Loco Hero #1- A Graphic Novel 

When a homeless Latina war vet sustains a head trauma after trying to stop a crime, she wakes up to the belief that she's a superhero and makes it her goal to stop a ruthless tycoon and his thugs from leveling the slums to build what she thinks is a super-villain headquarters.

 The Idea by Monte Michael Moore

Six years ago during the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con an idea came to me as I was walking along the front of the convention center heading back to my vehicle after a night of industry meetings and social networking.  As I strolled the 'boardwalk' I was simultaneously passed by both a group of superhero cosplayers going in one direction  while a homeless woman pushing her cart of belongings in the other direction was having a very loud argument with herself and was clearly...losing the argument.  I thought, "what if there were a crime-fighter who was homeless....and maybe a bit crazy....but dressed up as a superhero and went out to fought crime?"  Now maybe the idea sounds 'crazy' itself but when you think about it...it's a lot like Bruce Wayne as Batman...only without any money...without any gadgets...without any support system like Alfred and the Batcave and without even a house to live in!  I mean Bruce Wayne has it made, he's got money and ways to get patched up, armor to protect him and anything a billionaire can afford.  But if you took all that away from someone AND they still went out on the mean streets and fought the good fight...to me that is a character with true grit who must survive on skills and savvy alone.  When creating the backstory for my central character Brina Hernandez and even the title "Loco Hero" the key elements just fell into place for me and I knew it was the right direction because everything just felt right when it came to the the story and the journey of the character. 

 A Hero Like No Other

I started with some early concept sketches of the character and I knew her 'outfit' or 'costume' would need to be cobbled together from items she could find for free in the donations bin at at the local shelter.   I wanted to create a character that would be unique in the world of comics and film.  I felt that Brina's story would be singular in that she was a Latina, a combat veteran, and a patriot who, like so many of our real world veterans today, ends up living on the hard streets dealing with loss, PTSD and survivor's guilt.  So, although I seek to tell an entertaining story with action and humor, sexiness and style, I also want there to be a real message in her story and this not just be a tale of pure whimsy or fantasy. 

The Journey

Although I have had smaller published comics stories in magazines like National Lampoon and the Bloodlines one-shot comic published through Moonstone, this project is special for me because it was mine from its very inception. I have done my best to guide the project through to today's completion and the journey hasn't been without its pitfalls and missteps.  My initial penciller had to step away from the project to attend to personal matters, which led to a long delay and a restart, but in the end timing worked out great and I found a wonderful team to work with from pencils and inks by Donny H. and Colors by Sean C. to the lettering team of Jonathan C. and Jamie M. to bring the project home.  As an artist I know what it's like to have heavy-handed art direction and micro management, so I gave the art team I brought together a lot of leeway and artistic freedom and I feel in the end the project is all the stronger for it.  The one question you might want to ask is why I didn't do all the interior art myself and the answer is simple, my strengths as an artist are in my skills as primarily a Cover Artist and not as a interior artist and visual storyteller, so I brought together artists I feel who could do a better job than I might myself because I am not a seasoned sequential artist.   By using the funds from my own commercial assignments to hire other artists for my own project I am supporting the comics art community and fellow artists like myself. 

The New Book

So after 6 years of working with the creative team to bring this all to fruition, we have been able to move the project into the production phase and offer it to you here on IndieGOGO!  As I already have had many successful campaigns, I have always known I would bring this project directly to the fans first rather than taking it to a publisher where I might have to relinquish some decision making and rights to my story and characters which isn't what a creator-owned project is about.  We have already produced a "Saddle-Stitched" (stapled) edition of this book and are already in development on a second issue of that edition, so you can trust that the story continues, and because of popular demand by users of this platform, we have decided to offer this special edition of Loco Hero #1 here on IndieGOGO! This edition of Loco Hero #1 is a "perfect-bound" edition, this means that the interior pages of the book are glued into a center spine, like a softcover book, rather than the "staple and fold" process of saddle-stitch binding commonly used in comics. We also have a new "Textured" cover option that has never before been offered on Loco Hero#1.  For this IndieGOGO Edition of Loco Hero #1, we have new cover art from Monte Moore and other "Rock Stars" of the comics industry.  There should be something here for everyone, including  people just seeing this exciting story, and for people already familiar with the ongoing tale of Brina Hernandez... The LOCO HERO!

Stretch Goals

• When we reach $5000 in funding, ALL backers will receive a free 6 x 9 Cover Art Mini Print
• When we reach $10,000 in funding, we will add ORIGINAL ART PAGES to the add-on perks
• When we reach $20,000 in funding, we will make a special, DOUBLE SIZED edition, containing BOTH Loco Hero #1 AND Blood N'Bullets #1, available as an add-on perk
• MOORE to come...

