The artists behind the Association of the U.S. Army’s Medal of Honor graphic novel series came together to talk about the creative process and inspirations behind the books.

“It’s been an honor to tell the stories of these Americans and [their] sacrifice and courage,” Chuck Dixon said Dec. 10 during AUSA’s Thought Leaders webinar.

“These people were superheroes,” said Dixon, a scriptwriter whose work includes Batman, The Punisher and The ‘Nam, and a graphic novel adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit.

When AUSA launched its Medal of Honor graphic novel series in October 2018, it initially produced four issues and a paperback collection. The series has since expanded to eight graphic novels and two paperback collections.

Graphic novels produced this year illustrate the stories of Dr. Mary Walker, a Civil War surgeon and the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor, and Sgt. Henry Johnson, a member of the famed “Harlem Hellfighters” from World War I. Second Lt. Daniel Inouye, a World War II hero who went on to become a U.S. senator, and Cpl. Tibor Rubin, a Holocaust survivor who fought in Korea, also were featured this year.

Moderated by AUSA Book Director Joe Craig, the webinar featured five members of the creative team behind the series.

According to Dixon, the graphic novel about Audie Murphy—the most highly decorated soldier in American history—was his favorite to work on. “This whole thing has been a highlight,” Dixon said of the series. “The stories are literally jaw-dropping.”

Artists Christopher Ivy—who has worked on titles such as Daredevil, Avengers, X-Men and Spider-Man—and PJ Holden, best known for his work on Judge Dredd, World of Tanks and Battlefields, were also on the panel.

“These guys had everything against them, not just the enemy on the battlefield,” Holden said. While working on the series, the artist said he focused on accuracy and telling the stories with respect.

“For me, it was certainly a matter of getting everything right ... and hope you’ve done some justice to it,” he said.

Additional panelists include Karl Moline, a professional comic book artist with more than two decades of experience, and Peter Pantazis, a colorist who has worked on projects such as Black Panther, Superman and Wolverine.

AUSA’s Medal of Honor series is available here.

Watch the webinar recording here.