Backstreet Project

Backstreet Project
Publication information
Publisher	Stan Lee Media
Format	One-shot
Genre	Superhero
Publication date	August 27, 2000
Number of issues	1
Main character(s)	Cyber Crusaders (Backstreet Boys)
Creative team
Writer(s)	Nick Carter, Stan Lee, Bryce Zabel, Steve Gerber, Jim Salicrup
Artist(s)	Nick Carter, Ruben Martinez
Penciller(s)	Ruben Martinez
Inker(s)	Scott Koblish, Andy Pearlman, Batt, Sean Parsons, Jessee Delperdong
Letterer(s)	Fishbrain, Bongotone
Colorist(s)	Fishbrain, Bongotone

Backstreet Project is an American comic book created by Nick Carter and Stan Lee. The comic features members of Carter's band the Backstreet Boys as themselves as well as a team of superheroes called "Cyber Crusaders". The book was available for purchase at their concerts and online stores in 2000–2001.

Publication history

Nick Carter, who was a comic fan, made an original concept of the comic planned as a six-issue series. In February 2000, he met Stan Lee through his manager from The Firm. Carter told him about his concept, and Lee was interested. However, they ultimately decided to make it into only one issue.^[1]

Plot

It begins when the Backstreet Boys are in the midst of one of their concerts. As they are performing on stage, a spaceship crashes near the stadium. The members rush into the woods to the crash site and there they find an alien who was on the ship. The alien gives each of them an enchanted amulet embedded with mystic crystals and they learn that she is on a mission of protecting Earth from an alien invasion that would happen soon. When they wear the amulets their DNA gets twisted by a virtual genetic cyclone that gives each of them astonishing super powers.^[2] The superhero form of the Backstreet Boys are called Cyber Crusaders.

Characters

Backstreet Boys/Cyber Crusaders
Name	Alter ego	Abilities and Superpowers
Ninja Man	Nick Carter	Martial arts expert of any kind. Equipped with swords that can cut everything.
Illusioneer	Howie Dorough	Project three-dimensional illusions and mental telepathy.
Ordnance	A. J. McLean	Excellent marksmanship with any weapon. Equipped with laser guns.
Top Speed	Brian Littrell	Able to generate spheres of energy and jump great heights, for example from buildings to buildings.
Power Lord	Kevin Richardson	Super strength. Can lift a harrier jet.

Aliens
Name	Superpower
Zanell	Psychokinesis
Zator	Psychokinesis

Other media

Burger King made action figures based on this comic book characters, they were sold in 2000^[3] with the purchase of Burger King Big Kids Meal and Kids Meal. The Backstreet Boys and their cartoon characters also appeared in three Burger King TV commercials.^[4]

A series of flash-based webisodes were released in 2000.^[5] None of the characters were voiced by members of Backstreet Boys themselves. There were seven episodes in total:

1. Larger Than Life
2. Dead Heat
3. Wild Ride
4. Winner Takes All
5. Freefall
6. Zanell's Choice
7. The Camera Hates You

References

1. Backstreet Project. Stan Lee Media. 2000. p. 30.
2. "Backstreet Project: Story Preview!". Archived from the original on 2000-08-17. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
3. "2000 – Backstreet Project « KFFT List Guide". Retrieved 19 June 2012.
4. "Backstreet Boys Fans 'Have It Their Way' at Burger King(R) Burger King Corporation Launches Unprecedented CD and Video Promotion". PR Newswire. August 18, 2000. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
5. Farber, Jim (August 23, 2000). "Zap, pow, click! The Backstreet gang adds superpowered animation". New York Daily News. Retrieved September 28, 2012.