Rugby Blood: former rugby league star Keith Mason launches new comic book

Former rugby league star Keith Mason has launched a brand new comic Rugby Blood, which he thinks has the potential to become a film.

The former St Helens and Huddersfield prop launched the first Rugby Blood comic last year, which went on to sell more than 5,000 copies. It is a fast-paced, action-fuelled rugby/secret agent drama.

And now Mason has launched a second comic which is an online version that features current NRL and Super League players.

“I felt the first one was a little bit of a darkhorse because people weren’t expecting an ex-rugby league player to create a comic book,” Mason told Love Rugby League.

“It was a success, we got around 5,000 sales on the first comic which was pretty cool.

“I (initially) pitched the idea to the then chief executive of Super League Robert Elstone and he was all for it. He came in and wanted to change the dynamic of what they were doing with the RFL and Super League and I just wanted to add a little bit of what I was doing to possibly help the game.

“The goal was always to grow rugby league as a franchise. What was just an idea is now something. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t going to be a movie or anime but I think after people subscribe to this second comic they will realise that the potential for this being an animation is massive.”

Mason, who represented Wales on the international level in rugby league, believes there is potential for Rugby Blood to be made into an animation and for it to be on platforms such as Netflix.

“When I initially spoke to Super League I spoke to a guy called Lee Hicken, who was the creative director,” he added. “We sat down for around three hours and he thought that we should aim to do the Netflix anime, which I thought was a great idea and that is still the goal.

“The goal is do an anime version of Rugby Blood and I think fans would love that, seeing their players being anime characters. It would be great for the game. Rugby league has never really branched out into that side of the entertainment industry.

“I just hope people get their hands on it because it is a fantastic read. I’ll always be a product of rugby league and if there is anything I can do to help the game grow then I’ve done my job.”

Rugby Blood features the likes of Nathan Cleary, Jack Wighton, Josh Addo-Carr, Reece Walsh, Konrad Hurrell and former boxer Joe Calzaghe is also included.

Click here more information of Mason’s Rugby Blood via Patreon.