Every month we will spotlight one of the characters of Gatemaker and provide a little insight into who they are as the story opens. These descriptions are light on spoilers, but will hint at events to come, not just in Gatemaker but in the greater tapestry of the Spiralchain as well.

Joseph Christopher Stein is a sixteen year old boy born and raised on the world of Core, in the city of Des Moines, Iowa. The youngest son of a high school football coach and a home beauty product sales consultant, Joe is the black sheep in his family. Energetic but not athletic, Joe suffers from ADHD and is a stark contrast to his brothers, who were very much their father’s sons. A weak student, Joe has recently adopted the nickname of JC and is always on the lookout for new friends and new experiences. School exists as a place for JC to make bad jokes and hit on girls that are out of his league, and he does both with regularity.

Of all the young people swept into the conflict on Onus, Joe is the most unlikely hero. His passions run hot, but he is still very young and very lost about how to be the man he wants to be. Whether or not he has a destiny aside form comic relief is yet to be seen, but somehow everyone who meets him knows that JC Stein will do great things some day. The question remains… will they be the kind of things he wants to remember?

Joe’s tale most often revolves around ideas of fear and of belonging.

Joe’s story begins in Gatemaker, on sale now!