Mike Baron, the Eisner-winning comic book writer known for his work on “The Punisher” and “The Flash,” has faced relentless controversy with his upcoming comic book series, Private American. The book, originally released via a successful crowdfunding campaign, despite being cancelled by Kickstarter and Crowdfundr over wild claims of “stochastic terrorism” and libelous labeling that it was “racist AF,” is now proudly being published two years later as a three-issue limited comicbook series by Texas publisher Antarctic Press.
The storyline follows a Cuban-American, ex-military vet who turns to vigilantism to take on drug cartels that killed his friend and tries to stop the dangerous flow of fentanyl across the US-Mexico border. However, the very notion of anyone defending America’s border has upset progressive liberals once again who quickly to labelled it as “racist” without fully understanding the context or storyline.
Private American | Antarctic Press 2025
Bleeding Cool, which regularly promotes new comics, recently posted the November solicitations for Antarctic Press. But rather than simply copying and pasting the solicitation text as they usually do, the founder of the website, Rich Johnston, editorialized on Antarctic’s prepared solicitation text, and falsely accused Private American of being “a vigilante who shoots immigrants,” which is a salacious lie and a complete misrepresentation of the book’s actual content, and reflective of a progressive activist ideology that has infected much of the mainstream comic book and entertainment press (and inadvertently inspired the Bleeding Fool website as a response). Johnston proves that he isn’t interested in helping sales, the publisher, or the creators, but is only trying to be snarky and divisive and paint this book in a negative light.
He defends his smears by claiming innocence on social media (which he is still doing 5 days later):
I am only going by the solicitation and images shown. Who does he shoot?
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) October 26, 2024
The actual text of the solicitation from the publisher is: “ONE MAN VERSUS THE TIDE OF TERROR STRIKING FROM THE SOUTH! NEW PATRIOTIC FERVOR FROM PUNISHER VETERAN MIKE BARON! With the situation at the US/Mexico border spiraling out of control, leaving Border Patrol agents overwhelmed and powerless, a lone vigilante takes on the drug smugglers, gun runners, and sex traffickers! Eisner-winning comic book writer Mike Baron (Punisher, Nexus, Flash) and veteran comics illustrator Richard Bonk (Superman, Teen Titans, Witchblade) combine The Punisher and a classic star-spangled Avenger for one of their most explosive action tales ever!”
Private American #1 variant cover art by Steve RudePrivate American is an unconventional, patriotic hero fighting against drug cartels, gun runners, and sex traffickers, not “shooting immigrants.” Taken at face value, the cover art shows the protagonist fighting with military armed men. Are those the so-called “immigrants” Johnston claims the hero is shooting? Why even include a loaded word like that? Perhaps the “don’t tread on me” emblem on the vigilante’s Kevlar vest triggered him?
Readers who had read the original 2022 crowdfunded graphic novel version of Private American, tried to correct Johnston’s claims, to no avail.
No im not, they specifically talk about the border and the border force and human traffickers, drug smugglers, terrorists and killers. Given that this all happening in the border, one might reasonably presume that they are not all from the USA. So stop lying and repent.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) October 26, 2024
Who is he shooting at?
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) October 26, 2024
American bad guys or immigrant bad guys?
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) October 26, 2024
Not contesting that. It’s just this is happening on the border, so it’s likely that he’s shooting immigrants. No more controversial than saying that Biggles was shooting Germans.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) October 26, 2024
I was sexually trafficked as a teen from Argentina into the U.S. via Mexico City & would have appreciated border police ventilating my perpetrators before I was then sold off on the international market. Is that your preference? 2/3
— Jedda Cohen (@c22204) October 29, 2024
I have written extensively about both, Not everything has been published but that is out of my hands, and down to the legal concerns from the publisher. I have no issues with any creators’ politics, that is between them and their God.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) October 29, 2024
None of that is true.
