Robert Wolinsky discusses his newest work, ‘SKOTUS: Serial Killer of the United States.’
By MATT SOCKOL
More than 90 percent of serial killers are men. More than 50 percent are white. But only one serial killer is president. At least that’s the case in the world of Robert Wolinsky’s upcoming comic “SKOTUS: Serial Killer of the United States.”
The Cherry Hill resident serves as the writer of the political horror comic, which features art from Nicolo Arcuti, colors from Francesco Farabi and lettering from Micah Myers. The comic is currently scheduled to be released in mid-July.
“SKOTUS” will be the fourth published work by Wolinsky, who has been creating comic books for the past three years.
“I’ve been formally writing comics since 2016, but I’ve always been a writer,” he said. “My inspiration typically comes from my wild brain where I store a bunch of useless knowledge and some of my best ideas. As far as influences go, my writing tends to always have comedic undertones which I’ve always been a fan of in dark comedies like ‘American Psycho,’ ‘Fight Club’ and ‘Pulp Fiction.’”
According to Wolinsky, “SKOTUS” is the story of President of the United States (POTUS) Theodore Voyage, who deals with presidential duties by day and becomes the Patriot Killer by night. Voyage uses his political power and thirst for blood to get what he wants and uses his power as SKOTUS to gain more political power as POTUS. The writer described the comic as a fresh take on political corruption and represents an extreme, fun and horror-filled vision of the possible future of the United States’ political system.
“‘SKOTUS’ is an absolute must for fans of shows such as ‘Dexter’ and ‘House of Cards,’” he said. “It is also a must for fans of the horror genre in general, but I think the story is very topical and will be enjoyed by most people who read it.”
Wolinsky stated that “SKOTUS” was inspired by Texas Senator Ted Cruz who became the subject of a satirical conspiracy theory during his 2016 presidential campaign that implied he was the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified serial killer from the 1960s.
“There is ongoing lore about [Cruz] being the Zodiac Killer and that idea sparked the theme for this comic book,” Wolinsky said.
To help “SKOTUS” become printed, a Kickstarter campaign seeking $6,500 in funds for the comic has been established. As of Feb. 26, $2,022 has been pledged. According to the campaign, the project will only be funded if it reaches its goal by March 20.
The Kickstarter campaign can be found at: www.kickstarter.com/projects/robwolinsky/skotus-a-political-horror-comic
Rewards for backing the Kickstarter campaign include the comic book, alternate covers, original art and pins. The first eight backers who pledge $150 or more will also have their likeness appear in an eight-page prequel comic to be murdered by President Voyage. Two slots to become eligible for this feature remain open as of Feb. 26.
“Please make sure to check out the Kickstarter campaign,” Wolinsky said. “You can help bring ‘SKOTUS’ to life for as little as $5. Also, if anyone can get me in touch with Ted Cruz, that would be fabulous.”
