HOW DID ALLEGHENY MAN COME ABOUT?
I've lived in Allegany County, New York, for the last 25 years, and I've been
a lifelong comics creator and collector. It seemed a natural choice to combine these two factors into something people would
enjoy reading and I would enjoy producing.
It occured to me that in the mainstream comics, all of the heroes have their adventures
in the cities. There were no rural heroes! The same can be said for network TV. Rural America is hardly represented at all
in primetime shows. It's as if we don't exist out here in the sticks! Rural people have causes and concerns and I set out
to create a hero who could speak for us and champion our concerns - many of which are environmental.
I love living in the country. I love the land, the open spaces, the peace and quiet,
the easy access to hunting and fishing. You can't live in a place like Allegany County, New York, without falling in love
with the area. It's safe and sane out here in the country and that lifestyle needs to be protected and defended. I raised
my kids here, and I expect them to be able to raise theirs in the same safe, clean environment.
I spent several months going through various costume and logo designs. Next I plotted
out Allegheny Man's basic personality and those of the supporting characters. I designed a few eco-villians to pit him against,
and then it was time to start interacting this cast of characters and placing them in situations readers would relate to and
find exciting. More than anything, ALLEGHENY MAN had to be fun to read, but it also had to resonate with rural Americans.
While most comics are aimed at the "youth market" ALLEGHENY MAN is a little more sophisticated
than that. Adults will enjoy these adventures as well as kids, and I especially hope this will encourage kids to read the
newspaper.
Newspaper syndication seemed like the best way to get this new hero out in front of
the public eye. Newspapers reach far more people than traditional comicbooks these days, and mainstream comics are distributed
almost exclusively through comics specialty shops. I'm trying to reach a broader audience than established comics fans. ALLEGHENY
MAN is for everybody who cares about the environment and rural living.
ALLEGHENY MAN'S powers do not extend beyond the Allegheny Mountains and Allegheny Plateau
region of the United States. Beyond that stretch of real estate that extends from New York to West Virginia, Jason Hunter
is just an ordinary man! His hyper powers only function within a certain geographical boundary. This is unique in the
world of costumed heroes, and it gives ALLEGHENY MAN a high regional appeal. But the STORIES are not powerless beyond
the Allegheny region. These stories have something to say to rural Americans - wherever they may be!
And as we all know, in real life, heroes are all just ordinary people anyway!
