Trial of the Trolls is my next graphic novel project. I will be writing and drawing this epic fairy tale. Over the last few years, I’ve had to reorient my creativity into a solo writer/artist of comics. My first few stabs at creating proposals for publishing were their own uphill battle that helped teach me a lot about writing and developing story ideas. When your best opportunity for publishing is confounded because the approval team can’t distill your idea into something they’ve already seen before, it’s time to go on your own. If history teaches us anything, anyone with innovative ideas first has to take the risk themselves and prove it’s viable before anyone intent on making money can see any merit in it. As a result, Trial of the Trolls will be exclusive to this website, released in its entirety for free. Instead of using this story as a stepping stone for my career, it will be published here as a gift to all the friends and fans who’ve enriched my life with their support over the years. I wanted to be a comics creator when I was young and you all helped enable me to realize that dream. I offer it to everyone as a gift and I hope you all see the intent behind it.
Trial of the Trolls is a future fairy tale where a desperate family dynasty must struggle for survival after depleting their resources in their victory in the forever war with the Trolls. Responsible usage of resources is their society’s only hope for survival and must be guaranteed through selective breeding. Three girls of reproductive age must prove their humanity in an annual rite of passage known as The Trial of the Trolls. To pass, they must awaken to their human nature and live by the family’s core values of Loyalty, Courage and Love while living virtually as a real live Troll in their natural environment. If they can live in direct opposition to their life as a Troll, they can inherit the many privileges and riches of life as a family member beyond the Trial. If they can’t, they’ll be recycled for raw materials in the flames of the The Forge.
What these girls must endure to overcome The Trial of the Trolls will shock you.