Hero Tomorrow's Ted Sikora Lets Fans Read The Origin of Punchline For Free

Ted Sikora, the filmmaker and comic book writer who is responsible for comics like Apama, Tap Dance Killer, and the film Hero Tomorrow, is taking a setback for the publishing industry and turning it into a chance for the audience to get on board with his publisher's titles. This April, comic shops were supposed to get Bloom #1, a '60s-set origin story to a villain from his acclaimed series Tap Dance Killer. Since that comic -- like basically every other comic -- is on an indefinite hiatus right now, he has given fans a chance to check out the origin of Punchline, his character from Tap Dance Killer, along with an 8-page preview of the first issue of Bloom.

The origin encompasses the first two issues of Tap Dance Killer, which is embedded in the reader below. The comic is based on a play Sikora wrote years before he was ever in comics.

You can check it out here. The story features writing by Sikora and art by Donny Hadiwidjaja. You can see the official synopsis at the bottom of the page.

"The original concept for the character came from a musical that I wrote back in the '90s called Nothing Like Vaudeville," Sikora told me recently. "I was writing songs for this concept album about a runaway freak who clashes with these kind of 1920s Vaud-villains, so 'Tap Dance Killer' was one of the songs. Through the years I've been working on this musical, different versions of it, and it really sat since about 2000. What happened is when we were doing our Apama series, I got the idea to have him join a community theater for a couple of issues. He gets sick of being a superhero because it's so tragic for him all the time. And the idea to bring these characters from the musical into the present day comic book seemed like a lot of fun, and then it was just redesigning them for the pages of the comic. One of the things I'm asked most on the comic con circuit is why I decided to make her a black woman. I'm married to a black woman, we have a daughter, and it was very important that we have this kick-ass black, female character in our world."

Nikki St Clair was the sweetest, most talented actor in the city until she was cast in a horror show musical as the Tap Dance Killer. Now, unable to shake the role, this 1920s-esque bizarre mobster assassin is out on the streets dealing damage with a theatrical flair that leaves 'em, quite literally, slain in the aisles! These first two issues also feature the first appearance of a knockout new villain -- the murderous clown PUNCHLINE! Get a ringside seat as this menacing new hard-hitter steps into the squared circle and starts punching tickets on his revenge tour!

The Tap Dance Killer Volume 1 is now in collected edition, and Bloom #1 will be in comic shops shortly after they reopen.