The Wannabes

What happens when the world’s most committed roleplayers suddenly gain actual superpowers? That’s the wild question at the heart of The Wannabes, the comic that started Russell Nohelty’s entire publishing journey.

The Story

The Wannabes follows a group of dedicated cosplayers and LARP enthusiasts who take their hobby way too seriously—until one day, they actually manifest superpowers. Suddenly, those superhero personas they’ve been playing aren’t just for fun anymore. The line between fantasy and reality blurs as these “wannabes” have to actually live up to the heroes they’ve been pretending to be.

It’s a classic fish-out-of-water premise with a twist: these aren’t people who dreamed of being heroes (though they definitely did), they’re people who spent years perfecting the aesthetic without ever expecting it to become real. Now they’ve got the powers, but do they have what it takes to be actual heroes?

Publication History

• San Diego Comic-Con 2010 Ashcan - The 8-page origin story that started it all
• Full Series - Later expanded into a full series through Kickstarter
• Scout Comics Edition - Now available as a trade paperback

Creators

• Russell Nohelty - The writer who literally wrote the book on being a wannabe
• Armand Roy Canlas - Artist bringing these would-be heroes to life

Perfect for fans of The Incredibles, superhero deconstruction, and stories about people who suddenly get more responsibility than they bargained for.

Sources: Russell Nohelty, Scout Comics