BY JENNIFER M. CONTINO
Army Infantry Sergeant Richard Meyer knows first hand the horrors of war and what it means to be in the midst of dangerous situations. But, when he was thinking about a graphic novel to detail some of what he's seen in and around the battlefield, he turned to another soldier, Sgt. Marco Martinez, who was awarded the one of the Navy's highest commendations, the Navy Cross, at the Battle of At-Tarmiya. Meyer told THE PULSE, "Marco is a living embodiment of everything a hero stands for. I was shocked by his bravery and composure under fire and felt like this was a story the world needed to know."



THE PULSE: For our readers who don't know a lot about you and want to know why they should be interested in reading a comic from Richard Meyer, give us the 4-1-1 on what makes you stand out from the typical independents comic creator, please!

RICHARD MEYER: I guess my military status is the main thing that differentiates me from other creators. I was in the Marine Corps from 2000 to 2004. I then joined the Texas Army National Guard from 2004 to 2006 while finishing my bachelor's degree. Since 2006 I have been in the active duty Army and I am currently in Afghanistan.


THE PULSE: Prior to working on No Enemy But Peace what kind of work had you done in and around the comics industry? If this is your first work, what were the challenges of getting it created as you envisioned?

MEYER: I had a few stories published in independents a decade ago. I decided to get back into comics when I was in Iraq the second time. My Marine buddy, Carlos Silva, and I co-wrote a story called "Yonchi" which was in Image Comics' "Popgun 2" anthology.

We self-published NEBP and the challenges were constant but interesting. Needless to say, making a comic involves much more than simply writing and drawing it.

THE PULSE: Who is Marco Martinez? Why did you pick this Marine to exemplify in this tale over countless others you've worked with in your company?


MEYER: Marco Martinez was a former gang-banger who turned his life around and joined the Marines. During the Battle of At Tarmiyah, he earned the Navy Cross for heroism, second only to the Medal of Honor. I made this comic because I wanted the public to know about the heroics of their service members. Marco is a living embodiment of everything a hero stands for. I was shocked by his bravery and composure under fire and felt like this was a story the world needed to know.


THE PULSE: What did Marco think of his comics debut? What does his family think of the tale you created around his experiences?

MEYER: I don't know if he's seen it, though I'm sure that he's heard about it through the grapevine. I just sent 20 copies to the wife of Tim Tardif, the other main character. She was quite excited about it since he just headed back to Iraq for the third time.

THE PULSE: How did you decide the art style to present this in and what to convey on the printed page and what to leave to the imaginations?

MEYER: Originally, this was going to be a graphic novel entitled "The Bridge." I drew the pages about my platoon and Martin Montiel Luna drew the pages about the platoon Martinez and Tardif were in.



THE PULSE: How long have you been a Marine and, prior to being deployed in Afghanistan , what other countries had you served in?

MEYER: I am a soldier now but as the saying goes "Once a Marine, Always a Marine." In the Marines I was in Japan, Australia, East Timor, Guam, Kuwait and Iraq. In the Army I have been to Germany, Krygzstan, Iraq and Afghanistan.

THE PULSE: What's a typical day like for you in the Marines?

MEYER: In the infantry, every day is different. Right now I do daily patrol, both in vehicles and on foot.


THE PULSE: What's your specialty/rank?

MEYER: I am a sergeant in the infantry.


THE PULSE: Since you're in Afghanistan, how did you even find time to create a comic book, get it published and promote it -- especially with the time differences and your other duties?

MEYER: Luckily, we have a tent with seven phones and seven computers. I can usually find at least 30 minutes a day to connect with America.





THE PULSE: What kind of feedback have you received since creating this story? How well has it been received?

MEYER: The response has been overwhelmingly positive, even from people who are anti-war and people who admit to knowing little about the military. I think true stories of heroism have universal appeal.

THE PULSE: Is this work available on Marine bases in the PX and other places? How are you getting it into the hands of other servicemen or their families who might like to have a look at what you all are going through?


MEYER: If you can't get it in stores it is available on my website: http://www.noenemybutpeacecomic.com





THE PULSE: What plans do you have to do more comics along this line?

MEYER: This fall the expanded 88-page graphic novel version of NEBP will be out. It tells the full story about the entire platoon's action's during the battle. After that I will publish a graphic novel called "The Frozen Chosin" the true story of 5000 Marines fighting against 100,000 Chinese in Korea. I see it as the American version of "300."

Also, a Yonchi mini-series will be out this fall.


THE PULSE: When is your current tour of Afghanistan going to be up?

MEYER: I will go on vacation in April and will come home for good in June.

THE PULSE: How can PULSE readers get a copy of No Enemy But Peace?

MEYER: Go to: http://www.noenemybutpeacecomic.com

The book features art from myself and Martin Montiel. It's lettered by Tom Mauer. We have a special deal for recruiters and educators.