A Christian Comic Universe Doesn’t Mean Every Story Has to Have a Christian Theme

When people hear that a story is set in a Christian universe, they may often expect every chapter, episode, or issue to revolve directly around theology, sermons, or explicit faith themes. But who says a Christian universe must always revolve around one theme? What if just like any big story world, a Christian universe also has story arcs that focus on different subject matters?

The Zero Hour Universe

In Issue 1 of Zero Hour Epsilon Force, Tyrannogator fights against Dr. Dewey Ore, an evil time traveling cyborg from a future timeline. However, in the next three issues, Tyrannogator focuses on a villain who is one of the fallen angels who rebelled against God in the beginning.

In Issue 1, the story only mentions and shows Jesus once because it's establishing that this comic series exists in a Christian universe where Jesus is at the center. However, the overall theme of Issue 1 isn't really Christian focused. In the next three issues, the plot revolves heavily around God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Bible because of the demon being one of the two main villains of that trilogy. And in the upcoming Issue 5, the story will probably only mention God briefly as it dives deeper into the corruption that exists within Tyrannogator's world.

The point is that a Christian universe isn’t defined by how often God is mentioned. It’s defined by the moral framework the world operates under regardless of what's going on in the immediate plot. So some stories the characters are in may be heavily Christian themed, while others may be closer to generic superhero action stories.

As a Christian who grew up loving superheroes and action, this universe structure leaves it open to where I can freely talk about God and the Bible whenever I want without a lot of readers losing interest, but I'm not solely locked in to only telling Christian themed stories. Because Christian themes can sometimes be difficult to get right.

Until executable biblical ideas come, the universe can feature other kinds of stories where characters may mention God, but he isn't necessarily the main focus. And this is OK because supporters of the series will know that amongst all of fantasy creatures, robots and galactic threats, Jesus is always at the center of the Zero Hour universe even if he isn't explicitly mentioned in every story arc.

Faith as the Foundation, Not the Constant Spotlight

Even in the Bible itself, not every story is overtly theological on the surface. Some biblical stories focus on human experience like Esther for example. The presence of God doesn’t disappear in those stories — it just simply isn’t the focus of those scenes.

The same principle applies to fictional worlds.

A universe can be Christian at its core while still telling stories about:

• Conflict and violence

• Human failure and sin

• Disease, injustice, and suffering

• Moral choices without immediate resolution

These stories don’t contradict faith — but instead, they test it.

The Difference Between Theme and Setting

Sometimes one can confuse theme with setting.

• A setting establishes the worldview of the universe, in this case, the Zero Hour universe.

• A theme is what a particular story is directly examining at that moment. This can vary within the Zero Hour universe depending on the issue.

Not every issue or story arc in a Christian universe needs a Christian theme front and center. Sometimes the theme is courage. Sometimes it’s consequence. Sometimes it’s pride, fear, anger, or endurance. And of course, there's nothing wrong with having generic, fun action-packed superhero stories mixed in just like many of the superhero cartoons we grew up watching.

Why Variety Strengthens the Message

If every story explicitly teaches the same lesson in the same way, the message may become redundant and weaker.

Variety allows:

• High-action stories to exist alongside reflective ones

• Heavy topics to breathe without forced conclusions

• Characters to struggle in ways that feel human, not scripted

Faith can resonate more when it’s shown through context, not constant explanation.

In real life, followers of Christ don’t talk about faith every second of every day — but our beliefs still shape how we react to the world. Stories can work the same way.

Stories as Preparation, Not Preaching

Some stories aren’t meant to provide answers. They’re there to lay the groundwork for them.

A story about violence may exist to show why peace matters.

A story about injustice may exist to show why redemption is necessary.

A story about suffering may exist without immediate comfort — because that’s often how suffering feels in real life.

That doesn’t make the story unfaithful. It makes it raw and honest.

Why This Matters for Modern Christian Storytelling

Christian storytelling has often been boxed into a narrow lane — safe, predictable, and sanitized. But the Bible itself is none of those things.

A Christian universe should be able to contain:

• Action without apology

• Darkness without glorification

• Questions without easy answers

Faith isn’t fragile. It doesn’t need to be protected from difficult stories. It's meant to confront them.

Final Thought

A Christian universe doesn’t exist to avoid reality. It exists to engage with it.

Sometimes that means telling stories about faith directly.

Other times it means telling stories about the world faith is meant to endure, challenge, or ultimately redeem.

Both can belong and have a place.

Order the Comic Series Today!

Zero Hour Epsilon Force is an indie Saturday morning cartoon style superhero, action, sci-fi and fantasy comic series that takes place in a raw Christian universe. These comics deliver both an entertaining and impactful experience. Order your copy today!