THE 'NEPHILIM' AWAKENED IN PASTOR LUKE STONE'S HIT COMIC BOOK SERIES
Pastor Luke Stone, creator of the comic series "Hybrids: Sons of God," published by Star Cross Comics. Insets: covers of issues #1-3.
▶ BY KEVIN SCOTT COLLIER
When Luke Stone isn’t preaching from the pulpit as lead Pastor of Bridges Community Church of Jacksonville, Florida—or singing and playing lead guitar in the Christian band Dave Hates It--he’s creating, writing and illustrating comic books for Cross Star Comics. One venture, Hybrids: Sons of Gods, has garnered attention for bringing the Nephilim into the world of comics.
“I am kind of a theology nerd, so digging through Scripture and ancient texts about all of that stuff just really fascinated me,” the pastor explained. “Turns out, a lot of people are really curious about that topic.”
Stone would enter into conversations with a senior pastor, mentor and friend, about the lesser known subjects in Scripture.
“It seemed we would always find our way back around to talking about Genesis six and the Nephilim. I always thought it would be really cool to write a story about that,” Stone said. “So, for about 10 years, I would read all I could about this stuff from different resources and I started to develop a solid plot. I still have on hold the original cover where it was called Hybrid Nation.”
Hybrids: The Sons of Gods #1 was originally published in 2016 under Stone’s imprint Tenacious Comics, funded using Kickstarter. However, the comics enterprise was put on hold as full-time work as a pastor required extra attention, undergoing ministry transitions.
That was okay. Stone didn’t expect that anyone besides “a few other theology geeks” would get excited about it. But he took the project seriously, not wanting the comic to resemble a “hokey Christian book” that was basically “a 20 page track.”
During that time, Stone approached Joe Spicer, CEO of Star Cross Comics, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Spicer founded the indie comics company in 1996.
“I talked to Joe about taking some of the titles over at Star Cross,” Pastor Stone explained. “He is the one that encouraged me to keep Hybrids going.”
“Hybrids is a wonderful action/sci-fi comic series, involving human hybrid heroes and villains in a shared universe of other Star Cross Comic titles,” publisher Joe Spicer said. “Each issue is better and better and Luke's art and writing is fun and captivating.”
The premiere issue of Hybrids: Sons of God was a fun venture. It was the artist’s first attempt at writing. Stone did the lettering, too, with Patrick Gama lending a hand for color.
“Before TC closed its operations, I had already gotten with a layout artist named Antonio Alvarez. He would take on laying out my pages with rough pencils so that I could go in and draw them,” Stone explained. “It sped up the process.”
When the debut issue was released by Star Cross Comics in 2018, publisher Joe Spicer made up a new cover for the issue.
“Patrick Gama stayed on as colorist and I added Nikki Sherman on the team to take care of letters. So, later that year (2018), issue two was released by Star Cross,” Stone conveyed. “This time I got a cover made up by John Ball and Patrick colored that one for me, too.”
Stone managed to keep most of his team together for issue three, adding that his art and writing “has definitely improved over the three issues.”
“The team of Antonio, myself and Patrick has gotten quite tight,” Stone said. “We have finished issue three, which will be released in September.
“As of this article Hybrids #3 is finished and ready to send to the printer,” Spicer confirmed.
Stone stated he has an Indie GoGo and a Kickstarter platform running for pre-orders.
“Come September 1st, you can get the book from the website at Star Cross Comics,” Stone said.
The creative team is now busy at work on issue four now, and with issue five written, Hybrids: Sons of God is riding a wave.
“The title is supposed to reflect the idea that these are the genetic offspring of the ancient Nephilim [hybrids] and that the Nephilim are the inspiration for the Greek gods, thus, The Sons of Gods.”
The pastor clammed up a bit, as not to be “a spoiler.”
“We haven’t quite revealed that just yet,” he pointed out. “So, your readers are a little privileged.”
Throughout the series, the comic will be presenting real life events and historical documents to help give the fantasy credibility. Don’t be surprised if “aliens and Atlantis” pop up, which are “all tied to that verse in Genesis.”
Stone explains Hybrids: Sons of God “isn’t a Christian comic in the typical sense.” It falls somewhere between comic consumer dimensions and sells “pretty good from both sides of the market.”
“For some non-believers, the inclusion of Scripture and conversation about faith between the characters is too Christian,” he said. “For some believers, my title and approach are not well-liked. I guess they don’t really see what I am doing.”
Stone conveyed that like the directive of mainstream comic books, this series is designed to entertain. However, spiritual context lurks, such as an upcoming story featuring “an atheist who is confronted with this evidence of angels, and consequently, God.”
“If nothing else, I hope to give the comics world some positive Christian examples,” he said. “We aren’t portrayed with much respect in the media these days. Hopefully this will give Christians something they can enjoy and help the rest of the world see through the eyes of a Christian. Maybe realize we aren’t what the mainstream media makes us out to be.”
Stone has a goal of another five issues for the series to be completed and released in 2020. Another project, “a massive crossover” titled Armageddon Watch, will feature the characters from several creators and ties back into the Hybrids arc.
“I have been working hard with Joe and the Star Cross family to produce more comics,” Stone said. “I have even taken a position as the Project Manager for Star Cross.”
Stone also maintains a YouTube channel where he talks about comics.
What lies ahead? The second coming of Christ? Not quite.
“Joe and I are also doing a Team Up #1 with his character, Starstruck, and my character, Trashman,” Stone explained. “That is a fun one. We haven’t set a release date.”
