"JesusFreak" is a new comic that depicts Jesus Christ as an "action hero" who kills his enemies by beheading them. (Image Comics)
The publishing company behind the popular “The Walking Dead” will soon release a controversial, 64-page full-color graphic comic that depicts Jesus of Nazareth as an action “hero” who deftly beheads his enemies with a whirling sword.
“JesusFreak,” from writer Joe Casey and artist Benjamin Marra, is described as “a bloody, two-fisted tale of historical heroic fiction featuring a young Nazarene carpenter who is having some trouble finding his place within the violent world around him.”
Casey told SyFy.com that the graphic novel looks to reconcile two vastly different ideas of Jesus – one being the historical persona of a carpenter from Nazareth and the other being the Son of God.
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“It’s a story about a young man on a journey to find his own power,” the writer said, adding that he never went to the Bible for any reference, and instead he did a lot of research on the time period, the political maneuvering and the stakes involved during that time in history.
“Believe me, it doesn’t spring from any religious background or any personal experiences. I’m just not that guy,” he added. “Honestly, if I worship anything, it’s the comic books that I read as a kid that inspired me to do this for a living. Those are what holds a lot of magic for me.”
In one particular scene in the graphic novel, Jesus is seen slicing his enemies’ heads off, which he then discards in a blood-soaked pile on the floor, a preview by Deadline shows.
Casey explained that “JesusFreak” focuses more on the years of Jesus’ life that are not really covered in the Bible – “the pre-ministry Jesus,” he said – adding that it’s not referencing the gospel in any way.
“Besides, the gospels are basically campfire stories,” he told SyFy.com. “And where the gospels are meant to illustrate a certain religious ethos, what we’re doing in JesusFreak is much more visceral, while at the same time more historically accurate. We’re dealing with myth and metaphor in a very different way.”
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“JesusFreak” is not the only religious-inspired comic to stir up controversy this year.
"Second Coming," a supposed satirical series that depicts a sort of daft Jesus Christ making a modern-day return as a superhero-in-training, was scrapped last month amid protests and petitions. (DC Vertigo)
“Second Coming,” a supposed satirical series that depicts a sort of daft Jesus Christ making a modern-day return as a superhero-in-training, was scrapped by DC Vertigo last month amid petitions and protests. It had been scheduled to be released Wednesday.
Mark Russell confirmed via Twitter on February 13 that the series would no longer be published by DC.
“The: DC/Vertigo’s cancellation of the orders for Second Coming, just so you know, DC did not do anything untoward to me,” Russell wrote. “I asked for the rights back and they gracefully agreed. They’ve been a pleasure to work with and it will still be released, albeit with a different publisher.
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"JesusFreak," released by Image Comics, is set to hit stands on March 20.
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