'Defenders of Stan' Now in Comic Book Form

Aside from the latest installment of Scissor Cop – an exaggerated, high-octane thrill ride through cops and robbers Brooklyn – the best thing about last night’s Channel 101 NY screening was the swag from Hunter Christy.

The imposing figure – who rivals Eric Warehiem in his ability to dominate a 640 x 480 screen – is one-third of The Big Honkin’ Production crew and plays the role of Captain Ultra in their superhero parody, Defenders of Stan. At the screening, he was distributing the first issue of the Defenders of Stan comic from Big Honkin’ Press.

The series follows the misadventures of a hapless individual, living in a post-human world where everyone but him has super powers and his domineering, self-absorbed big brother is the greatest hero around. The comic book converts the live-action show to ink and paper perfectly.

If you’re a fan of Defenders of Stan, the aesthetic won’t surprise you. You can find Hunter’s animated, comic-book-panel intros at the beginning of each episode, but this is the first time he’s distributed the show’s words and art on a medium that doesn’t reside inside your computer. It’s a fantastic way to extend the show’s brand beyond the videos and give fans a little something special to physically hold onto.

The 16-page story is a one-off for now (Hunter told me if he can find the time, he’ll make more issues) and was printed by comiXpress – a site the creators of Captain Blasto, Drawn By Pain, Pink and other comic book-related series should definitely check out.