Detective Niles “Roach” Washington pursues a serial killer 5000 years in the making. The world around him says to ignore the signs he’s seeing, but his instincts push him forward. With enemies on all sides and within, Roach wades into the darkness as the Exiled to find the killer and uncovers Earth’s darkest secret. 

 

“The Exiled” is a comic book co-created by Wesley Snipes targeting mature audiences. It features a story about Detective Niles “Roach” Washington, a tough-as-nails detective in a dystopian future, who is tracking down a serial killer. The killer’s methods and motives reveal ancient technologies and secrets that challenge the very nature of human history. The comic blends elements of science fiction, noir, horror, and action, with intense artwork to match the dark tone of the narrative.

 

THE CREATIVE TEAM

The creative team for the oversized IndieGoGo edition consists of:

Wesley Snipes – Co-Creator – is an NAACP Image Award-winning actor and cinematic icon, renowned for his role as Blade, based on the Marvel Comics created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan. Snipes has graced multiple magazine covers and previously ventured into the comic book world with the limited series After Dark for Radical Comics, co-created with Antoine Fuqua. He is also the co-author of the urban fantasy novel Talon of God.

Keith Arem – Co-Creator – is a film director, comic book creator, and acclaimed video game voice director. Arem has directed voice talent for major video game franchises such as Call of Duty, Spider-Man, Sleeping Dogs, Yakuza, and Final Fantasy. His graphic novel credits include Ascend and Infex, and he co-created Dead Speed with Adam Lawson. He also wrote and directed the feature film The Phoenix Incident.

Adam Lawson – Co-Creator/Writer/Letterer – is a creator with a diverse portfolio in comics, games, and television. He has written and created graphic novels like The Kill Journal, The Eighth, and Kids & Monsters, as well as the tabletop RPG Asunder. Lawson served as the showrunner for all four seasons of the YouTube Originals fantasy/horror series Escape the Night.

Gabriel “Eskivo” Santos – Artist – is an emerging talent from Orlando who gained attention with his debut indie book Knight Wraith and his work on Lazarus Effect ashcan. His artistic style is a fusion of manga influences and the detailed work of David Finch.

Valentina Bianconi – Colorist – is a distinguished Italian colorist and illustrator with an impressive portfolio that includes work for Sergio Bonelli Editore, Aftershock Comics, Edition Soleil, Image Comics, Raven Distribution, and Disney.

Michael Calero – editor- is a comic book artist. He is also the cover artist for The Exiled Issue #1 Cover H, the Blade Homage Variant Cover.

The art of the Forgotten Wars Vol.1 was done by Jason Crager, colored by Mariam Yasser with lettering and book design by Dave Lentz. Many cover artists participated in creating cover art for the series including Rob Willis, Eskivo, P. Acevedo, Drew Moss, Jim Mahfood, Tony Kent, Hal Laren, Micheal Calero, Jeremy Wilson, Kyle Hotz, Bosslogic, and G. Kambadais.

 

THE BOOKS

The Exiled is a 140-page, OVERSIZED graphic novel, balls-to-the-wall sci-fi/noir graphic novel. This is a collector’s item and is presented in a campaign-only oversized format (8.5″ x 13″).  My version is the IndieGoGo variant cover featuring line art by Rob Willis and colors by Valentina Bianconi.

Printed on high-quality paper, the book has a double-layered soft cover (much thicker than standard with wrapped edges) with sewn binding, which allows the book to lay flat with a red ribbon bookmark. It will feel as big and dynamic as the main story told in 6 chapters each with its title page. The book has a credit page, title a thank you page, additional bonus art, and free (digital) goodies including the Exiled graphic novel soundtrack.

6-Issue comic book series: the 140-page book was divided into a series of six issues in traditional comic book format for commercial sale. Issue 1 with cover art by Drew Moss has a credit part, the main story, the cover of the next issue plus an 8-page preview of the first issue of Atro Bots by Simon Furman and Hector Trunnec. There are multiple cover options for this 6-issue series

The Forgotten Wars Vol.1 is a perfect-bound, 48-page story set in the world of The Exiled, it is haunting and action-packed with line art by Jason Crager with 2 pages of bonus art, an info page with the cover checklist and the list of exclusive retailers, plus a QR code of the official graphic novel soundtrack.

