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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 21, 2009)
By RYAN J. PRADO When Darren G . Davis discovered 10 years ago that he had tested positive for HIV, his life changed in more ways than the obvious. Certainly, he would be undergoing a medications regimen, enduring waves of confusion, probably even regret. He kept a journal to document the ebbs and flows of his daily questioning, to attempt to work out through writing what no one else could help him with. Davis had the support o f his friends and family, but no one-on-one guidance in terms o f the real decisions he would have to make as a result o f his contracting the virus. He was, in a sense, lost, but looking to be found. The muse that stole his mind away wasn’t what Davis had envisioned his career to revolve around, but just like anything, as he puts it, “you have to make do with what it is.” Little did he know then that the focus o f his journal entries would eventually help morph the world’s first H IV superhero, Zak Raven, into the graphic novel Lost Raven. The stirring, beautifully animated tome fol lows the contrasts o f being shipwrecked on a government-run island, designed for D N A testing on humans for future space travel, and Raven’s nightly diary confessions. “I wanted to figure out a cool way to take my journals and transfer them into a comic book,” says Davis. “I came up with this idea o f him getting shipwrecked on an island and during the day he can fight monsters, and at night, all he has is this journal that he’s washed up on shore with and [he writes about] his stresses o f being H IV positive.” The groundbreaking subject matter allowed Davis to speak at Yale University. Twice. After leaving such distinguished enter tainment companies as E!, USA, and Lion- sgate before heading to D C Comics, Davis’ considerable imagination yielded his debut comic, 10th Muse. The release became the sixth highest-selling comic book the year it was produced (2000)—beating Batman and Superman. Davis began producing his own comics, and in 2007, he founded his inde pendent publishing house, Vancouver, Wash ington-based Bluewater Productions. Bluewater produces five titles per month, including the company’s two most bal- lyhooed series, Female Force and Political Power , which spodight empowering women and political figures in the world— Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, and Oprah Winfrey, to name a few— through the animated lens of a comic. These series have generated the most publicity for the company, from media outlets like CN N , Regis and Kelly and Fox News. The upcom ing Stephanie Meyer Female Force title, to be released in November— the same month as new Twilight movie The Twilight Saga: New Moon — is expected to be the company’s highest-selling comic to date. “It’s really taking off,” Davis says regard ing Female Force. “Sarah Palin signed a copy o f her comic for us. Bill Clinton’s assistant called us asking for a copy o f the book for Bill. And we’re like, ‘Why don’t you go buy it?’ But still, it’s pretty cool. This whole thing is totally baffling to me. “In theory I think the genre is great be cause there’s only so much you can tell within 22 pages, so they really are talk pieces,” he continues. “You pick one up and you read about Sarah Palin and that will either inspire you to learn more, or it will just be something you can talk to your friends about.” Additionally, Bluewater has developed relationships and comics series with such pop culture icons as William Shatner {The Tekwar Chronicles ), special effects pioneer Ray Har- ryhausen ( Wrath o f the Titans ), and most re cently actor/activist Reichen Lehmkuhl {The Wasps series). Most o f the titles that Davis publishes enjoy the opportunity to be devel oped into feature films as well. The Legend of Isis has been optioned by Paramount Pictures, and 10th Muse by Universal. “Comic books don’t sell as much as they used to sell,” explains Davis. “Circulation is so down on it, and being an independent pub lisher you’re way down on it, so you have to think o f different things to gain interest. With Shatner, we wanted to build on his creation o f Tekwar, and with Har- ryhausen we wanted to do sequels to all of his films, rather than just retelling all o f his films. We want to do something totally new.” Davis has nothing to worry about. As someone who has never read a comic book in his life, I success fully finished seven in one week’s time based on the sheer uniqueness of Davis’ stable o f writers and art ists— and his vision o f a new way to expose the avenues o f imagination. The Muse, it seems, has never been more viable. For more information, visit www. bluewaterprod. com. Check out Just O ut’r blog (blog- out.justout.com) fo r a fu ll transcrip tion o f this interview with Darren G. Davis. D a rre n G D avis' B lu e w a te r P ro d u c tio n s re le a se s se veral titles e a c h m o n th in c lu d in g th e Fem ale Force series N o ta b le c h a ra c te rs in c lu d e In s a n e J a n e (left) a n d the o n e w h o s ta rte d it a ll. Lost R aven Breakfast and Lunch .FRANCIS ^ R C S T A U R A N T ^ 1\im & Thun« - SAME SEX COUPLE DAYS BUY 1 MEAL, GET 1 AT Vi OFF! (may require L C d iJp u b t* display of afin /ran ) 537 SE Ash Street - Portland Oregon VtiCiAN •tOLUTtiN-IREL OPTIONS (503) 230 0463 2338 Mt AIU»., 503-288-8399 wwsv.Iinm, Wr*^icmmnl.««>m • 9 * • • I • 4 6 3 5 SB Hawthorne Blvd 5 0 3 .9 5 4 .3 1 3 5 3 5 2 4 N. Mississippi Ave 5 0 3 .4 6 7 .4 1 4 9