RETROSPECTIVE FOR THE WARS OF THE NEW HUMANITY SERIES
Michael talks about his influences and thought process for the Wars of the New Humanity Series
Inspiration and Development
One of my favorite anime franchises of all time is Mobile Suit Gundam. In that franchise, humanity is divided between those living on Earth and those inhabiting man-made space colonies. Similarly, in Republic Falling, part of humanity lives on their new motherworld, Eden, while others live in colonies on a secondary world called Satellite One. Much like in Gundam, these colonies eventually rebel against their governing body, the Commonwealth Government.
Forging the Rebellion
I needed a compelling reason for the colonies to revolt. While brainstorming, I drew inspiration from the video game Red Faction, where miners are forced to endure hazardous conditions under a predatory corporation. This provided the perfect motivation for my colonists. They are pushed to the brink by the terrible working conditions they face as resource harvesters employed by the Commonwealth Government and various megacorporations.
The Evolution of the "Link"
I have always been fascinated by the concept of Newtypes in the Gundam universe, humans who evolved in space to develop heightened mental awareness and psychic-like abilities. I wanted to incorporate something similar in my universe, but since natural evolution felt less grounded for my setting, I developed the Link.
The Link is a psychic bond between two people, facilitated by a cerebral implant. The original purpose of these implants was to heighten empathy, compassion, and emotional intelligence. Linking became my equivalent of the Newtype ability.
Character Origins and Moral Conflict
Originally, I envisioned a story about a secondary planet rebelling against the primary. In that story, a female officer was going to be deployed to the secondary planet, her original home, to quell a rebellion. Though that specific concept shifted, she became the foundational inspiration for Arson Scott, Randal Scott's father. Arson became an Eden citizen via an immigration lottery. When colonies One, Four, and Six rebelled, he was deployed to subdue the uprising. The subsequent imposition of martial law and the blatant oppression of his own people left him burdened by intense guilt. He then joined the new underground rebellion, the Coalition of Rebel Factions (another nod to Red Faction).
When Randy, travels to Satellite One to hunt Arson down for his treason, Randy witnesses the squalor firsthand. He faces a grueling internal battle, struggling to decide if the rebellion is justified and which side he should fight for, if any. My portrayal of the poverty on Satellite One was actually inspired by my travels to South Africa, where seeing informal settlements for the first time left a lasting impression on me (see images below).
Relationships and Creative Risks
Regarding the sex scene between Randy and Kesley Whitaker, I enjoy the creative process of tearing things apart only to rebuild them later. I dismantled Randy's relationship with his girlfriend, Stacie Spencer, by having him surrender to his attraction to Kesley. While some might find the scene a bit "over the top," that was entirely intentional. I believe in going all out and holding nothing back. There is nothing wrong with getting a little wild in your writing sometimes.
Besides, Kesley is hard to resist .
Art by J.P. Delmondes (@JP7art on X)
Mechsuits
I’ve been a fan of mechanized armor ever since reading Iron Man comics as a kid. That lifelong fascination led me to create 'Shells,' the signature mechsuits of the Wars of the New Humanity series. In Republic Falling, the Coalition utilizes mechsuits called Hardsuits, which is a direct nod to Bubblegum Crisis, one of my favorite cyberpunk anime.
Character Profile: The Evolution of Randal Scott
The character of Randal Scott embodies the essential elements of a strong protagonist. In Republic Falling: Advent of a New Dawn journey is driven by a central misbelief: that the Rebellion is unjustified and that his father is a traitor for joining it. This gives him a clear, tangible goal at the start of the story, which is to hunt down his father. However, as Randy realizes the rebellion is indeed righteous, his mission shifts toward helping the colonies overcome their oppression.
An Internal Journey (The Arc)
Randy undergoes a profound internal transformation. He begins the story believing the colonists are merely treasonists, but he eventually comes to see them as heroes fighting for their lives.
Creating Randy was a delicate balancing act. He couldn't be entirely ignorant of the world's problems; instead, he is the man who acknowledges that "oppression exists," but assumes "it can't be that bad." It isn't until he travels to Satellite One to confront his father that he witnesses the true extent of the Commonwealth Government's unfairness.
A "Slow Burn" Transformation
Randy’s transition from a Guardian of the Commonwealth Defense Force to a member of the Coalition of Rebel Factions is a slow burn. Even after witnessing the truth, he initially clings to the idea that colonies One, Four, and Six should have found a diplomatic solution rather than resorting to war, noting that colonies Two, Three, and Five chose not to rebel. It takes time for him to accept the hard truth: that Rebellion was the only answer left.
Recurring Themes in Republic Under Siege
In Republic Under Siege: Threat From Within, Randy maintains a similar skepticism. While he acknowledges the existence of extremists, he finds the idea of a clandestine brotherhood secretly infiltrating the Commonwealth to be far-fetched. Once again, he is proven wrong.
In both books, Randy serves as the proxy for the reader, someone introduced to the darker corners of his world who, once his eyes are opened, is inspired to take action.
The Challenge of the "Utopian" Mindset
Writing Randy was a unique challenge. I wanted to depict someone who lived in a utopian world and didn't have an elitist mindset, yet was still deeply influenced by the propaganda and environment of his upbringing. Ultimately, Randy's complexity made him an incredibly rewarding character to write.
