Tag Archives: crowdfunding

Crowdfunded Comics that deserve more attention: Frankenstein for Mayor

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Now it’s time for another Kickstarter comic that I find really interesting.  Let me tell you about a book called Frankenstein for Mayor.

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The comic is a 76 page story about partisan politics in Transylvania, and an attempt by the lower class werewolves to usurp the incumbent mayor Dracula with their candidate: Frankenstein.

The project is created by Jack Wallace, Chris Allen, and Reinaldo Lay and is seeking $2,000 through Kickstarter in order to fund their first issue.

The project currently has $1,061 and has 21 days left.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2001641902/frankenstein-for-mayor-comic-about-partisan-politi?ref=category_newest

Why I like it

I honestly think that Frankenstein’s monster would make a fantastic elected official.

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Let’s consider some of his strengths as a political leader.

He hates fire, so he would ensure that our fire departments were well funded,

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He’s a big believer in science and loves children, so he would ensure that our schools ran well,

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and he is the literal embodiment of “speak softly and carry a big stick” so we could rely on him to adopt a firm yet gentle stance on foreign policy.  But perhaps most importantly, he is a man of the people,

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several people actually.

I like this comic because it recognizes the potential that someone like Frankenstein has for all matter of social and political commentary and that leads me directly into…

Why you should donate

Because it’s the kind of comic we need in today’s day and age.

Let’s face it folks, we’re at a point in American and world politics where it’s either a joke at best,

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or terrifying at worst.

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The thing is, politics have almost always been like this, and comics and cartoons have almost always been a part of showing how ridiculous it can all be.

We only have to look at the work of people like Thomas Nast,

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to realize that politics are a joke and the cartoonist is the little boy showing all of us that the emperor has no clothes.

What we need are people who are willing to look at the big picture and show just how ridiculous and over the top it is, and what better way to show both the hilarity and horror of modern day politics than Frankenstein’s monster and all of our favorite horror villains.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2001641902/frankenstein-for-mayor-comic-about-partisan-politi?ref=category_newest

 

Crowdfunded Comics that deserve more attention: Emet Comics

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Normally on this blog, we talk about a single comic book project that is trying to get funded through a site like Kickstarter or Patreon.  However, today we’re going to do something a bit different.  Instead of looking at a single project we’re going to be looking at an entire company called Emet Comics.

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Emet Comics is a Los Angeles based comic book publisher that focuses on comic books written and drawn by female creators about female characters.

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They have a relatively small, but incredibly diverse, line up of titles that include everything from science fiction to slice of life stories.

One series of note, this March they completed a successful Kickstarter campaign to continue production of a title called Fresh Romance, a romance comic anthology they had acquired from a publisher called Rosy Press after it shut down in 2014.

So technically this blog post still falls within the bounds of its original purview, it’s just about a comic that has already been funded.

Emet Comics website: http://www.emetcomics.com/

Why I like this company

Because I reached out to the head of Emet Comics, a wonderful lady by the name of Maytal Gilboa, and instead of either passing me off to an assistant or simply ignoring me she took time out of her day to actually talk to me about her work, and motivations.

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Mrs. Gilboa got her start in Hollywood as a development executive and as a leading voice in Hollywood for the advancement of women in executive positions.  She founded Emet Comics in 2015 and has been steadily growing and expanding a network of highly capable female talent as a way to draw more attention to female creators and to empower women by creating better role models in fiction and in its creation.

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Long story short, she knows her stuff.

While empowering women is a noble goal but one thing that Mrs. Gilboa made very clear during the time we talked was that she was an entrepreneur and this is a business venture.  It’s worth mentioning that Emet Comics does have an open submissions policy for female creators and female driven stories, which points towards a company policy that favors new ideas and expansion.

You can find the submissions page here

Now, I know from personal experience that this kind of work isn’t easy.  You have to manage your artists, make sure the website is in working order, find new and interesting ways to get people engaged with your product and paying attention, and if you’re creating something yourself?  Then you have to do all of that while cranking out an original story on a fairly regular basis.

For me, it’s exhausting…and all I do is write a couple of blogs and produce a webcomic!

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So what we have here is a company run by a capable, dedicated, and highly motivated founder with a clear cut mission and an ever expanding library of books and creators.

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I think I might have a new role model.

