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Founder, Publisher, Author

Robert Luedke EyeWitness Interview

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(To listen to the interview, please click on the above MP3 file)

Robert James Luedke, (known to friends and family simply as "Bob"), lived the first four decades of his life as an agnostic. Though baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran church, he never connected with the Holy Spirit of God, and went through his life believing, like many people, as long as I live as a relatively good person...I'll be okay with God.

"All my life I felt like I was destined for something big...that I would have a major impact on society", says Luedke. After floating through numerous careers over the course of his adult life, (Design Artist, Cartoonist, DJ, Retail Business Owner and Mortgage Banker), usually shifting career gears every 5 years, he never discovered the vehicle that would fulfill what he saw as his destiny.

"After twelve years of business experience, I went back to my one true love -- the comic book industry," states Robert. After 5 years of learning the industry from the inside by owning a pair of Retail shops, Robert sold his interest, and founded Head Press in 1995. Starting with a story that he had been developing over the course of many years, Robert, created what would become his flagship title, Template. Working mainly by himself, he wrote, scripted, penciled, inked, lettered, and marketed this title for over two years, cranking out a 24 to 32-page issue almost every 60 days.

"Though I had a lot of passion, my timing could have better, since I attempted to build my publishing empire during one of the worst droughts in comic history," states Robert. Because of this, within 5 years of its launching, Head Press had to be shelved, because Luedke had run out of operating capital.

After spending the next four years building a very successful business along side his wife, Sandy, the creative bug had again infected him...but from a source he'd least expect it to come from...a local church's Bible Study! According to Luedke, "During this period in my life I had began to explore my spiritual side, which I had basically denied my whole life. After the death of my Father, then one of my oldest friends, (and best man at his wedding), and then a co-worker/mentor...within the span of a six month period, I had this empty sort of feeling inside me. I had began to throw in the towel and give up on my dream of making an impact, and I needed something in my life. As a couple, my wife and I had been pretty blessed, (a nice retirement nest-egg, beautiful home in the suburbs, expensive cars, a boat, a jet-set lifestyle and lots of toys). But all the diversions we had worked so hard to obtain, suddenly stopped having any effect on me, and I had began to question my worth, the purpose for my existence, so to speak. So, through a business contact, I began to explore God!"

"Being a very facts oriented person, (one who could watch the History Channel and Discovery 24 hours a day), I really had to wrestle with my inner demons,that kept telling me that the Bible was closer to real good fantasy, rather than absolute truth...that belief in God is old-fashioned...that it wasn't cool to follow a God," states Luedke. "But as I attended Church services, bible studies, read reference material and of course studied the Bible, (for the first time in my life)...I found that the deeper that I investigated, the more answers I began to find and to my surprise, I even found archeological and medical evidence to support a belief in the stories of the Bible! Wow...there were highly educated men, (scientists and historians), that believed? I was blown away!" It was hearing this kind of medical evidence that inspired the story that Robert Luedke would eventually craft into Eye Witness. "I thought, wow...if this kind of evidence of Jesus life and death exist out there, why did it take me 40 years to find it? At that point

it occurred to me that someone should present this information is a format that reaches younger people, like say in a comic book, or graphic novel format." From that point in 1999, the wheel of creativity began to turn until December of 2002, when Luedke answered God's called for him to be the person to take up this mission and began to create the first Eye Witness book.

Now Luedke finds himself on a two fold mission:

To create a trilogy of Eye Witness Stories, illustrating the birth and development of the early Christian Church, (From the Gospels through the Book of Acts); and

To help develop acceptance of Christian Comic Books, Graphic Novels, (or Luedke's self-coined term for the format), Illustrated Christian Fiction.

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"There are many obstacles that publishers need to overcome in developing acceptance of the genre within the church and marketplace. We are at a point where Christian Contemporary Rock was 10 years ago.... that a small but growing number of people see the power of this kind of tool for ministry, entertainment and enlightenment...but most people, (especially in the USA), don't understand the format, and just discount it as non-relevant kids-stuff." But the Apostle Paul told us, "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise...He chose the lowly things of the world and the despised things that are not--to nullify the things that are."

Luedke calls this crusade, "Developing the Theology of the Arts," a term borrowed from Pastor Mike Brewer, (in his book, "Who Needs a Superhero?"). He offers his testimony and speaking skills to youth ministries around the country, where he will come in and help encourage and direct young people to use their God given artistic talents in worship and for sharing God's word. "Thousands of young people have used Christian Contemporary music as a means to expressing their worship to God, which has in turn has touched hundreds of thousands around the world through a music format they were attracted to and felt comfortable with," according to Luedke. "The same thing can happen through the creative arts, (drawing, painting, cartooning, sculpture, printing etc...). These mediums can not only touch people that have never been touched by the Lord, but open up entirely new channels for existing Christians to express their love of God. We are called upon by Jesus to take the Good News to the nations of the world...this is just another way of answering the great commission!"