The oversized edition and The Forgotten Wars Vol.1 were published in 2023 by Pact of Three LLC. The individual comic book-size issues were published by Whatnot Publishing.

 

THE STORY

The Exiled

Set in a dystopian future, the story kicks off with Detective Niles “Roach” Washington investigating a series of gruesome murders where the victims have their spines ripped out using ancient tools. The murders take place after a deadly gas attack, and the killer’s methods suggest a connection to ancient technology and secrets buried for thousands of years.

As Roach delves deeper into the case, he faces resistance and discreditation from both his peers and higher-ups, but his instincts push him to uncover a massive conspiracy. This conspiracy is not just about the murders but ties into a secret that dates back 5,000 years, with the potential to change the course of human history.

 

The Forgotten Wars

The Forgotten Wars Vol.1 takes us to the era of the pharaohs when the “first” alien dropship arrived on Earth.  It is the origin story of the ancient conflict between humans and criminal aliens through the eyes of Kalyx, the Killer Detective Roach is hunting 5,000 years in the future.

All is not well among the alien outcasts. Some were exiled for their religious convictions among them were some who just wanted to live peacefully. Those who were exiled for their crimes were corrupted. The corrupted fraction lied and took advantage of misunderstandings to start a war. This civil war among the aliens had Egypt caught in the middle of a war forgotten by time.

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The story’s dark and atmospheric tone, along with the character of Niles “Roach” Washington, are its main highlights. Influenced by classic noir, the narrative blends futuristic and horror elements, drawing comparisons to films like Se7en and Blade Runner. Some of the bonus art reminds me a little of the Testament series. The art style of the series is different from anything I’ve seen, it somehow perfectly matches the tone of the series.

 

THE EXILED

Roach is portrayed as a gritty investigator navigating a world full of enemies and dark secrets.

Hiding the Truth

In the world of the Exiled, governments and secret societies hide the truth, believing people can’t handle it, reminiscent of conspiracies like the JFK assassination or alien cover-ups of the real world. Roach gets excited because he knows too much. In today’s chaotic world, nothing surprises anyone anymore, largely due to the influence of the current “woke” culture.

Stand Alone

A recurring theme is standing alone with integrity and values, especially in an era filled with corruption.

“Sometimes when you stand. You stand alone.”

– Niles “Roach” Washington –

When he says “Sometimes when you stand. You stand alone.” It makes me wonder if it is a way to reflect how smart he is because it should be “Sometimes, when you stand, you stand alone.” or it can also be his way of saying it. In any case, it is a strong statement that resonates with people in today’s corrupted world.

Personal Growth

Roach often mentions that he doesn’t feel smart enough to understand the situation he’s in. However, by learning on the job, he gains experience and eventually figures out how to navigate this complex situation. This is a great example of how personal growth is possible no matter where you are in life. Most importantly, it shows that it’s up to you to stay open to learning, which often means keeping your ego in check.

The good guys always struggle

Roach’s reluctance to trust people is understandable because it’s difficult to know who is corrupt. The good guys struggle to stand their ground and often find themselves exiled. In the real world, the good guys are often silenced, canceled, or exiled. It’s funny and sad at the same time to see people support the bad guys because it’s trendy and pushed by the algorithms.

Good vs Evil

The story flips the roles of good and evil, emphasizing the need to understand events for ourselves instead of blindly accepting the history taught by the victors, especially when it comes to ancient history. It reveals that things are not always as they seem, with humans physically manipulated by malevolent aliens. The story also underscores that good and bad exist in every race and that having integrity and following your instincts may often leave you standing alone. When that happens, stand tall.

 

The Forgotten Wars

The Forgotten Wars remind us of the reasons people were exiled in the past and why people continue to be exiled today.

Looking back

To be exiled, or removed from society, is typically imposed on those perceived as threats to the community. While we often associate this with criminals, history shows that this wasn’t always the case. In the past, people were exiled for their religious beliefs or scientific insights.

The realization

Today, it seems we’ve regressed, as people are threatened with arrest (or arrested) in the U.K. and Canada for expressing their opinions and beliefs. We also see whistleblowers being prosecuted in so-called “democratic” countries. It’s mindboggling and scary to see how people can be arrested for speech, while those who commit actual crimes like theft and assault are exonerated. More people are starting to realize that those working for them are not working for people but for their own benefit.

