When writers introduce characters to the comic superhero canon, they usually begin with a common theme. The protagonist possesses some raw talent and power but lacks the competence and confidence to effectively transmit those skills into a great accomplishment. Through practice, experience and guidance from a mentor, the new character learns to effectively use his powers.
For David Atchison, a comic book writer and former Air Force reservist, the military provided training, experience and mentoring that refined his creative skills. Before joining the Air Force, Atchison attended college in Georgia. During one of his courses, he read a quote from Leonardo da Vinci that summed up his experiences attempting to create, “Art is never finished, only abandoned.”
While serving as a public affairs specialist, Atchison learned to balance the tension between creativity and mission accomplishment to overcome the creator’s desire to perfect his work.
“What the military taught me was how to get things done expediently,” said Atchison, the Film Creative Affairs Story Department coordinator at 20th Century Fox.
“A lot of times as a writer, you want to be an artist, and artists never finish a work, they abandon it. If you leave it up to artists, they will keep fiddling and changing it and altering a work forever in the pursuit of being perfect. What I learned in the military was how to get something done in a timely fashion and then move away from it.”
Before working at 20th Century Fox, Atchison teamed up with actress Rosario Dawson and illustrator Tony Shasteen to co-create an independent comic book series called the “Occult Crimes Taskforce.” The comic book centers on the experiences of a special police task force, charged with patrolling an underground section of Manhattan where residents are allowed to practice magic.
The lead character in the series, Sophia Ortiz, has the likeness of Dawson, who starred in “Sin City,” “Clerks II” and “Seven Pounds.” Dawson accepted the proposal to be the muse for the project with the caveat that she would also co-write the character and story. The creative team has developed a close friendship since they met in 2006.
“David is one of the most tenacious, thoughtful, present and determined people I’ve ever met,” Dawson said. “It’s a testament to him and his training that he’s so thoroughly excelled in both the military and his professional life. He never misses an opportunity to engage, indulge and appreciate any and every situation he experiences.”
Atchison used the model provided by Air Force instructions and career development courses to educate “O.C.T.” readers about the policies the detectives have to follow.
“One of the things I wanted to do so that people could feel like they were really a part of the story was create a manual,” Atchison said. “It was like, ‘if you were a police officer, these are all the rules and regulations you would have to follow,’ and I based the manual off the AFIs and CDCs. It worked out really well because I didn’t have to put a lot of exposition in the story, and people really liked it.”
The storyline and writing from “O.C.T.” caught the attention of the Grammy Award-winning hip-hop star, Method Man. The rap star contacted Atchison with a request to produce his own comic, and the two created the Method Man comic.
“He’s really cool and a down-to-earth guy,” Atchison said.
The entertainment industry is a combination of creativity, determination and relationship-building. Bad blood can eliminate future opportunities faster than a bad movie, and Atchison’s good-natured approach to projects, combined with his passion for storytelling and resilience, have contributed to his success. Although many of those qualities are part of his natural personality, he credits the Air Force Reserve experience with teaching him to work with people in a system.
“A lot of what I did in putting the pitch together to talk to Rosario in getting her involved in the “O.C.T.” really impressed the film studio because they were shocked that I was able to do all this stuff on my own. Once I got the job, they were happy that I was able to get along and play along with people and a lot of that came from my experience with the military,” Atchison said.
At 20th Century Fox, Atchison generates a comic book and popular culture report to inform Fox executives about potential film projects. He pours through comic books and video games looking for ideas that translate into film projects.
Though he is nearly five years removed from military life and culture, he continues to see similarities in Hollywood and military culture.
“The prop people and set designers really remind me of NCOs and senior NCOs who really make everything come together,” Atchison said. “On a lot, you have these buildings that resemble the Air Force hangars with the massive doors. There are all these tools, stacks of lumber and supplies. It’s like the Air Force meets Home Depot.”
Atchison enlisted in the Air Force Reserve in 1999 with the 94th Airlift Wing at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. After basic training, he attended the Defense Information School at Fort George G. Meade, Md., where he learned and applied principles of journalism and photography. The DINFOS curriculum combines classroom lectures with practical application.
