A homegrown hero has fought his way into a local comic book store.
Action Hero, a series from Orillia resident Brant Mawdsley’s Kapow Comics, is now available at Dr. Comics on Mississaga Street. It is also being sold in Toronto at The Comic Room, Excalibur Comics, and Paradise Comics.
The series — written, illustrated and published by Mawdsley — follows superhero Brock Barnes as he keeps the streets of Bayfield City safe.
“He’s an alpha male with super strength and expert skills in five kinds of martial arts,” Mawdsley explained, adding the hero has “a cool car and gadgets.”
This isn’t the first time Mawdsley’s creations have hit the shelves of area stores. A previous series was for sale about six years ago at MVP in Orillia and Jack’s on Queen in Elmvale.
Mawdsley’s interest in comic books, however, started much earlier. He began writing and illustrating while in Grade 2 at East Oro Public School. That passion has grown over the years as he has been inspired by the likes of Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby of Marvel Comics fame.
“Stan Lee changed the way we look at superheroes,” Mawdsley said. “They faced problems that the reader could relate to.”
He’s hoping he, too, can eventually become a household name.
“My hope is to be able to sell at a comic book convention and, one day, be the No. 1 comic book writer and illustrator in Ontario,” he said.
He made a good impression about a year ago when he said a movie star was filming at a place where Mawdsley worked and refused to give an autograph to a co-worker. Mawdsley did his part by autographing one of his own comic books for her.
“The fans make you who you are,” he said.
He has completed 10 issues in the Action Hero series and expects the 11th to be finished by the end of the year. For now, he’s soaking in the satisfaction of having his work available at a store in Orillia.
“It’s like a dream come true,” he said, adding, “If I can do it, anyone can.”