Anytime a pastor creates a comic book featuring a character he invented named Trashman, it’s worth the wait! Amen! 8/9/19
When Luke Stone isn’t preaching from the pulpit as lead Pastor of Bridges Community Church of Jacksonville, Florida—or singing and playing lead guitar in the Christian band Dave Hates It--he’s creating, writing and illustrating comic books for Cross Star Comics. One venture, Hybrids: Sons of Gods, has garnered attention for bringing the Nephilim into the world of comics.
“I am kind of a theology nerd, so digging through Scripture and ancient texts about all of that stuff just really fascinated me,” the pastor explained. “Turns out, a lot of people are really curious about that topic.”
Stone would enter into conversations with a senior pastor, mentor and friend, about the lesser known subjects in Scripture.
“It seemed we would always find our way back around to talking about Genesis six and the Nephilim. I always thought it would be really cool to write a story about that,” Stone said. “So, for about 10 years, I would read all I could about this stuff from different resources and I started to develop a solid plot. I still have on hold the original cover where it was called Hybrid Nation.”
Hybrids: The Sons of Gods #1 was originally published in 2016 under Stone’s imprint Tenacious Comics, funded using Kickstarter. However, the comics enterprise was put on hold as full-time work as a pastor required extra attention, undergoing ministry transitions.
That was okay. Stone didn’t expect that anyone besides “a few other theology geeks” would get excited about it. But he took the project seriously, not wanting the comic to resemble a “hokey Christian book” that was basically “a 20 page track.”
During that time, Stone approached Joe Spicer, CEO of Star Cross Comics, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Spicer founded the indie comics company in 1996.
“I talked to Joe about taking some of the titles over at Star Cross,” Pastor Stone explained. “He is the one that encouraged me to keep Hybrids going.”
“Hybrids is a wonderful action/sci-fi comic series, involving human hybrid heroes and villains in a shared universe of other Star Cross Comic titles,” publisher Joe Spicer said. “Each issue is better and better and Luke's art and writing is fun and captivating.”
The premiere issue of Hybrids: Sons of God was a fun venture. It was the artist’s first attempt at writing. Stone did the lettering, too, with Patrick Gama lending a hand for color.
“Before TC closed its operations, I had already gotten with a layout artist named Antonio Alvarez. He would take on laying out my pages with rough pencils so that I could go in and draw them,” Stone explained. “It sped up the process.”
When the debut issue was released by Star Cross Comics in 2018, publisher Joe Spicer made up a new cover for the issue.
“Patrick Gama stayed on as colorist and I added Nikki Sherman on the team to take care of letters. So, later that year (2018), issue two was released by Star Cross,” Stone conveyed. “This time I got a cover made up by John Ball and Patrick colored that one for me, too.”
Stone managed to keep most of his team together for issue three, adding that his art and writing “has definitely improved over the three issues.”
“The team of Antonio, myself and Patrick has gotten quite tight,” Stone said. “We have finished issue three, which will be released in September.
“As of this article Hybrids #3 is finished and ready to send to the printer,” Spicer confirmed.
Stone stated he has an Indie GoGo and a Kickstarter platform running for pre-orders.
“Come September 1st, you can get the book from the website at Star Cross Comics,” Stone said.
The creative team is now busy at work on issue four now, and with issue five written, Hybrids: Sons of God is riding a wave.
“The title is supposed to reflect the idea that these are the genetic offspring of the ancient Nephilim [hybrids] and that the Nephilim are the inspiration for the Greek gods, thus, The Sons of Gods.”
The pastor clammed up a bit, as not to be “a spoiler.”
“We haven’t quite revealed that just yet,” he pointed out. “So, your readers are a little privileged.”
Throughout the series, the comic will be presenting real life events and historical documents to help give the fantasy credibility. Don’t be surprised if “aliens and Atlantis” pop up, which are “all tied to that verse in Genesis.”
Stone explains Hybrids: Sons of God “isn’t a Christian comic in the typical sense.” It falls somewhere between comic consumer dimensions and sells “pretty good from both sides of the market.”
“For some non-believers, the inclusion of Scripture and conversation about faith between the characters is too Christian,” he said. “For some believers, my title and approach are not well-liked. I guess they don’t really see what I am doing.”
Stone conveyed that like the directive of mainstream comic books, this series is designed to entertain. However, spiritual context lurks, such as an upcoming story featuring “an atheist who is confronted with this evidence of angels, and consequently, God.”
“If nothing else, I hope to give the comics world some positive Christian examples,” he said. “We aren’t portrayed with much respect in the media these days. Hopefully this will give Christians something they can enjoy and help the rest of the world see through the eyes of a Christian. Maybe realize we aren’t what the mainstream media makes us out to be.”
Stone has a goal of another five issues for the series to be completed and released in 2020. Another project, “a massive crossover” titled Armageddon Watch, will feature the characters from several creators and ties back into the Hybrids arc.
“I have been working hard with Joe and the Star Cross family to produce more comics,” Stone said. “I have even taken a position as the Project Manager for Star Cross.”
Stone also maintains a YouTube channel where he talks about comics.
What lies ahead? The second coming of Christ? Not quite.
“Joe and I are also doing a Team Up #1 with his character, Starstruck, and my character, Trashman,” Stone explained. “That is a fun one. We haven’t set a release date.”
Anytime a pastor creates a comic book featuring a character he invented named Trashman, it’s worth the wait! Amen! 8/9/19
