Sterling Gates plans deep-space epic with “Captain Victory”

Tulsa-born comic-book writer Sterling Gates is headed to deep space in his next assignment, a revamp of the Jack Kirby character Captain Victory for Dynamite Entertainment.

Captain Victory, created by Kirby, was one of the first hits in the direct-market comic-shop environment of the early 1980s, and of course Kirby is perhaps comics’ most prolific creator, responsible for creating or co-creating concepts including the Fourth World, the X-Men, the Fantastic Four and Captain America.

Gates plans to stay true to the core of the original concept while updating it for modern audiences.

“I went back and found Jack Kirby’s original issues and pored over them, taking extensive notes,” Gates said. “Kirby was in the military for a while, but he didn’t follow any traditional structure for the Rangers or their hierarchy. Deciphering who outranked who and how took a little bit of work, but I think I’ve put most of the pieces together.”

Gates says fans can expect “big, space-opera action with well-defined characters leading the charge.”

Gates said he has an overarching plan in mind for Victory and his crew.

“Victory is the grandson of Blackmass, a malevolent force that was banished outside our universe a long time ago,” Gates said. “Victory was being raised to be his successor, but at some point and for some reason, Victory left. He joined the Galactic Rangers when he was a kid and has been quietly training them to fight Blackmass ever since.”

But Victory finds himself questioned.

“Victory’s actions, however, come in direct conflict with his superiors at Galactic Command, so there’s conflict all around him,” Gates said. “Even his own men question what he does from time to time, and we’re going to get into a lot of that kind of thing across the first couple big stories.”

The first issue of “Captain Victory” is set for release at the end of this month.

---