pencils by paris cullins
inked by bob petrecca


Marcus Arena: The Short Version.

It was the end of the twenty first century… global warming… ozone depletion… the energy crisis… pollution, and of course over population. None of this was a hoax. But it didn’t destroy mankind… no it just drove them into space. Each major nation colonized a planet within the solar system. Unlike earth, these planets were composed, of limited elements. The resources were fragmented

Everybody needed what the other one had, and what they all got was war, because mankind’s nature is not to share or cooperate. But after fifty years of warfare, and strife they came to a solution… entertainment. Instead of fighting, they watched someone else battle; instead of dying they wagered on who would perish. War became a game

So they created a new breed, a new class, a new slave. In this bizarre brutal theatre of combat, this champion holds the key. For the consequence of the battle determines the fate of its master. Gladiator, madman, freedom, fighter, leader. This is Marcus Arena.
Marcus Arena Synopsis, Main character bios
& Issue outline overview By Paris Cullins & Robert Hinson
pariscullins@gritzandgravymag.com
All concepts, scripts, & artwork under the Marcus Arena brand are © 2006, P. Cullins and R. Hinson
Marcus Arena

The year is 3029 A.D. Marcus Arena was conceived like all New Breed in the giant artificial birth tanks of Neo Olympia's incubation chambers. Bred for the specific purpose of fighting in the Zero Gravity Gladiatorial Amphitheater known as the Dome. He grew up under the stern but fair tutelage of Achilles Nimrod, the greatest trainer of gladiators in the sports history. Using the innovative techniques and equipment that made him famous Nimrod built the already genetically superior Marcus into a fearsome fighting machine. His skills honed to a razors edge. Marcus quickly became as famous as his trainer with an unbroken string of victories in the Novice category for individual combat. Being moved up to Elite status within six months of his fifteenth birthday and accomplishment unprecedented in the history of the Games.

After fighting for six years in the Elite team competition Marcus was made team captain after the death of the former captain Cannus Orion. Leading his team unit into a series of unbroken victories sometimes against stacked odds, Marcus and his team of gladiators became legends in their own life times. Winning many political concessions for the Martian space colony over teams from Venus, Satum and Jupiter. Because of their winning record Marcus and his team which consisted of Anaetus Hercules, Ulysses Garth, Gallon Athena, and young Spartacus Rex were given many privileges. Some of which included their own training hall within the Dome. As well the right to remain together as a team unit much longer than was normally permitted.
pencils by paris cullins, inked by bob petrecca


This last privilege may have been an important factor in Marcus's decision to rebel against the Neo Olympian Mars Colony near the end of his gladiatorial career. Because it allowed him to develop closer ties to his other teammates than was normal for gladiatorial life. When Marcus was eventually pitted against members of his own team unit due to political factors, he began to see the entire structure of the Games as corrupt and without the true honor he once believed in. In the year 3068 A.D. Marcus escaped from the Dome during an Ecolyte rescue attempt resulting in detonation of a bomb outside the Dome wall. Siras Decamond, both close friend to Marcus and leader of the Ecolyte resistance, was killed in the escape attempt. Marcus survived to join the resistance movement... eventually becoming their new leader.