I first got to know Chip Reece when we were both writing for the same comic site. It was through this that I got to know about Chip and his son Ollie, who’d been born with Down Syndrome. Despite all the health problems, Chip never saw Ollie as less than amazing. He’d undergone countless surgeries and medical procedures in his short life and I never saw a picture of him without a smile on his face. But, while Ollie was certainly super, Chip couldn’t find any comics that featured heroes like Ollie. Chip wanted to share his love of comics with his son, but couldn’t find any with characters that Ollie could relate to. So Chip decided to make that comic.
With the help of Kickstarter and co-creator Kelly Williams, “Metaphase” was created to showcase a hero with Down Syndrome. Published through Alterna Comics, “Metaphase” hopes to have the comic character of Ollie not only fight the bad guys, but also the negative perceptions around those with Down Syndrome and other disabilities.
Read on as we chat with Reece and Williams about “Metaphase”, the reception by the Down Syndrome community and the general public, fighting perceptions, and much more. “Metaphase” is currently available to order on Amazon or in comic shops tomorrow!
Chip, I know that “Metaphase” is inspired by your son Ollie. For those just hearing about the book, what made you look at Ollie and see a superhero and want to commit that to a comic book?
Chip Reece: The “superhero” inspiration was totally from his will to live. He was born with two heart defects (aortic coarctation (pinched arch) and AV canal defect), which led to 7 total months of hospitalization by the time he was one year old. At 10 days old he had his first open heart surgery to repair the arch, and another a few months later to put a band around his pulmonary artery. At one year and only 10 pounds heavy he went through AV canal repair. Surviving that and all the scary things in between… it’s enough to make an adult throw in the towel. I haven’t even mentioned his trach and g-tube surgeries, feeding intolerances, lung issues, low muscle tone… the list goes on.
Making “Metaphase” a comic book came out of the fact that Ollie has Down syndrome. I have always been a big fan of comics, and began to look for ones that featured characters with Down syndrome. At the time there was absolutely nothing out there, which is a common theme in just about all facets of entertainment. I didn’t want Ollie to see comics as just another place where he gets left out.
In “Metaphase”, Ollie is the son of the world’s greatest superhero and desperately wants powers of his own. Even while there are villains aplenty in the graphic novel, it seems like Ollie’s real enemy is the perceptions others have of him. I imagine this is true in a lot of real life instance as well. How are you hoping to break those perceptions?
CR: That is exactly the reason I made this a superhero story. I wanted to illustrate the point that someone with Down syndrome can dream just as big as anyone and be anything they want to be. For me, as a kid, being a superhero was the greatest thing you could aspire to. That thought may just be the thing that gave me the spark I needed to make it in life, to give it my best. I hope that “Metaphase” shows individuals with Down syndrome and their parents, teachers, siblings, friends, doctors, and other humans they encounter that they have just as much a right as anyone to do and be something great.
While I know “Metaphase” is personal to you, Chip, but how did your co-creator Kelly Williams get involved?
CR: I became familiar with his work when I was covering crowd funded comics for StashMyComics.com. At the time, he and Christian Sager were running the Kickstarter for “The Cabinet”. Something about Kelly’s style gave me the sense that he could capture the facial features of someone with Down syndrome, so I approached him with the script for, what was at the time, like a 10 page comic. I’d like to think he did it because he thought it was something special, but he’ll probably tell you he did it for the money (snicker).
Continued belowOn that same note, what did you think when Chip sent you that original script, Kelly? And how has it been taking such a personal story and putting your art to work on it?
Kelly Williams: I had been talking to Chip online for a bit at that point. When he told me about the project and asked about sending me the script I was totally open, but I was a little nervous because I just didn’t know what to expect. My head kinda went straight to those old, like, Spider-man comics that were awful and at the dentist office to get kids to brush their teeth or whatever.