Why you should donate/be on the lookout for their books

We all know how the cutthroat, knuckle dragging, razor thin profit margin world of comic book publishing is dominated by male creators.  While that does need to change I’m not going to focus on that.  Instead, I’m going to talk about another buzzword that’s been floating around the comic book world for some time now: diversity.

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It’s a pretty powerful word.  In fact, it’s such a powerful word that there are some people who infamously said that diversity is the thing that’s actually killing established companies like Marvel Comics.

That is simply not true.  It’s not diversity that is hurting sales, it’s a lack of diversity (and a handful of other things but we don’t have time for that right now).  But not just in the racial or sexual identity of its characters, it’s the lack of diversity in the types of stories that are being told.

Want historical proof?  During the Golden Age of Comics, a time in comic book history where comic books were sold to boys and girls, publishers put out all sorts of books from superheros,

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to crime comics,

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to romance comics.

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It was this diversity of content that allowed the budding comic book industry make a tidy profit and become a pop culture phenomenon.

Today we have an industry that is dominated by a core group of superheroes owned by two companies that dominate over two thirds of the market.

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One could be forgiven for growing weary of the endless parade of costumed vigilantes.

Granted, there are a growing number of comics and comic book publishers who are branching out, but in an industry that is dominated by male creators creating stories for a male audience I would like to make the argument that if the comic book industry wants to survive, publishers need to start finding new stories and new audiences.

Emet Comics is a new comic book publisher that has made it their mission to destroy many of the long held assumptions about women in the comic book industry, even if they wind up being the only ones who do it.  They have new and different creators telling new and different stories across new and different genres.  It is the right publisher, doing the right thing, at the right time and more than worthy of your attention and money.

Emet Comics website: http://www.emetcomics.com/

Crowdfunded Comics that deserve more attention: Drawing Blood

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Normally this blog is reserved for obscure, small time artists and creators looking to fund a project that would have a very difficult time getting attention from a major publisher.  That’s the spirit in which sites like Kickstarter were created and it’s a spirit that we appreciate and aspire to.

However, today is the day where we attempt to sell out in a blatant attempt to gain more views and popularity.

Today we’re looking at a project called Drawing Blood.  It’s a biographical graphic novel detailing the rise and fall of a humble comic book creator named Shane Bookman.  The project is headed by Kevin Eastman, David Avallone, and Ben Bishop.

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As of the time of writing the project has already reached over $40,000 of it’s $75,000 goal and ends in 24 days.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2073065927/kevin-eastmans-drawing-blood-vol-1-a-graphic-novel/description

Why I like it

I like it because it’s a biography about indie comic book legend Shane Bookman and his journey from the highest highs of success to the lowest lows of fame and fortune.

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What, you’re telling me that you’ve never heard of Shane Bookman?  The creator of the 1992 hit comic “Radically Rearranged Ronin Ragdolls”?

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You know, the comic that started off as a darkly humorous parody of the grim and gritty comic books of the time and was spun off into a merchandise and tv empire that remains a pop culture phenomenon to this day?  In fact, it was so successful that there are rumors there will be a big budget action movie produced by some super Hollywood director named Daniel Flay, who really likes explosions and movie series with a seemingly infinite number of sequels.

Ok, so you probably know that Shane Bookman doesn’t exist.  In fact, those of you in the know probably recognized what this project actually is when you saw who was creating it.

For those of you who don’t know, Kevin Eastman is one of the co creators of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,

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You know, the comic that started off as a darkly humorous parody of the grim and gritty comic books of the time and was spun off into a merchandise and tv empire that remains a pop culture phenomenon to this day and has been turned into another Michael Bay reboot that will probably churn out sequels until the day we die.

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Drawing Blood was created to be a fictitious, semi autobiographical, darkly comedic look at the creation of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the rise and fall of a great artist.  It looks like it’s going to be grim, dark, violent, and promises to go behind the scenes of the creation of one of the most famous and popular comics of recent memory.

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I love this sort of stuff.  Call me weird but there are few things more satisfying than watching a success story pan out with all the trials, tribulations, thrills, chills, and potential for violence.

Why you should donate

Because being a comic book creator is hard, and while a select few creators do get to enjoy the fruits of their labor and create characters and stories that are enjoyed by millions of people,

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there are hundreds, if not thousands more men and women who put their heart and soul into their work and got screwed out of their righteously deserved credit.