About the time I was attending college, (late 70's/early 80's), I began to develop this sense that I was destined to do something special in my life. I didn't know what it would be exactly; all I knew was that I felt I was going to do something that would affect a lot of people...you know, be famous!

By the time I had reached 20, my dreams of fame through sports had faded with time, so I pursued a career in the electronic arts. I earned my degree at the University of Wisconsin system and became a Disc Jockey. I walked away from the radio/TV industry within a year, because it just didn't appear it was going to lead me where I wanted to go.

Over the years I found myself drifting farther and farther from the goal of being famous, I had set in my youth. First at 30 years of age, then at 35 and finally 40, I still had that spark somewhere deep inside me that said I was destined to do something special, but inside was feeling more and more lost as time went by.

Over the Christmas holidays of 2002, I had sent my wife Sandy, along with our two children, Rob and Madie, up to visit Grandma and Grandpa in Wisconsin. We had just come through one of the toughest financial periods of our life together, (remember the impact that 911 on business?), and I felt I needed a time of peace and reflection that only solitude could supply. So armed with my Bible and a copy of Prayer of Jabez, (by Bruce Wilkerson), I spent at least a couple hours each morning in prayer, which for me meant having a lot of conversations with God. When I say conversation, I don't mean that I saw burning bushes and heard his thundering voice, but rather that I poured my heart out to God, asked for his help and guidance. Sometimes I would get an answer, though usually not the way I assumed it would come, (God's funny that way)! Some days the answer just came to me as a different way to view a problem that I might have never considered till that precise moment.

It was during this time, that God had taken this little idea that had been floating around in the back of my mind for two years, and made it clear to me, that developing this idea into a full blown project was going to be my future. I was charged with taking the story of Jesus' Passion, making it relevant, cool and approachable, to a whole new generation of readers around the world. Now just so you understand, at this time I had been out of publishing for 3 plus years, and had not so much as drawn a sketch or outlined a story since 1999. But within a span of that one week, I had taken what would become Eye Witness from a story concept that was mostly in my head, to laying out not only a detailed story breakdown on paper, but also establishing my production timetable for the project. At this point I knew, that I had discovered the purpose for the wonderful writing and artist skills God had given me, which I had never utilized to their full potential!

Remember I mentioned God's mysterious ways? Getting this project to press is a testimonial to that, as well as to the concept if faith. Various times in the last 18 months I thought, how in the world will I do that...I don't know how...or I've never done that before? How was I going to illustrate a period piece from the first century? I had never done so before. How was I going to letter the book on computer? I had done it the old fashioned way of cutting and pasting, three years earlier! How was I going to color the book on computer? Never even tried to create a full color comic, let alone a 96 page graphic novel!

Through this experience, I have learned the definition of Faith: "Believing when the evidence needed to do so, might be absent." During this process I had prayed a lot. When I had run up against one of these kinds of issues, I would say, "God, since you're leading me down this path, I have Faith that you will provide a way!" And he did without fail, every time. And it was almost always in the way and at a time that I'd least expect it.

Now my prayers are for different kind of assistance, as my mission changes from one of creating, to one of marketing and distribution. We plan on making Eye Witness available not only to comic specialty stores, but churches and bookstores all around the USA. But also, around the world through translated editions, to take the story of the Passion to those who have never been exposed to it before, but already love comics and graphic novels, (illustrated fiction is the top selling format around the world, outside the USA). How am I going to do that? I've never tried to develop and export a product before! Have faith baby, have faith...and he will show you the way!

So now at 46, I feel I am right where God planned for me to be all along...embarking on a mission to speak to people about the gifts he gives us all...the importance of finding "his" purpose for those gifts in our life... and the power of personal sacrifice and perseverance in helping us achieve our goals and making us the best we can be. I think I have discovered something more important than being famous. I have discovered how to have significance!

The above interview will air on both stations AIR, and aYr, on Monday, Feb 13th, Monday, March 13th, and Friday April 14th, on Good Friday. All Broadcast dates are at 12:30pm CST.

To schedule Robert James Luedke, to share his testimonial, or to speak to your youth group or ministry, about using their artistic talent in worship or in witness...send an inquiry to: info@headpress.info