LCI Exclusive: Voluntaryist Comic creator, Jamie Sherman covers the future of the series

Voluntaryist Origins

You can catch our previous interview with Jamie Sherman from March 16, 2016, here.  The interviewee, Jamie Sherman, the creator of Voluntaryist.  This comic series focuses on the battle for liberty and self governance/independence. You can contact the self proclaimed "Number 1 Libertarian comic universe in print" at his webpage.

DM:  LCI once again gets to chat with the man behind the hit comic "Voluntaryist," Jamie Sherman. Thanks for being with us, again. For those who may be hearing about this unique comic for the first time, give the readers a quick rundown on our main superhero.

JS:  “Voluntaryist” is the tale of a superhuman hero who finds himself pitted against the government as the government tries to enslave humanity once and for all.  He is a young man with extraordinary powers created through a chance encounter with cosmic radiation. His personal mission is to rescue his parents from government agents, but that objective is often frustrated with the likes of giant monsters, super-villains, and even the U.S. armed forces.

The story is centered around a young man named Jack Lloyd who is, in disguise, Voluntaryist. The series begins when Jack graduates from undergrad with a degree in mechanical engineering. He is a smart guy, but worked hard to get through school. His parents live on a farm and raise organic foods which they sell to local markets. Jack comes home after college to help his family for a short time so his father can recover from a hip surgery.

During the time home, Jack’s father and mother battle an eminent domain issue. The local government tries to take the family farm to use for economic development and possibly as a source for new fuel extraction. Jack’s father does not like government generally, and this is seen as leaving hints of impressions upon his son. Jack’s father refuses to sell the land and the government prepares to remove the Lloyd family with a court order.

DM: There's a huge new campaign going at indiegogo. What's the story with what is happening and what you expect? How are others able to get involved?

JS:  This Indiegogo is focused on telling the origins story of how Jack comes to be Voluntaryist. We are hoping to complete the full graphic novel so that we have a canon foundation for the rest of the series, one that we can showcase at conventions and use as a film storyboard. If fully-funded, we will produce a 50-page comic. You can get involved with the project with a perk support option at the Indiegogo campaign website. We have lots of cool options from action figures to supersuits. Every dollar helps us get closer to goal, and a completed comic is one that can be purchased later on-demand. (link: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/voluntaryist-origins#/)


DM:  For the record, I am a fan of the series and look forward to seeing this backstory. For those reading, if you have not picked up one of these issues yet, you will not regret it. If you are a fan of comics, Liberty, science fiction, you're going to have a good time. Correct me if I'm wrong, it's been a couple years since your first issue? How satisfied are you with the growth and the fanbase of the series?

JS:  I've been amazed at how much the comic notoriety and fan-base has grown. When I began, it was tailored to a very small segment of the population. There we're too many people who were both hardcore libertarians and comic book fans. I've been fortunate that both the interest in comic nerddom and libertarianism has exponentially risen since 2012. I went from a few hundred "Likes" on Facebook to over 5,000 on my comic series.

DM:  Would you be able to give us a sneak peak on any details coming in the near future after origins?

JS:  After origins, I intend to work on the intends dues chronologically. I will be writing stories and releasing them to build interest like I did with the origins script. I will also be seeking out avenues for an animated film.


DM:  Very exciting, especially with the animated film.  We had discussed that in previous interviews, and great to see things coming along to get to this point.  Next thing we know, there will be a movie script and deal made.  Not trying to rush things, but aim high!  Thanks again for spending time with us here at LCI.  Last words for our readers?

JS:  If you have talents, share them for liberty! We need more creative people who are passionate about liberty breaking into the mainstream culture whether it's comics, music, movies, or crocheting - true talent sticks out!

This contribution is from Seattle-based independent journalist, David Malekar, Editor in Chief for the Liberty Chronicle Independent; and publishes content to other online publications.

Voluntaryist - An Interview with the Comic to challenge your thinking (Authorized Reprint)

Contributor Note: This is a reprint of an existing article that was originally printed on the Washco Chronicle on February 7th, 2016.  Reprint is authorized by the original contributor, David Malekar.

The following is a guest post/interview conducted by David Malekar, who regularly contributes content to the WashCo Chronicle. The interviewee, Jamie Sherman, the creator of Voluntaryist.  This comic series focuses on the battle for liberty and self governance/independence. You can contact the self proclaimed "Number 1 Libertarian comic universe in print" at his webpage.

