Luke knew what it meant to be a superhero before he ever saw Spider-Man, The Hulk or Wolverine. Born with a heart defect, Luke underwent open-heart surgery when he was only five days old. His doctors estimated a mere 20 percent chance of survival, but Luke’s extraordinary strength helped him overcome the odds. Three years later, he faced another opponent when he was diagnosed with leukemia. Luke rose to the challenge, spending three years in chemotherapy that zapped his cancer into remission.
While in the hospital for chemotherapy, Luke turned to comic books for entertainment as well as inspiration. His courageous spirit was continuously revived as he read about valiant superheroes. Luke tapped his creativity during his hospital stays, thinking up stories and sketching comic book characters.
Luke stands in the shadow of the mammoth wall showcasing many of the Marvel Comics characters.
When the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of Middle Tennessee offered to grant Luke’s one true wish, he had no trouble naming his wish: to create his own original comic book, have it published and share it with others. "I wanted to help kids understand they shouldn't be scared of doctors," Luke said.
Wish granters sent Luke, his brother and their parents to New York to visit the Marvel Comics headquarters. At Marvel, Luke worked with professional comic artist Ryan Dunlavey to bring his ideas to life. Luke showed Ryan his sketches; together they developed the characters and storyline for the comic book.
Luke’s comic book features an invincible superhero doctor named Dr. Shrink and his sidekick Super Shot, a boy with cancer. Luke says he modeled the sidekick character after his younger brother, Josh. Dr. Shrink and Super Shot team up to defeat an evil monster called The Virus. This villain draws his power from sick people and tries to stop them from getting the treatment they need.
Together, Ryan and Luke created the original comic book Super Shot. Luke hopes that other children will read Super Shot and be inspired by the superheroes’ courage and strength – just as Luke drew inspiration from superheroes during his long stays in the hospital. He wants kids to understand that doctors are not trying to hurt them, but to save them from their illness. Luke wants kids to take on the positive, determined attitude of Super Shot: “I might be sick,” he says, “but life’s not over, and I’ll never stop fighting!”
http://www.wish.org/stories/hitech/professional/luke_comic_book_creator
