Created and written by Trevor Fernandes-Lenkiewicz (AREA 51: THE HELIX PROJECT, MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT) with art & colors by Ryan Best, colors by Fabi Marques (issue #1), and Letters by Mathias Zanetti!
RISE follows Jonathan A. Prufrock as he comes face to face with the perils of the male ego while attempting to be super. The first five issues of this premium print comic combine for a whopping 212 pages and explores the performative nature of masculinity through the elevated life of a superhero attempting to navigate the pressures of what it really means to be a good man. Further, we ask, what does it take for one person to feel themselves deserving of love?
This story is about the man underneath the cape. RISE sets out to confront one man’s relationship with his own masculinity, the burdens of guilt, questioning his responsibility to the world around him and the role that he plays within it. RISE isbuilt for readers hungry for fiction that interrogates the truth behind strength, how it can manifest in softness or love, and how an unchecked ego can destroy more than it protects. This book abandons the old power fantasies in place of something truer.
At its core is Jonathan Prufrock, a protagonist who didn’t ask to be a symbol—but can’t walk away from becoming one. His abilities are tied to neurochemical spikes: rage, shame, guilt, elation. He’s not saving the world. He’s trying not to collapse under the weight of it. RISE pulls no punches in exposing how ego, trauma, and legacy entangle to create a version of masculinity that’s as dangerous as it is unsustainable.
“The artwork is vivid and intense. The writing, sharp and personal. If you’re looking for something real hiding behind the superhuman, RISE invites you to look closer. This is a fall worth watching.”
~THE COMICS BEAT~
“RISE makes you question the merits of heroism in all the best ways.“
~BJ Kicks (Comics Are Dope)~
“RISE is a worthy addition to seminal stories of superhero deconstruction like KINGDOM COME, ASTRO CITY, and of course, WATCHMEN. Where it separates itself is in its exploration of what it means to be a good person… a human worthy of love. That’s something we could all use more of in the world right now. Read RISE and be inspired.“
~THE COMIC SOURCE~
This story is about the man underneath the cape. RISE sets out to confront one man’s relationship with his own masculinity, the burdens of guilt, questioning his responsibility to the world around him and the role that he plays within it. Jon’s powers scale with the dopamine in his bloodstream, which means his ability to do the things only he can do are limited by his capacity to feel good--which aren’t always inherently good themselves. What makes a man feel powerful? How might some of those proclivities be detrimental? The strongest man on the planet is faced with the weight of decision every single waking second of his life and has to perform the role of being a ‘Superman’ to perfection. His ability to make the right judgement call means life or death for everyone around him. All of that, compounded with the fact that he has to feel good to do good. Unfortunately, that’s not always how life works. More often than not, being the best man, and ultimately the best person you can be requires that you do what you can even when you’re at your worst.”
~Trevor Fernandes-Lenkiewicz, series writer~
Back the campaign in the first 48 hours for a FREE Pocket Watch Press x RISE vinyl sticker.
*All international backers included*
Kickstart RISE #1 New Edition Here
About Pocket Watch Press:
Your home for thought provoking entertainment. Striving to put everything on the page, from original comic book titles to work for hire writing and editorial services. Pocket Watch Press collaborates with a host of globally diverse talent to reflect a wider perspective in their storytelling landscape.
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