Joe “Stapes” Stapleton of PokerStars has just released a long-awaited graphic novel called Trapped.

The comic was four years in the making and is a collaboration between Stapleton and comic book artist Neil Gibson. It draws on his experiences as a commentator and poker player, with a fair amount of fiction thrown in.

How did the idea for Trapped come about?

You know, there was this guy named Kenny Dyack who used to work at PokerStars and was doing independent comics as a side project. He was like, “Do you know anyone here who might have a good idea for a comic?”

So they came to me and I pitched them four or five different ideas and we settled on one that was a Die Hard take on the WSOP, where John McClane is retired and ends up at the Rio when the bad guys come in to rob the series. The problem was, I had no ideas after the heist started. So I thought, “Okay, let’s try another idea that’s loosely based on my life.”

My co-writer Neil Gibson and I started writing. Neil is a very experienced comic book writer, he’s written dozens, if not hundreds, of books. This is my story, and most of the dialogue is mine, but Neil did a really good job of nailing the important things like the structure, which is a beginning, middle, and end.

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What was the writing process like?

I’ve always considered myself a writer, but I’ve never finished anything in my life. Not a script, not a pilot. I’ve written a few drafts, but that’s it. I have a dozen scripts that I’ve started. It was probably the hardest job I’ve ever had in my life, because when we were writing this comic — during the pandemic — PokerStars was streaming heavily. I live on the West Coast, and my streams were starting at 7 or 8 in the morning. I would get up at 3am and write with these guys from 4am to 6am three or four days a week, and then do my day job. I really put a lot of effort into finishing the project and making it happen.

Having a co-writer like Neil who was accountable and kept me moving forward was key to success. His experience in finishing projects and his ability to get out of sticky situations was invaluable. One of the things I didn’t realize about writing comics was that if you’re writing a movie script and you mention that someone is wearing a beautiful red dress or that the story takes place in a fancy church, those details are already decided by the director. But when you’re writing a comic, you’re deciding what’s going to be in the background, what the clothes are, and so on. So essentially, you’re not just a writer, you’re a designer.

What’s your connection to comics?

I love comics and the stories they tell, but I don’t really like reading them. When I open a comic, my eyes immediately scan the entire page and I can see what’s going on in the final panel, even if I’m just starting to read it.

That said, I still have a very emotional connection to the X-Men. That whole idea that being a teenager isn’t easy, that your weaknesses can become your strengths… it still resonates. And while it’s a bit of a cliche now because Deadpool is so trendy, the character has had a big impact on me. The main character in Trapped doesn’t break the fourth wall, but he never takes the situation he’s in seriously, and more often than not, he tries to get out of it with jokes.

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What’s next?

I’m not one of those people who finishes one project and then immediately starts working on the next. I have a lot of respect for people like that. I haven’t worked on this project in over a year. In fact, I finished it over two years ago, so I just want to take a break now. But I have to keep writing. I have an idea for another story that takes place in the same universe and follows the same character in the poker world. But I want to see how Trapped is received. If it’s well received, I might start writing a sequel.

Ideally, I’d like to see it turned into a movie, and then I can think about a sequel. You know, it’s hard to be picky these days.
Trapped is fully funded and finished. The book is available in digital and print formats, with various bonuses, including the chance to play a home game with Joe Stapleton.

FAQ: Joe “Stapes” Stapleton of PokerStars has just released a long-awaited graphic novel called Trapped.