The value of history and information

The story gives you insights from all sides and it makes you realize how valuable information is and how the story changes depending on who tells the story and how the story changes over time.

 

THE CAMPAIGN

From the Indiegogo campaign “THE EXILED by Wesley Snipes”, I selected the perk “DETECTIVE – IGG VARIANT” which included a Digital Edition of The Exiled, a Print Copy of the IGG Variant, Trading Cards, a Metal Bookmark, and an IGG Variant Print. This would be the first time backing a project from this team of creators.

I received the physical copy of the Oversized hero book, The Forgotten Wars graphic novel, and issue 1 (commercial version), a print by artist Preston Asevedo, an exclusive pack of trading cards, and a metal bookmark. I also got the digital version, the backers edition, of all 6 issues but issue 1 had a different cover than the hardcopy version. The cover for the digital version was done by Rob Willis and the cover for the hardcopy version was done by Drew Moss.

Be careful unwrapping the 5 cards which are securely wrapped in plastic. Each card has a character on the front and the series logo on the back. The metal bookmark is two-sided with Roach on one side and the logo on the other.

 

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Throughout “The Exiled” IndieGoGo campaign, I received regular updates on the progress via multiple channels. The campaign creators made it a point to keep everyone informed by posting detailed updates in the dedicated update section on the IndieGoGo campaign page and engaging in the discussion section on the IndieGoGo campaign page.

About the updates

The updates included information about production milestones, any changes to the anticipated delivery dates, and other relevant developments. In addition to the campaign page updates, I also received direct email communications. This approach ensured that important announcements and shipping notifications were delivered promptly and directly to the backers’ inboxes. The emails included specifics about the status of their orders and any actions required from their end.

About shipping

When it came time to fulfill the orders, the campaign creators provided timely tracking numbers through their logistics company. This allowed me to monitor the progress of their shipments and anticipate their delivery which usually prevents issues at customs. Upon arrival, the packages appear to be in good condition with no missing or extremely damaged goods.

About packaging

I always have to check the quality of the packaging because my customs are a pain in behind. They open packages and sometimes (slightly) damage the items inside. It’s annoying because asking for a replacement is just an additional cost if you must pay insurance and import taxes again. And it’s simply not fair if the package was damaged during transportation or at customs.

In this case, the oversized book had creases in one of the corners. I’m not sure if plastic wrap would have helped, but it wasn’t such a big deal. Overall, it’s good for creators to know that attention to detail on the packaging and commitment to quality ensures a positive experience for the backers, who receive their rewards for investing in the project as promised.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

“The Exiled” delivers a compelling blend of noir, science fiction, and horror, with a strong character like Detective Niles “Roach” Washington. The creators demonstrated high professionalism, ensuring that backers were well-informed throughout the process.  I wished the book was available on the hardcover too. While it is an amazing story, I’m afraid of lending it out. I guess I can always refer to the 6 individual issues.

The story’s exploration of ancient secrets and the dark elements of a dystopian future create a captivating narrative that keeps the reader engaged. It’s graphic and dark targeting mature audiences but the underlying themes are very important for younger people to think about.  The themes of integrity, standing alone against corruption, and questioning the accepted version of history resonate strongly in today’s world, making the story not only entertaining but also thought-provoking.

The oversized edition won’t be reprinted but the 6 individual issues are sold by several retailers including Whatnot Publishing, Whatnot, Webster’s Vault, Gorilla Todd Comics, The Syndicate C&C, Street Level Hero, SMZ Comics, Rated Comics, and many more.

If you like more dark stories check these out:

•  LA MUERTA SERIES PART 1
• TRESPASSER LIMITED SERIES
• THE XII LIMITED SERIES
• JACK THE RIPPER: VAMPIRE HUNTER
• HERE COMES CALICO VOL.1
• THE VOID WALKER LIMITED SERIES

Interested in more titles? Check more GRAPHIC NOVELS from the “EYES ON” series wherein I documented my experience with supporting crowdfunded entertainment and shared my notes on the products I received.

 

My notes are all set. Let me know what you think.

See you on the next page!