'Ant' no stoppin' Mario

Zack Kennedy
pOke writer

Ant #7 from Image Comics by Mario Gully

When you first meet the thin, polite and smiling Mario Gully, it's not hard to believe he was once a gymnast in a nationally touring Asian-themed acrobat troupe, or a student of Jeet Kune Do under the disciples of the legendary Bruce Lee. Given his lean stature, you'd almost expect it.

But what often takes people off guard is the fact that Mario is a convicted felon who served time for armed robbery. His demeanor would persuade you to think otherwise.

Fortunately for Mario, and for the rampant comic book consumer, he rethought his life one day while languishing in his assigned cell and affirmed to take a new direction with it.

While observing a meandering ant make its way along a window sill and across the wall, he thought to himself that if this ant could get in, maybe he could find a way to get out.

This stark epiphany seemed more relevant to the origin of a character in a comic book, that deciding moment that defines the character of a man who teeters on the edge at the fork in the road of his destiny, the path of the villain or the path of a hero.

As most comic book aficionados will declare, there is an almost fine line between the two at times, and it would seem Mario was walking that line.

During the visit with his six-legged friend, the germ for the idea that would mature into his successful comic book character, named Ant, was planted.

"Ant is a story about the unlimited potential of the human being," says Mario.

People can relate to this story because it's based upon the struggles and disappointments all people face in life.

The story of Ant centers on a child who wants to be a hero when she grows up and writes about her fantastic tales in her journal, which also helps her escape the extreme hardships of her life.

Mario, a comic book fan, will admit it wasn't a simple matter of drawing up the character and submitting it to comic book publishers. It took years of work and refinement before he got his chance to showcase his character in her own title. It seemed everywhere he turned, he was being told there was no way an urban character with the look of Ant could ever be sold.

Despite the naysayers, "Ant #1," published by Arcana Studios, sold out in just nine days, an unprecedented feat for an independent publisher. Soon, Ant had her shot at a bigger publisher, Image Comics, publishers of "Savage Dragon," "Tomb Raider" and "Spawn."

Ant creator Mario Gully Photo provided to pOke Magazine

The first three issues of "Ant' at Image defied the odds once more and sold out past their overprintings, proving the appeal of Mario's character.

Mario's successes gave him a chance he had been waiting for - to work at Marvel Comics and collaborate with some of the biggest names in the comic industry.

With Mario's many success, and the proven sell-ability of his comic, it would seem Ant was prime to stroll down the inevitable path of film and animation production that so many other comic book characters are taking now. But given the hurdles and the unwelcome influences of people of position in the comic book industry, Mario has learned not to compromise his character, or her viable urban appeal.

It was a Winter Haven-based production company, Raven Filmz, that won the chance to develop Ant into an animated property as well as a live-action production.

"I want to make sure it's not going to turn into something that I have no control over," Mario says. "I'm gonna do Ant my way. I'm not gonna pull any punches. I'm gonna say what I want to say, and have Ant do what I want her to do, the chemistry that I have with Raven Filmz made it really attractive. At least I have a guy in this corner that's going to try to keep it close to my vision."

Currently Shenzen, China-based animation company Tony Art Limited, and associate producer Aaron Franks, are working with Raven Filmz to finish the initial animated pilot, due before the holiday season this year.