Led Bradshaw was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and works as a graphic artist, illustrator and technical writer. With the help of his young autistic son, Jacob, he created “Jetpulse Comics” an exciting comic book series with positive, encouraging story arcs featuring a diverse cast of characters. And yes, some are on the autism spectrum.

I was thrilled to have discovered Led and his work—he and his son are spreading acceptance through a unique comic world. Their Jetpulse Comics aligns with our mission to educate and advocate using pop-culture and storytelling. I can’t wait for you to read more about what they are doing and the impact they are making.

Led, tell us about Jetpulse Comics…

The New Adventures of Jake Jetpulse is an awesome comic book universe created by the imaginative refrigerator drawings of my son Jacob who is on the autism spectrum. The story follows Jake and his friends Julia and Marrz the Troll as they protect the earth from evil forces that threaten the galaxy.

What inspired you to create the comic series?

It all started when Jacob was in Pre-K. He was around 3 1/2 years old when he was diagnosed. His Teachers noticed how he struggled a lot in class and started falling behind the other students. It was hard for him to focus. All he ever wanted to talk about was superheroes. It got to a point where his special interests became an issue for him and his classmates.

I needed to find a way to connect with him and help him learn. I turned to all of Jake’s drawings as my way into his world. Jake was always incredibly creative. He would create his own comics books where he was the main hero. I took his stories and made comic book panels out of his creations.

How do the two of you work together?

Jake creates the story and I do all of the illustrations using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Working together helps strengthen our bond. I understand how Jake thinks. It’s helped me learn how to communicate with him. I can finally speak his language.

Who is the ideal reader and how do you see the comics being used?

The New Adventures of Jake Jetpulse is a great comic book adventure for kids from Pre-K to 2nd grade. There are reading comprehension exercises at the end of each story. We’ve also created activity books full of fun reading, language and math drills. We included fun coloring pages inside as well.

Our next adventure will be a “time-travel” series to help teach kids about famous people in history. We (Jake and I) feel each issue should cover several topics like science, math, health and fitness.

What’s the message you want your readers to take away after reading your comics?

Jetpulse Comics is not just for kids on the autism spectrum. They’re for every child. I want the world to see just how brilliant and creative autistic children can be. The world needs confident and positive role models. This is why I’m so passionate about our character, Jake Jetpulse. Jake and I wanted to build a brand that shows kids how to unleash their inner heroes.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about the comics?

The New Adventures of Jake Jetpulse is a callback to the old-school Saturday morning cartoons we used to wake up early to watch. When I was a kid, I used to think that those public service announcements at the end of cartoons were cheesy. Now I realize that we need them more than ever.

Do you have a proud moment you’d like to share?

Jacob never ceases to amaze me. He does something new and wonderful every day. I’ll never forget the day when he brought 20 copies to school for his classmates and his teachers. The kids loved it and, like Comic Con events, we even had an autograph signing. I remember what that moment did for him. It gave him a tremendous boost in his confidence. He went on to win “The Reader of The Month” award last year and then “Student of the Month” this year.

It’s crazy that, not long ago, there was a boy who struggled in school, especially with math and reading. I can’t take all of the credit for his development, But I know that creating Jetpulse Comics pushed him forward a great deal. Now he’s writing and helping me design the characters in future issues.

I’m very proud of all that he’s accomplished. There’s no stopping him and what he can accomplish.

Buy Jetpulse Comics on Amazon:*

• The New Adventures of Jake Jetpulse: Trolls Vs. Goblins
• The New Adventures of Jake Jetpulse: Reading & Math Skills Activity Book
• The New Adventures of Jake Jetpulse: Reading & Language Skills Comic Workbook

Join the Jetpulse Comics Fan Club by following them on:

• Jake Jetpulse Adventures Facebook page
• @jetpulse_comics on Instagram
• @Jetpulse_Comics on Twitter
• Read the article on Led and Jake on NBC New York

*The links to buy the comics are our affiliate links. By purchasing using this link, you will not only support Led and Jacob, you’ll be raising funds to support our autistic team of contributors for their work. 

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• Find more books in our Amazon Influencer Autism Book Shop

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