AC/META - "Bushwhacked" - An Interview

[Jason Kenney]

Artifice Comics - http://www.artificecomics.com

"Bushwhacked"
by Ian Astheimer

You're going to think he's insane. Jason Kenney is about to embark on a
never-ending battle. Against deadlines. Bush43 is going daily. Every
week day. For two months. Starting June 5. We sat down with AC's EiC
for a therapy session. But, he refused to discuss his relationship with
his mother. So, we talked Bush instead.

***

AC: Let's start with the obvious: Why daily?

JK: Why not?

AC: Touche.

JK: But also because, well, it's been a while, and I've got a lot of
story to tell and only a short time to do it to really keep site
continuity on track. I figure daily doses of a couple thousand words is
better than weekly 10k shots.

AC: It has been a while. Why do you think there's been such a lull?

JK: That's a bit of a story, but really it comes down to my slacking
off on Artifice in general. One part personal life, another part just
being bad, all man, baby.

AC: I'll take your word on that. I'll also take your word on this:
What's Carter been up to lately? Where is he--emotionally and
physically--when this arc begins?

JK: Well, this starts four weeks after issue #19 after a rough arc
where he was stabbed with swords a lot, once by the city's Mayor/leader
of the New Mages Romanov/a. The Mayor's attack was to draft him into
the position of public relations for PC City Hall, so we find him four
weeks into a job that he does not want, is horribly unqualified for,
and that really gets in the way of his doing that heroing thing.

AC: He can't be happy. Should the readers expect a rebellion?

JK: Not so much a rebellion as an effort to do more for the city
through more official means, but there will certainly be a bit of a
clash of interests between what Carter's trying to do and what the
Mayor wants.

AC: Conflict does make for the best stories. What other villains, so to
speak, will be popping up?

JK: Honestly, over the next couple months, pretty much all of them.

AC: So, will this be another kick-to-the-nuts joke-fest, or will the
arc take a different tone--perhaps one with fewer hyphens?

JK: Well, I'm always willing to toss in a few more hyphens if that's
please the readers. I'm a whore like that.

AC: Why buy the cow when the hyphens are free, eh?

JK: Exactly. But the arc as a whole is going to be an entirely
different tone than folks might be used to from Bush43. Starters,
there's less mask. And there's just more pressure on him now, he's got
to work during the day, try and hero at night, things pulling at him
from all angles. Toss in that he's developing a relationship...

AC: Do relationships with heroes ever last? Are you going to buck the
dead/evil girlfriend trend?

JK: I think heroic relationships are going to be stressful no matter
where they are, that's a cliche that not only will stick but kinda HAS
to stick. So I'll admit to falling into some cookie cutters with it,
sure, but I hope that it'll kinda rise above that in not only its
development but the overall tone as well. Evil? Not quite. Dead? Nah,
not going to go that route.

AC: It sounds like Carter will definitely be a changed man by the end
of this mega-arc. Can you hint as to where this is all headed, where it
ends?

JK: Well, it ends. By the time all is said and done, this will not be
the same guy that put on a George W. Bush mask and kicked baddies in
the jimmy.

It's part of what should be a natural progression of a character. I've
viewed the series as a story in three acts. Act 1 was the honeymoon,
whoopy, I have powers, yay, look at me go! Act 2 was starting to take
this seriously, great responsibility and all that. Act 3 is the real
world comes a knockin'. This is Act 3.

If it doesn't give too much away, I look at it as a full city scale. A
city with its new crop of heroes, all lovey dovey, then they have to
start taking things seriously, then they realize that this is the real
world, and it all come crashing down around them. Welcome to Act 3.

AC: What happens after Act 3, then? Is there an Epilogue? A reboot?

JK: Don't really want to give too much away, there. There will
definately be a fallout of sorts, and changes will have to happen.

AC: Fair enough. What else is on your plate?

JK: Well, gosh, let's see... AC wise, we're working on a couple print
collections of stories and hope to have at least two if not three
actual hard copies available by the end of the year.

AC: Sounds like you've got your hands full. Thanks for taking the time
to do the interview, J.

JK: Thanks for doing it, man servant. [smiles]

***

Bush43 Daily will be released--for free!--only at Artifice Comics.

AC -- Keeping You Cool in the Summer.