“Sons of Anarchy” creator to launch new comic book series

PanARMENIAN.Net - “Sons of Anarchy” creator Kurt Sutter is partnering with comics publisher BOOM! Studios to launch “Lucas Stand,” an original comic book project created by the TV producer, Variety reports.

The comic centers around the titular character, Lucas Stand, whom Sutter describes as “a former military special-ops guy who has done, in the service of his country, some really heinous and violent things, and when he comes back, the integration into society becomes increasingly more difficult for him … he reaches a very low point in his life, and it’s at that point where he intends to take his own life and he’s approached by an entity that makes him a deal.” Lucas is essentially offered the chance to become a hitman for hell, hunting escaped demons. “Every demon he hunts down is cleaning the slate for one of the evil deeds that he’s done,” Kutter says.

The six-issue series will launch on June 1 in comic shops and digitally. Sutter will write “Lucas Stand” with Caitlin Kittredge (“Coffin Hill”), with art by Jesús Hervás (“Clive Barker’s Hellraiser”).

Sutter says that the concept initially started out as an idea for TV, but as he attempted to write a script, he realized the scope and logistics of filming it made it “unproduceable in the world of TV,” and that “it could potentially live better in a different medium.” He then pitched the idea to BOOM!, who embraced it immediately.

“For me just in a thematic way, I like visceral things, I like action, I like blood, I like big guns, but underneath all that, redemption is a big theme for me,” Sutter says. “The idea of making some really bad mistakes and then doing what is necessary to repair that damage, to make amends and right the wrongs.”

The project also had an unexpected champion in prolific writer Stephen King, who became friends with Sutter during “Sons of Anarchy.”

“This was such a different wheelhouse for me,” Sutter says of approaching the comic, admitting that King served as a valuable sounding board. “He was such a great mentor and gave me feedback and suggestions. He was my motivational coach during the early stages of this process.”

Sutter announced the news Friday, March 25 morning at WonderCon during a press conference with BOOM! Studios editor-in-chief Matt Gagnon and President of Publishing & Marketing Filip Sablik.

BOOM! has previously released 25 issues of the “Sons of Anarchy” comics, based on Sutter’s hit FX series.

Sutter’s “Sons of Anarchy” ended its seven-season run in 2014. Sutter then created another drama series for FX, “The Bastard Executioner,” which was cancelled after one season. He’s also developing a spinoff from “Sons,” based on the Mayans motorcycle gang.