Captain Australia Needs Your Money To Fight Crime

Dormant real-life superhero Captain Australia has been missing from our streets since 2012, but now — after a brief update post on his website at the turn of the new year to let us know that he's still alive — the vigilante has returned to the public spotlight with a crowdfunding campaign for a graphic novel to help turn his nocturnal activities into a full-time concern.

Tentatively titled Captain Australia: The Defective Detective or Captain Australia: We Don't Need Another Hero, the story will focus on the short-lived crime-fighting career of the self-appointed guardian of Brisbane (and sometimes Sydney), and all it will cost is an ambitious $140,000.

"I had to retire in 2012 due to my second son becoming ill," Captain Australia wrote on his Kickstarter page. "Since then, I've struggled to fin the resources that my alter ego needs in order to maintain a weekly street presence (time, money).

"I conceived of the idea of re-telling my entire story as a graphic novel — from my early childhood through to my crime-fighting days — as a way of sharing my story (by amusing, entertaining and educating the public) and possibly achieving enough financial success to fund my becoming Captain Australia on a full-time basis.

"I know that many people find my quest to be tragi-comic … but I am deeply serious about it, and see real philosophical value. I hope that the folks interested see that a comic book about an Aussie guy standing up against crime could have its own market."

Captain Australia goes on to explain the outline of the book in detail, canvassing everything from his experiences with childhood bullies to his "itinerant" youth, stopping an attempted rape in Singapore, his decision to become Captain Australia, his first patrols in 2008-2009 ("many funny, some frightening, including … dealings with 'skull man', a sometimes criminal/violent homeless man who lost his nose to syphilis"), his attempt to capture "recidivist child molester" Alfred Jessop, his retirement ("growing fat and sad"), and imminent rebirth.

"In tone, the comic would be serious, with gritty, stylised artwork," Captain Australia explained. "In theme, it would deliver a story that is rich with comedy, but also has a serious and philosophical component."

Included in the $140,000 funding goal is coverage of costs related to the creative and practical process of generating the graphic novel, the potential inclusion of other real-life superheroes from around the country (the Justice League of Australia), and — if the book can't secure a publishing agreement — the initial print run.

Captain Australia is working with project manager Simon Harvey, videographer/storyboarder Jack Archbold and graphic designers Kath Kielbasa and Barry Murray to create the book. There are just under 60 days remaining on the campaign, which went up today. You can find out more at the Kickstarter page.