IMAGINE
It's 2003 and the Messiah hasn't come to earth until now. A zealous religious organization is plotting ways to gain more independence-- and they're not afraid to use terrorist methods to make it happen. I.C.O.N., the International Coalition of Nations, is workign to stop this fanatic group. Special Agent Alex Hunter of I.C.O.N. is working undercover to infiltrate the organization. Soon he's asked to uncover the truth about a mysterious murder. In the process, he learns about a man in New York City named Hero who is working miracles, teaching and aquiring quite a following. His curiousity is piqued enough to personally investigate this could-be-Savior -- a Hero of heroes.
THE BIRTH OF A HERO
The brain child of music industry vetern Eddie DeGarmo (President EMI Christian Music Publishing; Degarmo & Key; Forefront Records co-founder), !HERO will become a reality this September.
It started ten years ago when Eddie wrestled with an intense desire to get people talking about Jesus. "All of my career has been geared around reaching people with the message of Christ," he says.
"I wanted to create a different vehicle for a connection to the gospel. Through the years, Christ's story has been softened: it's not Sunday school flannel-gram, warm and fuzzy. It's edgy, gritty and compelling. I felt that if I created a parrallel universe that captured the political dynamics of the orignal story that would connect people with the gospel in a new way.
"Then the thoughts crossed my mind: What it Jesus were born in the US in the late 20th Century and did his ministry in New York City? Who would he spend time with? Who would his disciples be? What impact would he have? What if he were African American? I started putting together music and a story and Hero was born."
!HERO has found expression in multiple art forms -- novels, audio books, comic books, graphic novel, album and a live performance tour. On September 2, 2003 the !HERO brand will launch with the release of City of Dreams -- book one in the !HERO novel trilogy, a four issue comic book series, and a 33-song double disc CD rock opera featuing Michael Tait (dc Talk, Tait), Rebecca St. James and Mark Stuart (Audio Adrenalin).
HERO IN PRINT
To best communicate the story in written form, Eddie recruited best-selling author Stephen Lawhead. Known for his gripping, highly successful novels, Lawhead, collaborating with his son Ross, has written a trilogy of !HERO novels with NavPress, centered on the core values of the brand. Each of the novels will also be released as an auio book.
City of Dreams is the first novel in the trilogy. In this novel, the Lawheads introduce readers to the characters, particulary Special Agent Alex Hunter who is teh primary vehicle for the telling of the story. In [I]City of Dreams[/I], the authors take readers from the beginning of Hero's ministry to the miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding. In addition to the print edition, it will be released on both CD and audiocassette in October 2003. The books will appeal to readers of all ages but especially to the 18-35 year-old demographic.
Stephan and his son Ross also collaborated to create an illustrated comic book series, telling the story in graphic form. The first four comic issues, lead up to the release of a full graphic novel. The graphic novel, available in November, will include the four preceding comics as well as a previously unreleased fifth issue -- the thrilling conclusion of the story. Designed to draw in a younger reading demographic (13-18 year-olds), the comics feature the art of Ross Lawhead. Promotional copies of the first issue ave been handed out to youth at concerts and festivals. "The response has been phenomenal," says Amy Slivka, marking director of NavPress. "The students hask us one question: When can I get Issue 2?"
THE ROCK OPERA ALBUM & TOUR
The rock opera is a collection of songs telling the life of Jesus and was designed from the beginning for live performance. The music weaves the story through multiple music styles including rock, pop and hip-hop.
The rock opera, a 33-track double disk, features the talent of the lead performers Michael Tait, Rebecca St. James and Mark Stuart. A rock opera tour will happen this fall. The show will be complete with an ensemble cast, full stage production, and a multi media set. "It will be something none of us have ever seen before," says Eddie.
BREAKING NEW GROUND
!HERO is highly evangelistic with one goal in mind: bring teens and young adults into a passionate relationship with the Savior. Dr. George Grant, theologian, has this to say: "If Christians see !HERO as a tool for evangelism, an opportunity to get people talking about the gospel --literally gossiping abut the Gospel-- the !HERO will have achieved its aim. It is art that will get people thinking about substantive ideas, but first and foremost, it's evangelism."
Part of the vision of the project is to reach these young people where they are. "When looking at the upcoming generation, we see a whole group of young people who has grown up un-churched, with moral relativity, and a minimal knowledge of Christ," says Eddie. "They are seeking something that is true and they have to be entertained in order to pay attention to the message. They are the MTV generation."
Hollywood has contributed to the priming of the market ready for the !Hero novels. Classic literature sales have seen a revival because of Hollywood films like Lord of the Rings and Hamlet. These movies have created interest among young adults to read solid fiction in conjunction with other media presentation. Amy Slivka comments: "Stephen Lawhead has sold millions of books in both the Christian and general markets. His name is widely recognized and will help this line break through to the 18-35 year-old audience. He understands the heart and mind of the unbeliever and makes the story accessible to both sides of the fence. These books, much like the Left Behind series, will spark the interest of non-believers in spiritual things.
With movies like Spiderman and The Incredible Hulk, Hollywood has also added to the resurgence in comc book reading. The Christian market is no exception. "The comic book industry is growing," says Slivka. "Until now, comics have only been dabbled in as stand-alone products in the CBA. From edgy art to an engaging story line with the support of other art forms, !HERO comics are breaking ground."