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Ok sure, Alan Moore isn’t the best example but when it comes to talking about creators getting nothing for their work (although while he has made a lot of money you could make a strong case for him getting shafted by watching Hollywood butcher some of his greatest work like V for Vendetta and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen) but the comic book world is a special case when it comes to the discussion of creator’s rights and credit.

In the very beginning comic book artists and writers didn’t own anything they created.  Their work belonged to the companies that employed them and the only money many o them would see from their creations would be the page rate they received on a work for hire basis.

This is why legends such as Jerry Seigel and Joe Shuster,

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who created the iconic Superman had to sue Warner Brothers in the 1970’s for the credit and recognition they justly deserved, and why Shuster died in debt.

The struggle of the creator for the rights and recognition to their work is a long and often tragic tale and it’s problems are still being worked out and argued over today.

Some creators, such as the founders of of Image Comics,

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have made it possible for creators to have greater control over their work and how it’s used, but it’s still a sensitive and complex issue that’s still being talked about.

I bring all this up because I think that a project like Drawing Blood is important to this discussion.  Audiences see the end result of the hard work and sacrifice that goes into creating stories and characters, but not a lot of people pay attention to the stuff that really goes on behind the scenes.

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Sometimes the creation of a story is just as import as the actual story itself, and if a project like Drawing Blood can draw more attention to the world behind the story than it is a story worth reading.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2073065927/kevin-eastmans-drawing-blood-vol-1-a-graphic-novel/description

Crowdfunded Comics that deserve more attention: Persephone

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Today we’re taking a look at a graphic novel project called Persephone that is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter.

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The story is a revisionist look at the popular Western myth of the abduction of Persephone, the daughter of the ancient Greek goddess Demeter and queen of the Underworld after she was kidnapped by Hades.

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The project was created by Allison Shaw and is currently seeking $16,000 on Kickstarter.  At the time of writing the project has collected over half its goal with 26 days left in funding.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/19365079/persephone-one-volume-comic-adaptation?ref=category_recommended

Why I like this project

I like this project because I’m a sucker for Greek mythology.

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More specifically, I like how the Ancient Greeks used their gods and heroes to tell stories about the human condition.  Hercules wasn’t just a hero, he was a tortured soul looking for redemption through his twelve labors.

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The Greek gods weren’t just the rulers of the world, they were petty and vindictive bastards who had no problem screwing with mortals who upset them.

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The story of Hades and Persephone is one of the more popular stories in Greek mythology.  The god of the underworld sees the daughter of the goddess of the harvest, kidnaps her.

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In most interpretations of the story Persephone is kidnapped against her will and becomes a cold and distant queen.

But this Kickstarter project is different.

This story reworks the myth from a more modern feminist point of view and bucks thousands of years of tradition to ask: what if Persephone wasn’t forced by Hades to travel to the Underworld?

Honestly, it’s an interpretation that never really crossed my mind.  After Persephone was kidnapped her mother became very upset and refused to let anything grow.  The end result of the story is that Persephone ate the food of the dead and has to spend three months out of the year with her husband, during which Greece must suffer through a three month winter.

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I always read the story as a tragedy but this comic?  This comic frames the story as a romance between Persephone and Hades, which is something that I think is different, new, and very interesting.

Plus, I really like the art style.

To me it looks like a mix between Japanese manga and ancient Greek pottery,

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Why you should donate

There was a certain movie released this year about another female comic book character who is based in Greek mythology that did rather well at the box office.

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I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Wonder Woman and the Persephone of this comic are really similar.  Both of them are women in a world dominated by men, both of them are different interpretations of Greek mythology, and both of them prefer to change the world using love and kindness.

The difference is that Wonder Woman prefers to show her love through extreme violence and pointy objects,

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while Persephone has a softer, gentler, and more erotic approach.

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This isn’t just a reworking of an ancient myth, it’s a type of story that comic books really haven’t paid much attention too over the years.

Sure there have been romance comics in the past,

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but romance comics really fell out of the limelight in the 1950’s in favor of characters who solved their problems with violence.

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Now I like a good fight as much as the next person, but why do we need so many characters that let their fists do the talking?

Persephone is a story about a different kind of female hero.  She doesn’t solve her problems by punching.  Instead of struggling and fighting her captor, she reaches out to him, tries to understand him, and winds up falling in love with him.