Meet Voluntaryist, the protagonist of the series

DM:  Let's pull no punches; what originally sparked the idea to create this comic?

JS:  I have always been a fan of comics and general geekdom. I have collected Godzilla figures and movies since I was 5, dressed up in superhero outfits for comic book movie premiers, and have always watched the latest animated cartoons. During the Ron Paul campaign of 2012, I was excited to promote liberty and wanted to see how I could combine my interests in fantasy with my love for liberty. I began writing a movie script, but found it would be too expensive to make a decent production. I decided that I could reasonably make a comic book come to life with the advent of crowd-source fundraising, so I turned my movie thoughts into comic form and ran with an online campaign.

DM:  Pulling off such a project requires serious dedication.  Is this a project you work on during your free time, or full time?

JS:  I work on the Voluntaryist comic during my free time. It’s been a long journey that has taken countless hours. I don’t think I could have been successful if I didn’t spend entire weekends at a time reaching out to people to garner support. 

DM:  What has been your biggest challenge thus far with the project?

JS:  The hardest part was finding the initial fan base. The Voluntaryist Comic is premised on a philosophy that only a small fraction of the world is privy to. On top of that, those who would be initially interested would also have to enjoy comics as a medium. It took a while to build interest and support but, at this stage, the ideas of liberty have spread so far and wide that it has become easier to break into the mainstream. The acceptance of libertarian Voluntaryism as an ethical philosophy has probably grown 10-fold since I’ve started the comic, which is incredible on its own. 

Voluntaryist during a breakout moment

DM:  You've covered a lot of controversial subjects thus far (such as the NSA surveillance), what are other subjects we can expect from the series?

JS:  Readers should expect a no-holds-barred approach to all of the hottest issues with government threats: spying, police brutality, martial law, war, taxation, eminent domain, prohibition, regulation, and so on. The next issue will continue with the NSA topic and introduce Julian Assange with Wikileaks.

  
DM:  You plan on covering a vast amount of subjects.  Which one stands out to you the most and why?

JS:  The one that stands out the most to me is the one that no one else will cover: the nature of government. I think a graphic depiction on how government function is carried out in real-world practice is needed. Too many just accept the process of how government is run through generalized mantras like “social contract,” “uniform justice,” and “public good.” I plan to give readers the exact nature of what the state is: poor service provided at the barrel of a gun.

Voluntaria vs the Zombies, issue

DM:  Can we expect a possible short animated film in the future?

JS:  That is my dream goal. I want to first get the origins story into a graphic novel format so it can also be used as storyboarding. If I could get the right kind of sponsorship or advertising deal though, I would be happy to make the first ever Voluntaryist 2D animated feature as soon as I possibly can.

DM:  Where can interested readers go to purchase digital and paper print copies?

JS:  We sell the comics through Indyplanet. I recommend using the sidebar at our Website, www.volcomic.com to go to the direct purchase links.

DM:  For fans who wish to provide additional support beyond just purchasing copies of Voluntaryist; do you have any other links you would like to provide;  Donations or otherwise?

JS:  Anyone who wishes to make a non-tax-deductible gift via bitcoin can do so at our Website here: http://volcomic.com/support-via-bitcoin/ or can message me for how to get involved through sponsorship/advertisement at out Website www.volcomic.com. Otherwise, the main way we offer support is through our comic fundraising campaigns at indiegogo.com 

DM:  Overall, what do you hope that readers will take away from your series?

JS: I want Voluntaryist to reach out to a diverse audience on multiple levels. For those who never heard of the philosophy, I want this to be an opportunity to engage the ideas in an entertaining way. For those refining their beliefs, I want the comic to be an avenue for critical thought and discourse as a means to synthesize common critiques and misconceptions. For those who already buy into the philosophy, I want the comic to be a fun relief from reality that can be used to share Voluntarism with others who may otherwise be turned off to academic arguments and dry white papers. 

Voluntaryist covers many sensitive subjects of today

DM:  People such as Ron Paul, have been a major influence to the younger generation regarding the subjects of liberty and government, in the recent years.  The appeal of your comic follows the ideas of the moment, as you previously stated.  In closing, what final thoughts would you like to leave with readers?

JS:  My call to action for everyone is to start sharing the virtues of liberty with the world by first providing value to others. Help others solve problems by providing how-tos, reviews, and instructionals, and then seed the message of liberty in. We will grow true peace and prosperity when philosophy and culture combine. 

All photos provided by Jamie Sherman of the Voluntaryist