Tarneit artist Shaun Paulet dreams of taking his comic book series to new heights and to a world audience.
In March 2014, the self-confessed comic book lover released the first issue in his own series of comic books, known as Xtreme Champion Tournament.
The series is about some of history’s most famous heroes and villains, including Greek gladiator Spartacus.
It is set in 2069, when the remains of heroes, villains, monsters and creatures, long believed to be myth or legend, have been found and cloned.
Clones are then trained and forced to fight each other to the death in an arena, with people looking on.
Paulet released the first issue with the help of crowd-funding website Kickstarter. Within five months of its release, the comic had become Australia’s most successful independent comic series.
Now Paulet is hoping the second issue in the series, called XCT: Awaken the Baykok, will prove to be just as successful.
“[Since the first issue] XCT has become the most watched sport in history, and sees cloned fighters pitted against each other and against well-known mythical creatures for entertainment purposes,” Paulet says.
“In this latest issue, Spartacus, our main character, faces off against his biggest threat yet. Will he survive or will a new champion emerge?”
Paulet’s inspiration for his comic was New Zealand TV series Spartacus.
“I loved the TV series and, when it ended, I came up with how I would continue the stories of most of the characters, and introduced some other heroes from throughout history.”
Paulet’s love of comic books began as child. His mother would buy him comics in the hope they would encourage him to read more regularly. “My first comic was
X-Men in 1991. That’s what hooked me,” he says. “I enjoyed the fantasy and escape from reality.”
To help fund the release of the second issue, Paulet is again appealing for people to back the series through Kickstarter.
He has created a fundraising page for the project which will remain open until February 26.
To donate
Visit: www.kickstarter.com/projects/2067957354/xtreme-champion-tournament-issue-2
