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Flex Alexander is a man who wears many hats. He’s been a standup comedian, the star of a TV show, a husband, father and now, a reality TV star and graphic novel author. Sybil Wilkes talks to Flex about his life, career and family as well as his foray into graphic novels.

On your TV show, you’re telling a story about triumph and adversity as well as keeping a Hollywood marriage together.

That’s what we do. We’re just real and we talk about real issues. People at home don’t always relate to people buying everything they want and buying a Bugatti. That’s not the normal everyday person’s [life]. Just being real that’s what I’ve always been in my life and my career. Doing The Joshua Run i just another extension of that because as a kid, I was a comic book geek.

I used to read comics and graphic novels and I used to sketch and all those things so this was a natural thing for me. It was something I always wanted to do. So when I met Dave Steward of Lionsforge, I didn’t even know what his company did. I thought they were a production company that did movies. So I called him back and asked him what he thought of the idea but as a graphic novel. I sent him breakdowns and characters and he said ‘Hey let’s do it.’

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What we always see on Shanice and Flex, although the season ended this past Saturday, is that both of you are getting your hustle on. You’re doing everything you can do to get to the next step. So your novel comes out September 8th. Tell us more about Joshua.

Joshua is a regular, everyday guy and he’s probably dealing in a small version of illegal activity as people are paying him to do things like have tickets disappear because he’s a computer genius and he comes upon an encrypted file and it’s a file that taps into the IRS and the government and a plan that they have that goes all the way up to the top. The President is not a part of what they’re planning but the Vice President does and it’s the Vice-President’s job to get him out of there.

So as anyone would be if they had this kind of information anyone would be scared  to hold on to it. So Agent Reyes is an agent on the inside who helps him stay one step ahead. It’s a constant non-stop like Enemy of The State or Bourne Supremacy. It’s non-stop. I’m excited because I just wanted to see an everyday brother with no superpowers and no training in guns or fighting who’s just trying to make it but then he has this on his plate. Everyone has to try and rise from something and I think that’s what Joshua brings. Just seeing him adapt to it is interesting. It’s an everyday struggle. I think of all those shows and movies that I’ve seen like 24 it sure would be nice to see a brother in there.

Who were your favorite comic book characters or superheroes growing up?

Power Man and Iron Fist because there was a brother in there, Luke Cage, master of Kung-Fu and the X-Men were my three favorites. Those were the main three I read and collected. I went to the high school of Art and Design and we were geeked out. We traded covers at lunchtimes and we drew covers and showed each other covers.

What’s the main difference between a comic book and a graphic novel?

It’s a fine line of a difference but graphic novels are more continuous. And it feels more like a movie or a TV series.

How can people get ahold of The Joshua Run series?

They can head HERE. We send out emails and we do special things that people can experience. My overall dream for it would be to be a series. And I have to give a big shout out to Brandon Houston, the writer who is amazing. Big things are happening for him, so I gotta give him a shout out.

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Sybil’s Book Club: Flex Alexander Talks About His Graphic Novel ‘The Joshua Run’  was originally published on blackamericaweb.com