While researching, Brown came across two books by political scientist Tom Flanagan: "Louis "David" Riel: "Prophet of the New World"" (1996) and "Louis Riel and the Rebellion: 1885 Reconsidered" (2000). Brown found ""Prophet of the New World"" particularly intriguing as it dealt with Riel's religious ideas while reevaluating his alleged diagnosis of mental illness, two topics Brown had especial interest in, as he had previously made "eccentric" adaptations of the Gospel, and comics dealing with his mother's schizophrenia. He also came across books by researcher Don McLean and historian Douglas N. Sprague that advanced the conspiracy theory that the 1885 North-West Rebellion was deliberately provoked by Prime Minister John A. Macdonald to gain support for the building of the transcontinental railway.