Eisner-winning comic writer Mike Baron’s latest action adventure ‘Private American’ takes on the border chaos with his own brand of vigilante justice

NEW YORK, USA, October 6, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Despite Marvel Comics recently emasculating their fan-favorite vigilante, taking away the Punisher’s guns and replacing his skull emblem to make him kinder and gentler for modern readers, comic book fans of writer Mike Baron’s acclaimed five year run on the street-level anti-hero can now revisit his no-nonsense, gritty take on vigilante justice with his newest creation, one heavily inspired by the comic character Gerry Conway first created as a Spider-Man villain.

Baron’s new graphic novel is called "Private American" and it marks a return to form for the Eisner winning writer of brooding, complex, and often violent protagonists. Private American tells the story of a former green beret living on the U.S. southern border, whose frustration with the migrant crisis turns to retributive violence when its consequences touch his family circle.

The title is also a riff on the moniker of "Captain America," Marvel’s beloved star-spangled nationalist, who has also been rewritten by modern writers into a hero that’s grown ashamed of his country and seems to embrace a globalist approach to crime fighting. Baron’s Private American is a return to form and a slightly more pulp take on familiar themes. Baron says he is hyper-aware of the virtue-signaling that trivializes today’s pop culture, but none of that permeates his work.

“I had been thinking about a vigilante character,” adds Baron. “His purpose here is born of tragedy, devoted to war, an unstoppable, raging force who holds these cartels accountable. My Nexus and Punisher readers know I have always ripped stories from the headlines,” says Mike Baron. “My stories have always been heterodox. You'll find no speeches or screeds. Private American is pure entertainment that begins with a bang.”

“Marcos Zamora was dishonorably discharged for killing a man who was torturing a dog,” Mike continues, “and Marcos is similar in many ways to my take on Frank Castle. He protects the innocent while striking cold fear in the heart of ruthless killers.”

While Baron wrote the Punisher longer than anyone at Marvel Comics, the character was originally created by Gerry Conway as a side-character in Amazing Spider-Man. Conway openly disdains the character’s popularity today and opposes to the US military and law enforcement’s embrace of the Punisher logo to strike fear in the hearts of their enemies. Baron had hoped to discuss Punisher with Conway during a recently scheduled panel at the Colorado Springs ComiCon, but Gerry was unable to make it due to health problems.

Like Mike's previous self-published graphic novel Thin Blue Line, which tackled police corruption and the “defund the police” movement, Private American tackles a pressing social concern through a compelling narrative around the dangers of open borders, resulting in an explosive, ground-breaking tale that will likely increase any reader’s empathy for immigrants seeking better lives as well as the shorthanded agents who are under-equipped to preserve national security at the border.

Thin Blue Line readers will also notice that Private American fits into the same continuity, where that story’s main antagonist is also deeply involved in this thriller. Thin Blue Line struck a chord with readers, and garnered rave reviews, raising over six figures in crowdfunding, but none of the comic book publishers he submitted it to were willing to take a chance on the book. “I don't know why this is controversial,” remarked Baron at the time. “You're either for the rule of law or you're not."

Baron's comics output is very diverse. His hilarious Florida Man comics (American Mythology) took comic shops by storm over the summer, and next on Baron’s publishing calendar is a new installment of his wildly successful sci-fi creation Nexus, arriving in December from Dark Horse Comics, and illustrated by Richard Bonk, who collaborated with Mike on Private American. But this fall the two creators are fully devoted to crowdfunding Private American and taking it directly to their readers.

"It's another book no comic book publisher would touch," remarks editor Chris Braly. "So we're printing and distributing it ourselves as we've successfully done before. For Private American, we hit our crowdfunding goal in less than 6 hours, so we're more than ready to go to print once the campaign concludes."

Private American is the Punisher old-school fans will remember; a classic, violent and gritty, genre comic elevated to political theater by the deft writing of a two-time Eisner-winner. And the work of comics pro Richard Bonk, really makes this story come alive.

You can preview the graphic novel and learn more at www.theprivateamerican.com

Chris Braly
BIG Studios
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Watch the Trailer for 'The Private American'

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