Persephone Chapter 7 by Eupraxia

The end result is a comic that forgoes violence in favor of a gentler and more sensual story, a story that provides a different kind of comic that we really haven’t seen before, and is worth your attention.

Persephone Chapter 3 by Eupraxia

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/19365079/persephone-one-volume-comic-adaptation?ref=category_recommended

Crowdfunded Comics that deserve more attention: Through the Cognitive Rift

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Today we’re talking about Through the Cognitive Rift, a graphic novel project currently seeking funding on Kickstarter.

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The project is about the human mind and hypothesizes that the universe we know and love is simply the thoughts and dreams of a single individual.  The story takes place in a universe experiencing the apocalypse because its creator has severe mental problems and is contemplating suicide.  The plot is about the one person in this universe that has been given the opportunity to connect with its creator and attempt to save the creators life and, by extension, all of existence.

The project was created by Natalie McKean and is seeking to raise $3,200 by August 9th.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nataliemckean/through-the-cognitive-rift-graphic-novel?ref=category_newest

Why I like it

The first reason I like this project is because I have a tremendous amount of respect for the creator.

Now, I never knew Mrs. McKean before I saw her project but when I learned that she is doing all of the writing, art, and production work by herself I couldn’t help but take my hat off to her.

Trust me when I say that creating comics takes a lot of work.  Heck, all I do is write mine and I’m still frazzled.

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The second reason that I like this project is its subject matter.

When I saw that this book was about the internal workings of people’s minds and thoughts my mind immediately thought of this:

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Now, Inception is one of my favorite movies of all time.  It’s deep, thoughtful, and trippy as all hell.

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Now, it looks like Through the Cognitive Rift promises to be trippy as well, just in a different way.

But I think this book promises to be more than Inception, in fact I think it has the potential to be more.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have nothing but respect for Christopher Nolan and the cast of the film, but as a director he’s more of a robot than a human.

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Don’t believe me?  Go back to any of his films and try to find a character that conveys emotion and feeling through something that isn’t exposition or dialogue that doesn’t move the plot forward or reveal some sort of great theme or world shaking plot point.

I like this project because it looks like a more human and thoughtful version of Inception and while I don’t know if that was the creator’s intention, I write this with nothing but the highest praise and excitement.

Why you should donate

Take everything I said about Inception,

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throw in the awesome artwork,

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AND add the fact that this is probably one of the most creative and interesting stories that you will ever see dealing with depression, suicidal thoughts, and mental health,

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and you have a recipe for a book that is engaging, thoughtful, and gorgeous to both read and look at.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/nataliemckean/through-the-cognitive-rift-graphic-novel?ref=category_newest

Crowdfunded Comics that deserve more attention: After the Gold Rush

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Today we’re talking about a Kickstarter comic called “After the Gold Rush”.

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The book is about a scientist coming back to Earth after some mass exodus and seeks to bring back “optimistic sci fi and show that there is better living through science”.

The campaign is run by Miles Greb and has already passed its goal of $4,500 with 26 days left in the campaign.

Kickstarter link:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/919052445/after-the-gold-rush-1-3-a-return-to-optimistic-sci?ref=category_newest

Why I like it

In order to understand why I like this project there are two things you have to understand about me.

First, I’m a sucker for cool artwork and this book has some really good art.

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The comic is primarily drawn by a gentleman named Issac La Russa and while it’s difficult for me to describe, I like to think that his art style would be perfect in everything from lighthearted kid’s books to grim and gritty superhero work.

The cover art is done by a guy named Barry Blakenship,

Cover art by Barry Blankenship

This is high caliber work that would be at home with Marvel or DC.  Instead we’re lucky enough to have this on a creator owned project.

The second reason I like this project is because I’m a massive history nerd.

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Now, it would seem strange for a science fiction book to have ties to the past, but hear me out.

A lot of people think that history is about single individuals or events but the reality is different.  Take something like the California Gold Rush of 1849,

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It wasn’t an event driven by a single individual within a set period of time.  It was a mass migration of ordinary people looking for a better life and wound up changing the future of California forever.

“After the Gold Rush” takes this idea and uses it to tell a fantastic story.

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I don’t know much about the plot, but it appears that the story takes place after some sort of human mass migration into space, most likely done by people who were looking for a better life.  This book takes a look at what happens after the people have left and what’s become of Earth.

