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Hood: A Pitch By Ant Jones

Published Fri, 20 Sep 2013 19:00:46 -0500

Ant Jones writes;

When I was offered the opportunity to pitch my new comic project on Bleeding Cool I jumped at the chance. I'd already started tentatively reaching out to a couple of publishers but this was a great chance to get out of my basement and all up in people's news feeds about a story I felt passionate about.

The only challenge is not to use the 'Re' word as an easy way of pitching it.

(I'll give you a clue – you glue it to 'boot', 'make' or 'imagining').

See my story is as much an action noir version of 'Robin Hood' as Sons or Anarchy is leather clad Harley sponsored version of 'Hamlet'.

Which so say it is, but that's just barely scratching the surface.

See I love the tale of heroic outlaws (be it Robin, Ned Kelly, Pancho Villa or the hero of Canton, Jane) they speak to a part of us that wants to stick it to the man and ride roughshod against uncaring leaders. But for me especially I love the bit at the beginning of the tale where they're somewhat less than a "heroic" outlaw. In fact more often than not they were incredible arseholes that were at best out for themselves and at worse complete sociopaths.

Somewhere along the way, that person becomes a hero in the people's eyes and it's that duality – between the 'real world' and the 'folk tale' that I wanted to explore with Hood (as well as lots of action, explosions and arseholery).

So with The Wire & Boondock saints firmly lodged in my brain, I wrote a gritty story about my version of Robin Hood – a modern day arsehole who becomes an urban folk hero, whether he likes it or not.

"Rob the Rich, Arm the Poor"

It starts similar to the traditional folk tale. However instead of Robin returning home from fighting the Crusades, our protagonist Jackie Bianco (our Robin) returns to Carver City after a long stretch in prison to find that his home district has been taken over by a violent mobster – Valentino (our Sheriff).

Jackie went into prison as an undercover FBI agent tasked with becoming close to 'the grand master of all bastards' – The Consigliore of Carver City. After being betrayed and left in prison to rot he returns with a plan. To use The Consigliore's intimate knowledge of the city's crime families and Valentino's operations for his own ends.

To rob the rich Mafioso and arm the poor gangs – to take back his city by force.

With ruthless precision, Jackie recruits his crew. The softhearted Lilbig (our Little John), a member of one of the oldest gangs in the district. Peter Clancy (Friar Tuck), an ex member of the IRA, on the run and masquerading as a priest and May (Marion), a high-class escort and confidant to Valentino's lieutenants. Using their secrets against them he directs these key players as 'chess pieces in his game'. Launching targeted strikes at the weak points in Valentino's system and buying the protection of the community and weapons he needs with the proceeds.

But nothing is ever simple and Jackie's actions spark a gangland war in Carver City and with violence and turf wars on the streets, nobody is safe.

The people of the city need a hero, but that hero might just be the person who kills them all.

Hood is written by Ant Jones & drawn by the excellent Armin Ozdic.

A full 12 page sampler of the art and cover can be found below:

I welcome any queries, especially from interested publishers (fingers crossed) at anthonyjones@bombculture.com

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