One of the projects announced by DC Comics at San Diego Comicon is Breach, the story of Major Tim Porter, a man forced to live within a containment suit when his body becomes a terrible weapon capable to destroying any living tissue he comes into contact with. Forced to wear a containment suit, Porter discovers he may be the only hope for Earth when a dimensional breach threatens to destroy our world or, according to series writer Robert Harras "he may turn out to be the herald of our destruction."
Harris gave us a few details about what makes Breach different from the typical comic out there. "BREACH is the story of what happens after an American military research
operation, Project Otherside, pierces the brane between our dimension and the next," Harras began. "It is the story of the lives that are severely impacted by that breach and the threat it unleashes upon the world. The series, focuses on one man, Major Tim Porter, who finds his entire world, his very humanity, turned upside down by the events at Otherside. To his shock , he discovers he may be the world's only hope against this new threat--or he may turn out to be the herald of our destruction."
A herald in a containment suit, but unlike one of the most famous DC heroes to wear a containment suit, the Legion of Superheroes' Wildfire, there's a very different reason Porter wears the suit. "While Wildfire uses his containment suit to give his non-corporeal energy human form and function, the protective second skin that Major Porter wears is more for the protection of people around him than anything else," said Harras. "Porter can exist and live without the suit, but if he comes into physical contact with any living tissue, he can cause horrific cellular damage or even death. The suit allows Tim to interact with the world on a limited basis without the fear of causing harm. As I mentioned above, the experiment at Otherside robs Tim of much of his humanity: that his simple touch can cause death is one of the more extreme examples."
"Because the suit is not foolproof, he spends a lot of his early existence in an isolation room, kept away from all human contact, as he is studied by scientists trying to determine the extent of his transformation," continued the writer, who went on to explain how the concept came about. "About a year ago, I was approached by Matt Idelson and asked if I was interested in re-conceptualizing Captain Atom. Since I knew next to nothing about the character, I wasn't exactly sure if I was the right choice. After being sent some reference material, I came up with a pitch which -- in the end -- essentially kept only the name. I didn't think anyone would go for it since it was a total re-think. But then Matt called me to say Dan DiDio and Paul Levitz had read the pitch, liked it and wondered if I would mind launching it as a totally new character. To say I was surprised and flattered is putting it mildly."
Although it's been over a year in the making, Harras said the concept hasn't really changed ... much. "I don't think things have changed fundamentally since the initial pitch, but as you write the stories, relationships you thought would go one way develop in entirely unexpected ways," he stated. "Characters you thought would be minor players become more and more interesting...but that is part and parcel of writing a series, I guess. It takes you to unexpected places. It sounds corny, I know, but the characters sometimes tell you where they should go."
Although Tim Porter started out as a redesign of Nathaniel Adams (Captain Atom), Harras told us who the character became. "Tim Porter is the head of security at Project: Otherside, a highly restricted military complex that is conducting experiments in reaching other dimensions. His job is to head security at this military installation--and that is what he does very well. he knows the project is of great interest to the government, but he leaves the scientific theory to the scientists, who he regards with a sort of humorous detachment. The reason for this exploration, when superbeings can travel to other dimensions readily in the DCU will become apparent over time. Porter in his late twenties, a career military man, with a wife and son who are the center of his life. What Tim expects out of life is a satisfying career in the military, sending his son to college and ultimately enjoying retirement with his wife. It doesn't end up that way."
"After the breach event, Porter finds himself in quite a different state: everything that he cherished is gone or taken from him," continued Harras. "He doesn't even know if he can be called human anymore...and he is determined to hold on to any shred of humanity he has left. His life has gone in a direction he never could have imagined or wanted. He is told his powers -- if you can call them that -- can be of great help in the coming conflict, but, in time, he discovers the use of them comes at a great price, one that Porter may be unwilling to pay ... even as he knows it is his duty to do so."
The writer continued a little about the mindset of the character during his ordeal. "I'm always fascinated by the concept of good people thrown into horrific situations and wondering how they would react, how their mettle would be tested. I'm also fascinated by the concept that there is always a price to pay for power: I think that a dramatic internal conflict makes any hero far more interesting. With BREACH, hopefully, we're showing the price an ordinary guy pays to do --- and be -- something quite extraordinary. The concept really came out of the question: would you use an incredible power to save people even if every use of that power took something away from your heart, your soul, your mind each time you used it? Could you risk losing your humanity in order to save humanity?"
"If there isn't a price to pay, a sacrifice to make, I think the lead character is ultimately, a bore," continued Harras. "So, the threat of losing your sense of self is -- I think -- a fascinating conflict for a character to have. It strikes to the core."
Any lead needs a supporting cast. Harras explained who Porter's allies and enemies may be. "Besides Tim Porter, we have General Mac McClellan, who is on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mac was once a good friend of Tim's at Otherside and now he finds himself a man with a terrible secret: he knows the nature of the threat that is coming and the terrible things he must do to prevent it. Mac learns that, even in a shadow war like the one that will unfold in BREACH, war corrupts everything it touches and tends to spiral out of control."
"Marcos [series artist Marcos Martin] and I have discussed Mac a lot: I find him fascinating, in that, he is not the bad guy per se," added Harras. "As a matter of fact, he's the type of guy you'd probably enjoy having a beer with. You understand why he is doing certain things, but you realize (as he must himself) that every decision he makes sends him further down the moral cesspool. In many ways, he is Tim's counter-point, equally at risk of losing his soul. We also have Mac's wife and son. They are the center of Mac's life and he would do anything to keep his family together. And events may force him to decide what 'anything' actually means. There is Dr. Campbell Chambers and her husband, Dr. Paul Chambers -- an idealistic young couple, both brilliant physicists who have been asked by the government to learn all they can about their charge, Major Porter and discover the extent of his transformation. The impact of that charge will change their lives profoundly. They joined Otherside to explore the concept of other dimensions, but they are going to get a lot more than they bargained for. We also have a character call the Herdsman--who looks incredible--and a mysterious writer who pops up from time to time, writing such bestsellers as THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE , THE IRS AND YOU: The Shocking Connection! as he searches for his lost muse."
Harras is excited to be working on this comic. "We're having a lot of fun putting this series together -- and hopefully, people will get a sense of that excitement when they pick the book up," said Harras. "As I said: the idea of sacrifice, and good people finding themselves in wholly unexpected and frightening situations is a fascinating one -- hopefully, we can convey that!"
