Posted in: Comics | Tagged: kickstarter, teddy marshall

Capturing The Essence Of An American Legend – Teddy Roosevelt

T.E. Marshall is 30 years old with an MFA in Film from UCLA, and he is Kickstarting the first issue in my new comic book series, In Teddy We Trust. He writes for Bleeding Cool;

It was just over a year ago that I was attending San Diego Comic-Con for the first time. I had been listening to a great number of history podcasts at that time, and the story of Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders particularly resonated with me.

Theodore Roosevelt is a figure almost everyone is familiar with- his face is on Mt. Rushmore, and the Teddy Bear was named after him. He's a big part of our lives, but most people don't actually know what he accomplished and what he stood for. That is why one reason I wrote this book is so more Americans can learn about this great mustachioed former President.

Theodore Roosevelt was an ambitious and charismatic figure in his time. Eager to make a name for himself, Theodore helped America win the Spanish-American war in 1898 and then went on to become the 26^th President of the United States in 1901. I identify with his tenacious spirit, and I appreciate what he stood for. Spearheading the 20^th Century Progressive Movement, Theodore stood for four principles- morality, economic reform, efficiency, and social welfare.

In modern times, I think the majority of Americans can still get behind these ideas that Theodore championed. So, I decided to write a series that will look at what might happen if this great leader from our past returned in the body of a robotic Teddy Bear to save us from an insurmountable threat – DEMONS!

Why Demons, you ask? Because these days, it's not out of the realm of possibility. Plus, with an external threat of this severity, we might actually see mankind learn how to work together for once! All jokes aside, I recently garnered a love for anime and wanted to bring some anime themes to the series. So, while traditional Western cartoons inspire the art style of IN TEDDY WE TRUST, the storyline is more in-line with a horror-themed action-anime.

So, how did I go about capturing the spirit of this American legend? Well, I had four methods:

1. History Podcasts

I spent hours listening to some great history podcasts that described Theodore Roosevelt's feats and personality. It was listening to these podcasts that made my imagination run wild about what might happen if Theodore Roosevelt returned in this day and age.

2. Online Wikis

Like every great modern citizen, I employed the help of online wikis to read in-depth biographical data about Theodore Roosevelt, his peers, his critics, and his beliefs.

Check out and support IN TEDDY WE TRUST

3. Social Media Mentions

In addition to revealing details about Theodore Roosevelt that people might not know, my comic also aims to showcase many fan-favorite aspects about the former President, utilizing Social Media mentions to understand what is already popular about this great figure.

4. An Amnesia Plotline

When Theodore Roosevelt awakens in the body of a Teddy Bear, he doesn't remember much about himself or how he got here. While it's likely accurate that a man who has been dead for 100+ years might have a hard time remembering some things, I'm also not ashamed to say it's a convenient plot device. I'd like to make new issues of this comic continuously, and my goal is to adapt it into an animated series. I expect, the more I write, the more I will learn about Theodore Roosevelt. This means, whenever I learn new facts about Theodore Roosevelt, our furrious protagonist will also remember these details about his life. Therefore, Theodore Roosevelt Bear and I have a destiny to grow together. He is my character, and I am his brain. This is our series!

Please check out the Kickstarter for IN TEDDY WE TRUST. Any Bleeding Cool readers who order through this link will additionally receive a free exclusive 8.5×11" Digital Wallpaper and a free Digital Preview of my in-development comic book BLUE BASTION, a Science Fantasy series.

If the project reaches the $2000 Goal by EOD 8/23 PT, all backers will additionally receive a personalized thank you video from T.E. Marshall.

T.E. Marshall has two major passions in life – video games and comic books. After having spent ten years in video games with companies such as Disney Interactive and Warner Bros., he decided it was time to spend some time with comic books. A graduate of UCLA Film School (MFA), Marshall has an eye for detail rivaled by his passion for creativity.

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