by Benjamin Ong Pang Kean

A knight, whose soul is trapped inside a metal monster called Colossus, lives out an immortal existence slaying evil creatures. Until one day a twisted, evil paladin wielding enchanted weapons arrives in the Kingdom with his own agenda. Their paths cross in a steel pounding, armor glinting no holds barred battle that will change a Kingdom forever.

Colossus, a March-debuting OGN from Image Comics, is the creation of Mark Andrews, the director of the upcoming Pixar animated short, One Man Band. Andrews is also part of the E-Ville Press gang, a group of Pixar employees who band together to create and produce their own unique brand of comics.

“Colossus came about during a role-playing campaign,” Andrews told Newsarama. “He was a character I created for the campaign. I wanted to play a monster that wasn't a monster so I thought up this character, a knight’s soul trapped inside this metal construct. The ideas about him kept coming so I started making a comic about his story.

The knight in question is Orlant. “[He] is a knight in the first crusade who is captured and turned into a metal assassin of sorts by an evil wizard.

“On one level, it’s about breaking conventions. Is a knight really good is a monster really bad? Is a king truly just? A maiden truly pure? Can a child born of a monster be a monster when they grow up?

“On another level, it’s about seeing cool monsters fight. The story is about a knight who was turned into a metal monster to kill a king. He did not so he lives for 200 years hiding away thought to be a villain until one day a knight comes looking to destroy him but this knight has other motives. He is really just getting Colossus out of the way so he can kill the king and take over the kingdom.”

Other than Orlant, there is “Grimon, the evil templar knight from the third crusades. He’ really, really nasty. He and Colossus have a lot in common besides being templars. They are both assassins. Except Grimon was not made into a monster, well not literally… He is a monster of a different sort possessing enchanted weapons.

Other characters include “Maulore, the good wizard who inadvertantly freed his will when he attacked the king [and] spends his whole life searching to understand how Colossus was made; Rowena the princess and Malcom, the black smith.”

Andrews originally self published Colossus and made copies available for sale at this year’s Comic-Con International in San Diego where he and the E-Ville Press gang set up booth. “It was a small run and sold only at Comic-Con and some comic stores in the bay area and online.”

And Image took notice. “I was about to look into actual distribution when Image approached me to publish Colossus under their powerhouse banner. I agreed immediately. They’ve got the power to move Colossus way more than I ever could. So instead of seeing Colossus in a few stores, it will be in every comic store across the US.”

Considering his background and involvement in the animation industry, would a Colossus animated movie be possible? “Well, I wouldn’t do it fully animated. I’d do a live action CG mix. And it would be a dark fantasy tale that’s not your typical 'knight rescues maiden from dragon' story but much more visceral,” Andrews concluded.

Colossus, a 224-page, black and white OGN is priced at $17.99. Written and drawn by Mark Andrews with a cover by Dominique Louis, it will be in stores on March 8 and carries a foreword by Brad (The Incredibles) Bird.

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MEETING THE E-VILLE PRESS GANG