loss.

This funding will help me pay my friends who are helping me, printing and help to bring this story to a broader audience. I am using this as a pre-order engine. I have budgeted for around $2000 per book bare bones and then I can hopefully work off of the profits of 2-5 to continue. We have just over a month to raise funds and I hope you can help me make this book happen!

TITAN

Imagine for a moment that you were the worlds strongest protector. Imagine that no knife, bullet or bomb can harm you. Then imagine in that moment you are told that you have cancer.

Titan is a character who is for all intents and purposes, invulnerable. He cannot be harmed by any means known to man. His alter ego doesn’t have such luck. Titan’s alter ego is dying. What now?

Isn’t this the perception that we all have when not touched by cancer? We are all under the belief that we are invunerable.  Aren’t we all someone’s protector? Aren’t we all everything to someone?  Not until that lump, or pain, or (un)lucky scan.

How we deal with this defines us. How we live with this strengthens us. What we lose is innocence and the loss of a clear mind.

This is my epitaph. This is my way of dealing. This is my way of helping others understand what it feels like to be invunerable…

And then, one conversation, one sentence later… never feeling that way again.

“I am sorry, Mr. Martino. You have renal cell carcinoma.” were the last words my 33 year old innocent, clear-minded self ever heard. From that day forward, I had cancer. Life was over. Even though, through the support and resolve of my friends, family and doctors. I survived. Twice.

THE TEAM:

WRITER/CREATOR: Joe Martino - Joe has been creating comics since he was 10 years old. His big “break” came when he decided to do everything (mostly) on his own and publish Shadowflame back in 1996. Since then, he has been published by Arcana with Shadowflame and Ripperman, Main Enterprises, Coscom Entertainment and a slew of other independent publishers and made some great friends along the way.

PENCILER: Luca Cicchitti - is a relative newcomer to the comic world. His pencils are bringing Titan to life in a way we couldn’t have imagined.

PENCILER: Cory Smith – Cory Smith is an illustrator and comic artist living and working in New York. Since graduating from the Joe Kubert School in 2004, Cory has worked with clients such as Nickelodeon, Hasbro, Disney, Crayola, and many others on a wide variety of projects and properties. Cory is the artist on the Aspen series BROKEN PIECES, and is the co-creator of THE INDEPENDENTS with writer Ben Christian.

INKER: Jeff Austin – In 1965, Jeff was born. At present, the story hasn’t ended. Jeff is also very well known in the indy comic scene and one of the best inkers out there. He has worked for Image (Big Bang Comics) Main Enterprises (Betsy and more), Arcana (Shadowflame, Ripperman. Dead Men Tell No Tales) , Trinity Comics (The Wraith) Faust, FemForce and many others.

COLORIST: Keith J. Betancourt – For those who know him, Keith is considered a triple threat. He is a penciler, inker and digital colorist. As a colorist, some of his work includes the cover to Time Flyz Volume 8, The DVD Cover to Worst that can Happen (Interspecies Wrestling), art for the NJ hardcore band Ripface Invasion and more from the independent comic Megazeen. Since the age of 2 Keith has been honing his skills, anticipating the day when he can officially break through the comic book world and and show them what he can really do.

Letterer: Johnny Lowe - Johnny is a writer/letterer/editor. He self-published two issues of his own title, FICTIONS, co-wrote GROUNDED ANGEL, an online manga-style comic with Steve Horton, wrote the second JUDO GIRL mini-series for Alias/Bluewater, and has lettered titles for companies such as Image Comics, Wildstorm, Devil’s Due (don’t ask about Devil’s Due), and Boom Studios. He currently letters MORNING GLORIES for Image, and recently lettered the large-format one-shot ENORMOUS, also for Image, for release in Summer 2012. In his non-comics work he copyedits books for University Press of Mississippi, edits a trade pub, and is a copy editor at GodwinGroup.. He has lettered most of Joe’s projects including Shadowflame, Ripperman and “Crimson and Caress”.

The books will have covers by some of my greatest inspirations and artists that were kind enough to take the time out of thier busy schedules. Jerry Ordway, Jamal Igle, John Byrne, Bob McLoed and Phil Jimenez.

Also involved in one way or another are John Orlando, Robert J. Sodaro, Rob X. Roman, Bryan Magnaye, Danielle Alexis St Pierre and Frank M. Cuonzo.  Kickstarter Trailer credits are Joe Martino, Anthony Paladino of Ripface Invasion and Elviz Christ from Saint Avarice!

Special thanks to Jasmin and my kids Alyssa and Vincent, who I continue to do this for.