Interview: Satterwhite And Mack Kickstart STEALTH

There’s a new hero in Terminus City…and you can get in on the ground floor with Short Fuse’s newest Kickstarter! Sean Mack and William Satterwhite were kind enough to dish about their campaign for STEALTH below:

Aaron Long: So how did Stealth come to be?

William Satterwhite: Stealth started off basically as an evolution of the comics I had always done in middle and high school, when I started college I decided to put together a little submission package and this is what actually ended up becoming the beginning of the original Stealth webcomic. I was never quite satisfied with everything so never sent it off but I eventually came across some guys (Jimmie Westley and Jamar Logan) who were doing their own comics online- at the time this was a really big deal. Seeing this inspired me so I fleshed out that original submission some, taught myself how to build a website and put the comic up. I got some positive feedback and so decided to keep it going as much as I could.

AL: What can you tell us about Stealth and his home, Terminus City?

WS: Stealth originally started off as my take on the idea of a teen hero/vigilante very much influenced by what I was influenced by at the time of it’s creation- stuff like WB/CW teen shows and classic comics with a healthy balance of both humor and seriousness along with a bit of a soap opera feel at times. The Short Fuse series looks to stick much to that same vibe but instead of a teen hero, we’re dealing with one in the kind of no man’s land between teen/college years and the adult years where you are just starting to make it in the world on your own and what not- one of the reasons for the time jump we have between the established Stealth continuity and the Short fuse series is because I don’t think many superhero comics have really covered this particular period of life.

Readers out there who are either Walking Dead fans or history buffs can probably figure that Terminus City is a fictional stand in of sorts for Atlanta with nods to a few other southern cities- it’s a huge sprawling Southern metropolis that is, compared to other major cities to the North, relatively young and symbolic of the “New South” that rose out of the aftermath of the American Civil War. As such, it’s a very new money type of place where the idea of upward mobility is prized highly, the city’s unofficial motto- “Anyone Who Can Make It Here, Can Make It Wherever They Want”- owes just as much to the idea of the city being a place for people to make their fortune as it does to the city’s origins as a transit center. That said, as much as the city likes to celebrate the nouveau riche facade, there are also struggles with those who prefer the old ways which plays into one of the principle backdrops in the new series.

Cover by Sean Hill

AL: You teamed with Hero Nation (Ypsilanti) and The Mighty Jon Youth Movement to distribute copies of Stealth #0 at Black Panther screenings. How did it feel to get copies of your series directly into the hands of young readers?

Sean Mack: It felt good to give something to the community and see that young readers were truly excited and interested in the prospect of checking out a character that they had never heard of but that they could identify with. The response was awesome.

AL: Sean, this isn’t Short Fuse Media’s first Kickstarter, what do you find to be the most challenging aspect of crowdfunding, and what is the most exciting?

SM: The most challenging aspect would definitely be generating awareness as with indie comics, there aren’t as many outlets that will provide coverage as we would hope for. What’s worked for us has been making sure that we follow through on our commitments to ensure that supporters return for future projects because they understand what our overall brand stands for. The most exciting part would be knowing that we have delivered on our promise. Getting the feedback from supporters and fans that they received the goods and enjoyed it is the best feeling ever! #WeAlwaysDeliver

AL: Can you give readers a rundown of what is available at different pledge levels for this campaign?

SM: There is an assortment of pledge levels that cater to almost every budget. At just $5 (plus shipping) you can score printed copies of the Stealth Graphic Novel Preview that highlights some of the characters early adventures as well as Stealth #0 that focuses on our current story. At $10.00 (plus shipping) you can jump into issue #1 of Stealth with higher tiers bringing about awesome variant covers from the likes of Sean Hill (Zenescope Comics) and Caanan White (Image Comics). There are also some really cool t-shirts and at some of our higher tier levels we have cameo variant cover options and custom action figure options where you or your own character can join in on the fun. We’re also soft launching our own action figure line called INDIEVERSE UNLIMITED featuring Stealth as the debut figure with a concept of having other indie creators that are interested in truly having their own figures mass produced being given an opportunity to hop on our upcoming WAVE.

AL: Any final words about Stealth?

WS: I hope readers get out of Stealth what I’ve always wanted to give – a solid mix of classic style superhero action and real world relevance. We definitely appreciate any and all support you can give.

You can find the Kickstarter campaign for STEALTH here.

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