The idea had been sitting on the shelf for years.
At first, the story of an Augusta vigilante who prevents crime and fights corruption was slated to be a short film, but a series of problems caused Karlton Clay to put Chosen to the side while he pursued his web-based dramas and feature films.
“The short film didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to. We were going to re-edit it, but the files got corrupted. And then we made plans to reshoot it but schedules got conflicted,” said Clay, who started making films and web series in 2006 while he was still in college.
The more he thought about it the more he realized the story of Chosen would make a perfect graphic novel.
Aiding the main character are his special powers. He’s a locator, said Clay. If someone has touched a doorknob, then the hero can touch that doorknob and find the person. He also has the ability to erase recent memories.
Clay has always been a fan of superheroes. He was drawn to the Power Rangers when he was younger. One of the reasons is the series had an African American Power Ranger.
“You don’t really see a lot of that especially in this genre,” he said. “Kids seeing reflections of them is important. I know for me growing up – seeing something like Black Power Rangers, Black Green Lantern, Black Panther. Those are important.”
In June, Clay attended the Rangerstop and Pop in Atlanta. He took the comic with him. It’s still in development. What’s currently in print is an introductory piece. The rest of the story is in the works. He plans to put the two pieces together.
But the story doesn’t end there. He envisions an entire universe of characters.
“Chosen is like my X-Men series with different people with different abilities,” he said.
He also sees himself working with a team of creators to expand the stories.
Another project he’s been working on is a novel called Titan Warriors: Alignment of Power, which is about a “group of teenagers chosen to save the world from the ultimate evil,” he said.
This book features faith-based themes.
Each of the teens receives a piece of armor based on the armor of God described in the Book of Ephesians in the Bible. One Titan has the “sword of the spirit,” while another has the “helmet of salvation.” They use their pieces together to fight evil.
With the first book out, Clay is already planning is second and envisions a series.
Most people familiar with Clay’s work know him from his film creations and they were surprised when he announced he was changing course — at least for now, he said.
“I’ve already gotten approached by people saying ‘when are you making out films out of this?’ I was like ‘guys, just enjoy the book,’” he said. “But my mind is open. It’s always open.”
Clay produced more than 400 episodes of his dramas which included The Lyons Den, his longest-running series as well as Ex-Factor, My Best Friend, Peace Be Steel and My Life.
He also created multiple movies that have been available on streaming platforms such as Amazon and Tubi. Some of his film titles include Reindeer Games, A Very Merry New Year, The Assistant and Redemption for Easter. He has a few more than he’s in the process of wrapping up.
Clay and his new print creations will be at Top Dog Comics Sept. 16. The novel is available online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and the Walmart website. Chosen is available at Clay’s website, thevpntv.com.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News, has covered Augusta’s news for 35 years. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
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