At the height of WWII, a select group of women blazed the trail as Air Force aviators. These women, known as WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) are the subject of a new action-adventure-fantasy comic series, The Wasps, developed by Bluewater Productions and television personality, author and former Air Force captain, Reichen Lehmkuhl.The Wasps is inspired by the exploits of Lehmkuhl's real-life grandmother and WASP pilot, Betty Turner Stagg. It is a time-travel story that follows the adventures of a modern day Air Force pilot trapped in 1942. Along with fighting Nazis, and racing against time to find a mysterious artifact, the hero gets the opportunity to fly and fight alongside his grandmother, a decorated female pilot.
"What attracted me to this story is the dynamic between grandson and grandmother," said Bluewater president Darren G. Davis. "He knows who she is, but can't tell her. There's that thin line between completing the mission and changing history. But most important, it's a love letter to family pride and the bonds of friendship that forge between people in times of danger and adversity."
The comic series, which is also being developed as a feature film, is scheduled to hit the stands 2010. "When I first read the comic book script for this, I fell in love with it," said Lisa K. Brause, from Golden House Entertainment. Golden House is developing The Wasps as a film, with Lehmkuhl attached. "Reichen is such an amazing talent, while the story is full of action-adventure with a heart. These make the perfect combination to bring to a film." Brause is in development with other comic book properties such as Mike S. Miller's Deal With the Devil, Frank Cho's Liberty Meadows, and Bluewater's Legend of Isis.
Lehmkuhl, best known for his winning stint on CBS' The Amazing Race as well as being a gay advocate said, "I never thought I would have the opportunity to help write, design, and publish a comic book series! When Darren approached us about the project, I knew making my story into a comic book would not only help to make an important point in another effective way and would be a great deal of work, but that this project was going to be fun. I've learned so much about this side of the publishing industry and have a new-found respect for those who make it happen."
Prior to Reichen's professional acting and entertainment debut, he was playing the role of his life in the Air Force. Not wanting to face a court martial for being gay, Reichen had to live in two different worlds. These issues will be brought up in the comics series.
The book, co-written by Lehmkuhl, Davis, and Adam Gragg, is being penciled by Jacob Bear.
© C Harris Lynn, 2009
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