Violent Expenditures: Jason Burns and The Expendable One

By Jim Beard

Could The Expendable One be the ultimate word on fictional immortals? What does it truly mean to not be able to die? How many feet of intestines are stored in the human body? What color are brains REALLY???

Well, we asked creator and non-putrefied zombie Jason Burns to answer a few questions about his intriguing new series, The Expendable One.

JIM BEARD: Tell us a bit about yourself.

JASON BURNS: Whoa, that’s a tough question. I feel like I’m lying down on a leather couch in a therapist’s office. We could be here all day if I answer this the way I feel compelled to. HAHA But in a nutshell… I’m a journalist turned comic writer/creator who lives in Massachusetts. I work a lot on various projects outside of the comic industry as well, and spend my free time watching TV/movies, following Red Sox baseball, listening to music and trying to enjoy the outdoors after the winter runs its course.

JB: My bill will be in the mail. You have your fingers in a lot of pies, creatively. Where does your heart lie?

THE OTHER JB: Well, I’ve always liked apple, but cheesecake is a favorite. Well, that’s actually more of a cake than a pie, though that’s up for debate. Oh… I see what you mean here.

Well, I’ve always wanted to write for film, but the more I’m involved with other mediums, the more I get caught up in those. Right now, nothing is more fun for me than writing a comic script. I literally get excited when sitting down to hash one out, and really, at the end of the day, that’s what’s important to me… doing something that makes you happy.

JB: Where does your interest in comics begin?

THE OTHER JB: In the fourth grade I picked up a Spider-Man comic and that was pretty much it. I went through a period in high school where I didn’t collect or read, but it all came rushing back in my early 20s and I did plenty of catching up. Once a comic geek, always a comic geek.

JB: The Expendable One is an immortal, a standard in both comics and fantastic fiction in general. What makes yours unique?

THE OTHER JB: Well, I think what makes the character unique is that he isn’t unique at all. He’s just an everyday schmo who happened upon the gift of immortality. What I wanted to do was write a story about the guy who never went to college, who works retail and who has a hard time transitioning into adulthood… only now he’s sort of stricken with the idea of this is how it could be forever… literally, so he tries to change things. Unfortunately, things don’t always work out the way we plan them to, and he finds out that being immortal isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

JB: Why is he "expendable"?

THE OTHER JB: Well, the main character Twigs Dupree is approached by someone who wants to exploit his powers in stopping a serial killer known as The Animal, who some believe to be a werewolf. So, he sort of becomes an expendable soldier in that he is being used for his abilities.

JB: Do you see him as an anti-hero, or something else?

THE OTHER JB: No, he is definitely the anti-hero. No matter how hard he tries, he’s always going to be that guy in high school that sort of went forgotten. The guy you go, “He graduated with us?” “He was in my homeroom?” He’s that guy.

JB: The style of the strip is cartoony yet is quite graphic in its violence. Why did you feel it needed to be this graphic and what's "too much" for TEO?

THE OTHER JB: Well, I never set out to make it an extremely graphic story, but I have to admit that I was raised on horror movies, so it probably just happened on its own because of that. However, the artist Bryan Baugh (CryptLogic.net) did bring his own R rating to it with his love for all things blood and gore and I couldn’t be happier with his rendition of the characters and visual take on the story. I’m not apologetic for the violence and gore because it’s a story about a guy who can’t die. If there were ever an excuse to push the envelope, this would be it.

JB: Where would you like to see the concept go from here? Does it have a life outside comics?

THE OTHER JB: Well, I’ve already been approached by Hollywood about the book and I think it could translate to screen… although a much tamer version perhaps. I’ve already begun writing a sequel and a spin-off for the character Agent Armstrong, but where it goes ultimately rests in the hands of the readers and if they want to see it go further. If they do, I’m willing to take it there.

JB: If DC allowed you to have any one of its non-traditional characters, to do with what you will, who would it be and what would you do?

THE OTHER JB: I’d like to do something with Green Arrow just because he’s such a complicated character in my eyes and someone that none of his peers really get. I like those kinds of characters and… let’s face it… he’s get some kick ass facial hair!

JB: Same with Marvel...

THE OTHER JB: I’d have to go with Spider-Man because he’s the reason I started reading comics in the first place. Plus, I’m a huge fan of villain characters and nobody has better villains in my opinion than good old Petey.

JB: Anything else you'd like the folks at home to know about TEO?

THE OTHER JB: Just that while there is a lot of blood and gore, it’s really a comedy at heart… at least that’s how I intended it to come out. I think people who like the Evil Dead franchise and flicks like Cemetery Man… as well as dark comics in general, will get a kick out of it.

I encourage people to write me whether they like it or hate it. I’d love to hear their thoughts and they can reach out to me through my Myspace page at MySpace.com/JasonBurns.

JB: Thanks, Jason. I hope that free body bag with #1 promotion works out for you.

Visit ViperComics.com for more information on The Expendable One.