“Where I think DINFOS beats out a lot of civilian schools and colleges is that the school is really big on practically applying things,” Atchison said. “The way they teach you at DINFOS, you actually sit down and apply all that stuff because you are actually doing what you learn. At DINFOS, everything you learn to apply there on the spot.”
When he arrived at the 94th AW, he quickly developed a reputation as a creative writer and interesting conversationalist.
“Without question, David could take the most boring and inane topics and make them into fascinating stories,” said Courtney Franchio, the 94th AW public affairs chief during Atchison’s tenure. “Truthfully, I think my writing improved from reading his work.”
Retired Chief Master Sgt. David Curtis, former 94th AW Public Affairs superintendent, said the young Airman challenged him as a leader.
“He always shed a different perspective on a subject. We had somewhat of a generation gap, but he helped me see his point of view many times, and I think (to) better understand the younger Airmen that I supervised,” Curtis said. “He had a knack for describing things and adding in little nuances and details that were typical for a great story teller.”
Writing is an art that takes time to master. Even the gifted wordsmith must sharpen those talents through revisions and corrections. When Atchison reflects on his experience at the 94th AW, he credits his superiors and colleagues with encouraging him to write and building his confidence.
“A lot of times when you are young, you don’t have anyone telling you that you are a good writer, and so you don’t want to write as much,” Atchison said. “I got a lot of really good encouragement about writing at Dobbins. It was really like a family in that office. Sometimes you have the best memories with your family. We all spent time in the doghouse, but you always knew they loved you like you were family.”
One experience that profoundly impacted his confidence as a writer involved an annual visit from the Tuskegee Airmen. In his research, Atchison noticed previous articles about the visits focused on the members’ experiences with racism during World War II and throughout their careers. Atchison chose to focus on their actual experiences flying.
“It was one of those annual stories that had always been written as a play-by-play about the visit, and I was tasked to write it,” Atchison said. “Instead, I wrote the lead from a first-person perspective of what it was like to sit in the seat and what it was like to be in that position. The Tuskegee Airmen weren’t over there fighting just for black people; they were fighting for all Americans. A lot of people told me they really liked the story, and it encouraged me to take risks with my writing.”
While serving at with the 94th AW, he began preparing scripts for his primary passion, comic books.
“I think people identify with comic book characters. Most characters are everymen, or there is something about their characters or origins that the audience can relate to,” he said. “Much like superheroes, we each have some hidden talent or ability that we’d like to share with the world. We’ve each felt like an outsider or dealt with incredible loss or stood up for something we believed in when others were against us. Those things are exaggerated in comic books for dramatic effect, but they’re based on very real aspects of life that we’ve all experienced.”
He began writing scripts, and submitting them to companies. He started an independent comic book magazine, “Authentic” with colorist and film maker, Chris Walker. The duo premiered their product at the 2004 San Diego Comic-Con.
“I always knew David would be a success in the comic world,” said Franchio, who now works at the VA Regional Medical Center in Orlando, Fla. “So much so that when he did his first comic ‘Authentic,’ I had him sign a copy for me.”
After more than six years of service in the Air Force Reserve, Atchison moved to California to focus on his civilian career. Atchison has also worked on developing the back story for the video game “Singularity,” and “True Believer,” an in-production back-door pilot for NBC/Universal’s Syfy Channel, on which he serves as writer and co-producer on the production.
Atchison’s current comic projects include “Singularity” for Activision Games, “The Warriors” for Paramount Pictures/ Dabel Brothers Pro and “The Ride” for 12 Gauge/ Image Comics. His company is in talks with a production company to option “The O.C.T.” for a film or television project.
Though he no longer wears an Air Force uniform, the qualities that characterized him to his military friends continue to impress his friends in the entertainment industry.
“His characterizations are sincere and complex as is his conversation. I’m constantly impressed by his innate and honed ability to listen and share as thoroughly as he does. I’m grateful to know and love David as my friend and partner in crime,” Dawson said.