We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Walter Lovett a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Walter, appreciate you joining us today. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?

I began publishing The Watcher Comic Book Series in the fall of 2020 after the spring police slayings of Breonna Taylor & George Floyd followed by a tumultuous summer of racial riots and civil unrest. It was a triumphant moment as the series spent more than a decade in development before being published. However, once published, The Watcher was met with mixed reviews by both critics and readers who were not quite sure how best to categorize the fictional story of a young minister’s war against human trafficking in the American south. On the surface, to many, The Watcher seemed like just another story in an ocean of Judeo-Christian literature while others felt it was too taboo or sensitive in topic to accurately be labeled as mainstream Christian storytelling. Still, there were many who were perplexed by the fact that the story’s protagonist is Negro but that his journey and mission is vastly different than the values espoused by Black Lives Matter and similar sociopolitical movements.

This I feel was the beginning of my work being both misunderstood and mischaracterized. Sales and interest for the series waxed and waned as many comic book stores were fearful to stock their selves with an unknown and independent property while many readers simply didn’t want to invest finances or emotional energy on a character never heard of. I believe all of these things happened simply because of the timing of the publication of the series. I was however, previously given some advice regarding the initial timing in the release of The Watcher but felt the need to push forward with its fall 2020 publication. It was a learning experience in-regard-to listening to sound advice but also gave me greater insight into the unique, provocative and much needed story of The Watcher.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I first fell in love with comic book storytelling as a young boy learning to read. My father was a huge Superman fan and bestowed upon me many of his favorite stories from DC Comic’s flagship hero. Within the pages of those books were the seeds that created the writer that I am today. I not only developed a love for the craft but was also imparted with wisdom on how comic book publishing worked from a visual aspect. I first began writing The Watcher shortly after graduating college, circa 2009. However it took more than 10 years to publish The Watcher due to the story constantly evolving, the new emergence of self publishing platforms and a historic economic recession that left me unemployed for an extended amount of time.

The problem I solve for clients is simple. I offer a unique and compelling storytelling experience that tells the story of the world’s most marginalized and forgotten people who are on a path of redemption and restoration. Although the series uses familiar themes involving church and Christianity, it is not a Christian comic book series. Much of the religious experiences and culture connected to The Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant reformation are only used to explain the world that the series’ characters live in while providing commentary on our current world today.

The Watcher Series is truly a one of a kind storytelling odyssey that leaves both critics, fans and casual readers asking the question of , “What comes next?” One other notable thing that sets The Watcher Comic Book Series apart from others is that it manages to communicate the truth in a compelling way without being a “truther, “religious” or “conspiracy” driven property. I am most proud of the testimonies of many who have picked up the series and experienced both radical Spiritual transformations and encounters.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I’ve had to unlearn what my view of success is. For the longest time , I believed that my success as a writer was based around how much money I made and how famous I was. As I have continued to write and publish this series, I have seen that success is actually seeds that have been sown that effect readers in a positive way,

During my comic con appearances, I have had the opportunity to connect with readers who have told me that the work that I have written and published has encouraged them to pick up and read YAHUAH’S word for themselves. The reward of this information and insight has helped me push through some of my Publishing House’s darkest moments.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

My approach to management and entrepreneurial thinking has really evolved over the years of publishing. I mostly see The Watcher Series as a form of ministry and although there are business endeavors that must take place, the main mission of the property is to help awaken a generation. I have found over the years that philosophy can be both vain and foolish , however there have been several literary works and teachings that have helped to better shape my ideas and understandings of the world that both myself and the characters I created live in. Some of these resources include:

Books:
From Babylon To Timbuktu by Rudolph Windsor
The Valley of The Dry Bones by Rudolph Windsor
A History of The Marranos by Cecil Roth
Stony The Road We Trod by Cain Hope Felder
The Lost Tribes: A Myth by Allen Godbey
Travels In North Africa by Nahum Slouschz
The Thirteenth Tribe by Arthur Koestler

Video Essays:
Truth Unedited
Proverbs 31: School of Wisdom
We Woke Now
Just A Word
Elder Rawchaa 
Pastor Stephen Darby
Pastor Rueben Lewis
Pastor Kelly Richardson
Pastor Frederick Price
Pastor Omar Thibeaux

Contact Info:

• Website: Http://www.thewatchercomicseries.com

Image Credits

Walter James Lovett II