Will Scout: Blue Leader be next? The idea of the entirety of Scout being given a trade collection and/or hardbound is very enticing! I hope for good things in the Scout-related future.

“This initial Scout: Marauder graphic novel is the first volume of a two-volume arc, and afterwards we have a few more tales set in the Scout: Marauder/Vic and Tahzey timeline that we want to tell. Blue Leader is another beast entirely – a whole new timeline. Understand that the Scout books were conceived from the beginning as a multi-generational saga. It’s been conceived that way since the beginning. As I see it, Blue Leader is set years – many years – after the events of Marauder graphic novels. Also worth noting, there are certain threads running through some of my other creations that connect them with the Scout “universe” – specifically Black Lamb, Dragon Chiang and A Man Named Hawken. There are linkages between those concepts that hard-core Truman fans might enjoy looking for. 

As for a trade collection or series of omnibus editions, I’m certainly hoping for that as well. The omnibus editions would be huge books, though, page count-wise. We might have to partner with another publisher for something like that. We’ll see. First things first. We’re concentrating on the Marauder books for now.”

Speaking of Kickstarter, another change in the comic industry is the use of crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter. You’re back to publishing on your own like you did with 4Winds Publishing. This time you are using Kickstarter. Did your experience with 4Winds help make the choice of doing a Kickstarter for Scout: Marauder easier or perhaps harder?

One of the interesting aspects of your many works involving Native Americans is the amazing research you do and respect that you show for indigenous American history, culture and historical figures. Your writing on Scout has been noted by Native American author Michael A. Sheyahshe, who wrote “Native Americans in Comic Books.” In the book, he says “Scout is presented in a respectful and genuine manner, with tribal-specific cultural ties.” And your work on “Wilderness: The True Story of Simon Girty” was praised by Allen W. Echert, the Pulitzer nominated historian and Emmy winner with whom you would later collaborate on the the graphic novel adaptation of his Tecumseh! play. Other experts have also praised you for your research and honest portrayal of indigenous history and culture. I believe this is one of the many great aspects of your work. Undoubtedly Scout: Marauder will continue that.

SCOUT as a comic has always been respectful of and worked in dialogue with the indigenous American community.

Regarding how much time has passed and changes have occurred since Scout in the 1980s and 1990s was published, your knowledge of Native Americans and their culture must have expanded and evolved.

“Well, I hope it has. I was 29 or 30 when I wrote and drew Scout #1 for Eclipse. I’m 62 now. A lot of things have happened during that time – not only for myself, but more importantly within Native American culture. One of the most humbling and rewarding experiences of my life has been invited to attend the last two years of Indigenous Comic Con in Albuquerque. To have some of my favorite folks in the indigenous creative community tell me that Scout was an inspiration to them is an indescribable experience. It’s beyond anything I hoped for or even set out to do. I just wanted to tell a great science fiction adventure story with some meat on its bones and chose to give it a really interesting and unique lead character. I didn’t really think about it much. I just did it, and let the lead character instruct me about how he wanted to be portrayed. It all seemed very logical to me at the time.

These days, we took pains to invite some oversight and participation from the indigenous community. It was really important to Ben and me. Michael A. Sheyahshe, whom you mentioned, has agreed to lend his expertise as a cultural consultant as we go along, as has Pueblo author and publisher Lee Francis, who is one of the founders of Indigenous Con. Weshoyot Alvitre, an incredible artist from California, is working with me on the digital coloring.”

A lot of time has passed since Scout: War Shaman was published. I have no doubt Scout fans from back then will jump on this Kickstarter when they find out about it (and will hopefully spread the word.) What can you say to engage readers who aren’t familiar with the original series? What rewards do you have in store for backers and what is your goal, if any, for stretch rewards?

“Well, as I told Ben, we’re approaching this story not as much as a sequel as a new beginning. It’s consciously being plotted to stand on its own as a seperate tale. Those who read and remember the original series will find an extra richness in it, hopefully. But those who are just coming onboard will be able to enjoy a high action, high drama dystopian sci-fi adventure comic that happens to feature two Native American lead characters, front and center.

GENEROUS REWARDS: In addition to Scout: Marauder, some pledge levels give the backer access to a PDF library of the original SCOUT series from Eclipse Comics!

Rewards wise, besides the fact that the Kickstarter edition is, by its very nature an exclusive collector’s edition, we have PDFs of the complete original series, special 8″x10″ art pieces that I’m doing, each one individually inked from my printed bluelines; the chance to get original art and special signed and “signed & inked” editions; 6″x9″ and 11″x17″ full color prints; and the Scout: Marauder Sketchbook in comic book format, full of character concept drawings, page and panel “outtakes,” and, for the first time, my original character notes and series “pitch” that I used to sell the original Scout concept to Eclipse Comics. Also, at a certain reward level, you’re able to receive subscription style PDF downloads of each chapter as we complete it – say 6-12 or more pages at a time, every 4-8 weeks. So although you have to wait until January or February for the print version, you can still read the story and see our progress as we go along during the intervening months. Those early chapters will be the “non-proofed,” unedited versions, so there might be a few things in them that will be a little different in the final printed version. That should be fun for some folks.


For stretch goals we have several things in mind. Right now, we’re talking about putting together a “Scout: Marauder #0” issue for the 2018 Indigenous Comic Con in November and including that as a bonus for most of the pledge categories. Some of your basic things like laptop stickers, but they’l be really cool and original. Some cool new full color prints. Folks are after us to do hardcovers, of course, but I have to collect some new estimates on that from our printer before we can make any decisions, and also figure out how much it would add to our foreign shipping costs, which can kill you if you’re not careful. We’re about to add some new rewards categories, too, to get us over the top and beyond. First thing we want to make sure of, though, is that everyone who is working with us on the book is paid well for their time – including us, quite frankly! I’ve turned down a lot of work offers from other publishers so that I could devote 6 full months of drawing-board time to the book. So right now we just want to hit our goal and concentrate on that. We’re very, very close. At just over one week in and we’ve already hit 80% with 24 days to go. Pretty exciting. I really, really appreciate everyone who is backing the project and making it possible at long last.”

Scout has been optioned as a movie, which is outstanding news. Making a movie is not an overnight activity. These things take time. It’s understandable regarding the time from when it was announced to now.

It does make one wonder what kind of film Scout would be. I love superhero movies, but I hope Scout goes a different route. Scout is quite obviously not a super hero film – what do you envision for a Scout movie?

Thank you to Tim Truman. It was a cool interview to do! Thank you to Paint Monk’s Library for publishing it!

Readers, if you miss out on Scout: Marauder, this is going to be one of those Kickstarters that comic fans are going to regret not supporting! I encourage you to take a look at what Tim and Ben have set up, including the beautiful art and their engaging and compelling story. There are a log of extras and benefits to backing this Kickstarter that will not be replicated at any other time. Visit Scout: Marauder at the link below:

BACK THE KICKSTARTER HERE!

In the meantime, I am looking forward to Scout: Marauder!

– Joeseph Simon