INTERVIEW: ‘Liberty: Deception’ features dystopian, post-apocalyptic world
The world of Liberty has expanded into many media. From podcasts to comics to a graphic novel to a roleplaying game, the formats have engaged audiences and expanded on the central story of a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world where violence is ever-present and liberty is hard to come by.
Liberty: Deception is the latest project from creator Travis Vengroff and his team of artists and creatives. The 148-page graphic novel, dubbed Vol. 1, tells the story of Tertulius Justus, or TJ, a government propaganda actor who must navigate a military state that is supposedly keeping humanity safe from cannibalistic gangs on the other side of a large wall. In this first set of stories, TJ must head to the other side of the wall to find out the truth and survive with a ragtag assemblage of exiles.
Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Vengroff about the new graphic novel. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
Where did the idea for Liberty come from? What inspired you to tell these stories?
Liberty started off as a post-apocalyptic roleplaying game I [created]. It was fairly unremarkable, but it was fun. And as time went on, I developed it from a carefree dystopian fantasy into a fairly gritty hard science fiction. Then I started writing stories for the world that eventually developed into the Deception comic. I was watching films like The Dirty Dozen and Clockwork Orange at the time, and reading some fairly dark non-fiction about world history and various cultures. I began to question why our current society is the way it is and sought to create a world that doesn’t fit our definitions of good and evil.
What can fans expect from Liberty: Deception?
While the first volume of Deception introduces the bulk of the core protagonists, each subsequent volume will present them with unique moral dilemmas that fit a specific theme. Each book is going to also have a specific antagonist and enemy faction that will have to be overcome or avoided, and most will feature a 30+ page choreographed fight sequence. We’ll also be showcasing the work of some really talented artists I’m personally a fan of like Sean Chen (Iron Man) and Jason Shawn Alexander (Empty Zone). Having guest artists illustrate our flashback sequences in their own unique styles was something that our readers enjoyed, and it’s a tradition I intend to continue. We’ll also be sharing more details about the life of the series’ physically absent antagonist: Archon Reeve.
How did you gather all of the artists and creative team members to bring the Liberty world to life?
I spent over 60 hours going through 1,000 resumes, blogs and artist profiles to find my core creative team. I also attend about a dozen conventions and art shows around the U.S. every year and do my best to scout for up-and-coming artists. Thanks to dropbox, we’re able to collaborate from continents apart, and though we’re scatted across six continents, we’ve accumulated enough concept art over the years so that our work looks similar overall. Most of the artists only work directly with me, but a few of them have become friends over the years. It’s been really neat to watch some of these friendships develop, and I’ve had the pleasure to meet most of the artists I work with in person.
How was Kickstarter instrumental to the success of Liberty?
There was a point where we had the money needed to finish the artwork for our first book, but we were shy the $12,000 needed to print it. Through the support of our fans (from the Liberty podcast and also people who enjoyed our Zero Issue), families and friends, we were able to raise over $20,000 and make our book a reality. Every day was the equivalent of running a mental marathon, and now that the Kickstarter is behind us I don’t think I’d ever want to do one again. It was really stressful, and our success ultimately hinged on a fluke shoutout. However, the Kickstarter got us the jumpstart we needed to be financially independent and for that I’m eternally grateful.
What’s on the horizon for the series after Liberty: Deception?
Deception should keep us busy for the next two to three years, so it’s sort of hard to predict where we’ll be. With any luck we might also have some form of follow-up story involving the characters that survive the events of Deception. However, I can say for sure that we’ll still be releasing new Liberty stories on our free audio drama podcast every two weeks.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Liberty: Deception is now available. Click here for more information.