— Rich Johnston (@richjohnston) October 29, 2024
Why are they like this? I know they think they are “fighting the good fight” but they are really just slandering creators and their characters over politics. It only makes them look bad in the end.
— Vonster (@__RiseAgain__) October 26, 2024
You know how to make it seem like a comic character is killing innocent immigrants when he’s not.
— Vonster (@__RiseAgain__) October 26, 2024
You caused problems with your dishonesty what else is new?
— Vonster (@__RiseAgain__) October 26, 2024
Still acting obtuse. You portrayed the comic as “anti-immigrant” despite the word “immigrant” nowhere in the official solicit and only military armed conflict on both covers.
Why not say he’s “killing children” since all bad guys have moms?
No wonder you’re universally loathed
— All-American Male (@AllAmericanMaIe) October 26, 2024
Even Johnston’s so-called “update” to the article still contained the same salacious text. Seems like if it involves the U.S. southern border, it must be about immigration. In Rich’s defense, he’s just a dumb Brit, not even a native of America, so he has a very skewed and limited understanding of what’s happening down here. You’d think he might recognize that the story of Private American is strikingly similar to other controversial stories like Death Wish, Dirty Harry, or Rambo: Last Blood, addressing real and pressing issues.
In the case of this comic, the violence at the US-Mexico border, and how the government seems to be either helpless or culpable for the destruction, weapons, drugs, and terrorists gaining access to the US. It reflects a scourge that is actually happening at the border, despite left-wing activists and progressives attempting to gaslight everyone and pretending it’s just innocent refugees and migrants looking for a better life.
It’s a lot more than that.
— The Private American (@PVTAmerican) October 27, 2024
— The Private American (@PVTAmerican) October 27, 2024
The vigilante hero of Private American takes on these criminal elements head-on in order to protect the innocent and do his part in stemming the tide of bloodshed and death, and in the process uncovers a massive conspiracy controlling much of the criminal activity behind the scenes. That’s all I can tell you without spoiling the comics.
Jon Del Arroz, a comicbook writer who is no stranger to progressive activists trying to shut down conservative creators, explains the ongoing controversy surrounding Private American and how the comic’s release has been met with resistance from the mainstream comic book industry, with negative coverage resulting in attacks on both Mike Baron and his book. Despite the controversy though, Del Arroz encourages comic fans to support Private American, and Antarctic Press for taking a stand on this important issue, by pre-ordering issue #1 from their local comic shop and standing behind Mike Baron and his creation.
Bleeding Cool INSANE ATTACK On Mike Baron And His AMAZING Comic Private American
This entire debacle further illuminates the hypocrisy within the comic book industry, where conservative creators are regularly judged based on their political beliefs rather than the quality of their work. Johnston and his ilk regularly harass creators who don’t align with their political views, using their platforms to attack and spread misinformation. Private American is a powerful and relevant comic book series that uses an entertaining story to confront important issues facing the United States. Like the Punisher, who took on drug dealers, rapists, and crime syndicates in cities across America.
Despite the attack, Mike Baron, who is now 75 years old, and openly conservative, is also at his most prolific, and perhaps his most controversial. This season, American Mythology just released his Florida Man vs. Hogzilla comic series. An adult comedy series for comic fans who still love funny books. Alien / Valiant is publishing Nexus: Scourge, Antarctic is publishing Private American in January, and 1First Comics is publishing a new Badger series. He has two crowdfunding projects coming out this week, Black Tide Rising v2, and a new collaboration with his Private American co-creator Richard Bonk, called Sherlock Holmes: Leviathan. And in the prose novel department, Baron has just co-written Tenure with Blaine Pardoe about a teacher whose family is attacked by a social justice mob. Sound controversial enough? That novel will be released in January. The man is staying busy, despite these kinds of attacks.
Private American is a hero for modern times, and fans of the genre should consider supporting Mike Baron and Antarctic Press for their bravery in addressing these critical topics. More information on the comic series can be found here and here.
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English (US) · 