When I sat down and read it though I was stoked to see that not only was that not what we were talking about (ha ha) but there was a lot of heart in it. I think that was only 6 to 8 pages actually and I knew it could be a pretty special thing.
It was pretty intimidating to me in the beginning to take on something that was so close to Chip and his family’s life. It helps though that this is INSPIRED by Ollie. After a few sketches and back and forths though it was easy to relax. Chip is pretty easy to work with. Actually the hardest part was that when we did the preview I was trying to draw those pages, another preview comic and work on “The Cabinet” all while my wife was in the hospital a week before the book was due. Haha.
I know this was really Chip’s first comic. How was the collaboration the two of you?
KW: Well, Chip is a bit of a control freak. Okay.. not really. Chip had a good grasp on what he wanted to do and I think he wrote a great script, especially for it being his first comic!
For my part, Chip is one of those writers you absolutely WANT to work with. He is a competent story teller that lets you as the artist do what you do and is totally open to discussing changes that benefit the story.
We had a couple changes that came about because I made a suggestion. Then Chip made a suggestion. Then the story was even better. It’s incredibly comfortable working with Chip. He get’s that this is collaborative and is more concerned with telling a good story than controlling.
CR: I approached the collaboration as Kelly being the expert. He is several years ahead of me making comics, and it shows, because that’s about the time he started growing his beard. Joking aside, I seriously lucked out working with Kelly. There was a lot of back and forth with the script throughout, and I’m pretty sure we incorporated his suggestions every time. One thing in particular he did was find a way to incorporate the mom in the story a bit more. I had lamented on several occasions that I wished there had been a way to give her more of a presence, and Kelly came back with some stellar ideas that made it into the book. He didn’t just elevate the visual elements of the story, he elevated the script.
After the release of the preview comic and the Kickstarter, it seems like Metaphase really got a lot of love from people all over the world, with there even being demand for translations into other languages. How surprised have the two of you been to this reception?
KW: It’s pretty amazing. I started getting messages from people in Brazil to my Artist Facebook page and was just kinda blown away. It feels great that it has been so accepted and that the interest is there. I personally wasn’t sure how widely it would be taken in. I mean, I’m kinda on the outside of the Down Syndrome community. Chip is in the middle of it, it’s part of his life.
It’s great to be a part of it. Like, I’m happy with the work and all, but I’m proud of what we’ve done on the broader scale. It’s great to create something that touches people in a more personal way. Something they are excited to share with their family.
Continued below
CR: REALLY surprised. Initially, this was just a thing for my kid, you know? I think the international attention picked up right around when the mini became available on ComiXology. A fan from Spain actually volunteered to translate the comic into Spanish and that was put up on ComiXology as well. The biggest fanbase outside of the U.S. has definitely been Brazil. I’ve learned since that their culture is a lot more accepting and supportive of the Down Syndrome community, which is amazing. I would love to get “Metaphase’ translated to Portuguese for those folks. We recently got a request for a Dutch translation too. So awesome.
While “Metaphase” very much works as a standalone book, are there plans for further adventures for Ollie and his superpowered dad?
CR: Definitely. However, the direction I’d like to go next time will most likely pull the dad back as a minor supporting character. I’m working on adding a younger supporting cast, and bringing on additional diversity in the area of disability.
Story-wise, we’ve barely scratched the surface on his powers and what they’re all about. I’ve got some fun things planned that will take it in an unexpected direction. Or, an expected direction if you’re a silly smarty pants.
“Metaphase” has already proven to be a hit with those who are part of the Down Syndrome community. What are you hoping you can get across to the people not familiar with it, or those that have preconceived negative notions?
CR: It’s much easier to sell the idea to the Down syndrome community, for sure. “Metaphase” just reinforces what they already know, that individuals with Down syndrome CAN do amazing things. For those outside of that realm, the story is an exaggeration of the point that everyone deserves to have a dream and a chance to chase it. I hope that translates to people becoming more aware of what people with disabilities CAN do rather than what they can’t.