The PERKS

In the following images and descriptions you will be able to support the project by selecting perks from just a few dollars for the digital copy to getting prints, the printed copy of Loco Hero #1, and specialty variant editions of the book.  Feel free to peruse the offerings and let me know via Direct Message (DM) if you have questions, we (myself and Joshua my Operations Manager here at Maverick Arts) are always here to answer your questions. 

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$10 - The Loco Hero #1 Digital Download Edition - Those that select this perk will receive a digital copy of Loco Hero #1, a double sized issue that introduces a brand new Hero of a different kind.  Read the brand-new 48-page Loco Hero graphic novel in DRM-free PDF format.

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$15 - The Loco Hero Cover Art Print - Those that select this perk will receive an 11 x 17 Loco Hero Cover Art Print featuring the cover art of their choice from any of the cover selections offered in this campaign

These 11 x 17 Prints are printed on 100# matte paper and are available for any of the cover art images. You will be able to make your selection of art in the post-campaign survey.

Also includes a digital copy of Loco Hero.

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$20 - The Loco Hero #1 ArtCore Edition - Those that select this perk will receive a signed physical copy of the ArtCore IndieGOGO edition of Loco Hero #1

A 48-page Graphic Novel with pencils/Inks by Donny Hadiwidjaja, Colors by Sean Callahan, and Monte Moore Cover Art.

Your choice of available ArtCore covers will be made in the post-campaign survey.

Also includes a digital copy of Loco Hero.

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$25 - The Loco Hero #1 RockStar Edition - Those that select this perk will receive a signed physical copy of the RockStar IndieGOGO edition of Loco Hero #1

A 48-page Graphic Novel with pencils/Inks by Donny Hadiwidjaja, Colors by Sean Callahan, and cover art from some of the best artists in the industry!

Your choice of available RockStar covers will be made in the post-campaign survey.

Also includes a digital copy of Loco Hero.

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$25 - The Loco Hero #1 Honor Edition - Those that select this perk will receive a signed physical copy of the Honor Bound IndieGOGO edition of Loco Hero #1

A 48-page Graphic Novel with pencils/Inks by Donny Hadiwidjaja, Colors by Sean Callahan, and Monte Moore Cover Art.

Proceeds from this edition are donated to Operation Second Chance

Also includes a digital copy of Loco Hero.

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$45 - Loco Hero #1 Holofoil Edition - Those who select this perk will receive a signed physical copy of the HoloFoil IndieGOGO edition of Loco Hero #1

A 48-page Graphic Novel with Pencils/Inks by Donny Hadiwidjaja, Colors by Sean Callahan, and a special HoloFoil Cover featuring  art from  top artists.

Your choice of available HoloFoil covers will be made in the post-campaign survey.

Also includes a digital copy of Loco Hero

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$45 - Loco Hero #1 Texture Edition - Those who select this perk will receive a signed physical copy of the Texture IndieGOGO edition of Loco Hero #1

A 48-page Graphic Novel with Pencils/Inks by Donny Hadiwidjaja, Colors by Sean Callahan, and a special Pearlescent Linen Textured Cover with  art from Monte Moore

Your choice of available Texture covers will be made in the post-campaign survey.

Also includes a digital copy of Loco Hero

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$150 - The Loco Hero Six-Pack - Those that select this perk will receive one of each edition of the IndieGOGO release of Loco Hero#1!

This includes:
Choice of (1) ArtCore Edition
Choice of (1) RockStar Edition
Choice of (1) HoloFoil Edition
Choice of (1) Texture Edition
Choice of (1) Cover Art Print
(1) Honor Edition

That's SIX copies of the 48-page Graphic Novel with Pencils/Inks by Donny Hadiwidjaja, Colors by Sean Callahan, and Cover Art from Monte Moore and other top artists.

Supporters will choose the covers that they want for these books during the post-campaign survey.

Also includes a digital copy of Loco Hero

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$600 - Loco Hero FULLY LOADED - This perk is for the true collector, the completionist, the person who wants it all! The Fully Loaded Perk includes one each of all available books and prints at a huge saving over individual purchases. This means you get-

All Four ArtCore Cover copies of Loco Hero #1
All Four RockStar Cover copies of Loco Hero #1
All Four HoloFoil Cover copies of Loco Hero #1
All Four Texture Cover copies of Loco Hero #1
All Nine Cover Art Prints
The Honor Edition
...AND The Digital Edition!

That's 17 comics and 9 prints, for a huge savings!