It’s a book that understands that history isn’t just made up of individuals, it’s made up of masses of people who are trying to better themselves and that’s something special.

Why you should donate

The headline for the campaign states that this comic is “a return to optimistic sci fi”.  That alone should be something to celebrate.

The reason I say this is because it’s probably safe to say that science fiction has gotten pretty grim and gritty these days.

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If science fiction is how we view the future, than I would have to say that we’re being incredibly pessimistic.  Don’t get me wrong, I like grim and gritty stories, and there have been some pretty good ones over the years,

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but we live in an age where the greatest work of optimistic science fiction of our time,

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isn’t immune to being run through a couple of filters in an effort to provide a more realistic and morally questionable story.

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(holy crap, references to two beloved science fiction franchises in an article!)

Again, I have no problem with making science fiction more realistic, but at some point you just have to say “Enough with grim and depressing reality, give us something happy for once!”.

That’s the void that “After the Gold Rush” looks to fill and by God, I think it can actually pull it off.

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Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/919052445/after-the-gold-rush-1-3-a-return-to-optimistic-sci?ref=category_newest

 

Crowdfunded Comics that deserve more attention: Italiano

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Warning: this article contains content not suitable for children.

Today we’re talking about a comic book project on Kickstarter with big dreams, an ambitious goal, and an interesting take on the gangster epic, one of the more popular genres in popular culture.

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The project is a series of graphic novels created, drawn, and produced by Mike Bloom.

It is currently seeking funding for the debut issue of a planned long form series and is seeking to reach $10,000 by June 30th, 2017.

Here’s the link to the campaign:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1916419692/italiano-the-graphic-novel-series?ref=category_newest

Why I like it

The story is simple.  Four crime families are fighting among each other for control of the fictional town of Capitol City.  These families all have colorful leaders such as Mario Italiano.

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So it seems like it’s a pretty stereotypical gangster story but the way it tells its story is so interesting and quirky that I can’t help but be impressed.

You’ll notice that the art style is…different.

I want to say this is Saturday morning cartoon violence cranked up to eleven but…it’s not.  It’s too angry and violent for a kid cartoon but it’s too clean and polished for mature and gritty.

I guess the only word I can use to describe it is…unique.

It’s a rapid fire assault on the senses that makes it bizarre, almost alien, and I love it for that.

Also, the creator claims that this graphic novel series is “The Sopranos meets Rick and Morty”.

I like the Sopranos,

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and I LOVE Rick and Morty,

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and if this comic lives up to its promise than I will be a very happy man.

If there was one correction I would make I would say that the art style reminds me of Invader Zim more than anything.

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It’s probably just me but hey, is being compared to Invader Zim really a bad thing?

Why you should donate

If the art and premise didn’t grab your attention and make you want to donate than I highly recommend checking out the story behind the creation of this comic.

I’m not going to go into the creator’s entire life story here but just to give you a rundown, the man is passionate about this project and has dedicated over fifteen years of his life to making this series a reality.

Heck, before it was a comic it was actually a card game you could play on your phone.

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Now, I don’t normally use the backstory behind the creation of something as a selling point.  Usually I believe that it doesn’t matter how much time you put into something if the end result is going to be garbage.  But this?  This is different.

You can tell that the creator is incredibly passionate about this project, and that he has poured his heart and soul into it, and that is worth our respect and attention.

Italiano is an ambitious project that is the textbook definition of a labor of love.  It’s crazy, violent, bizarre, wholly unique, and is worth your time and money.

Campaign link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1916419692/italiano-the-graphic-novel-series/description

Crowdfunded Comics that deserve more attention: Dealing with the Apocalypse.

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So it’s been a while since I’ve done one of these but in my defense, it has been a busy couple of months.

Today we’re going to look at a Kickstarter project that was created by a good friend of Cambrian Comics and has a rather…interesting look at one of modern literature’s favorite scenarios.

Let’s take a look at Dealing with the Apocalypse.

What is it?

Dealing with the Apocalypse is a collection of short stories about the end of the world and what comes after.

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The Kickstarter project is being run by Jack Holder and his company: Arcane Inkdustries.  seeking $1000 in funding to publish their fist book.

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The book is about life after the apocalypse and sets out to tell a series of stories from different perspectives and events such as the return of magic, a single girl trying to protect her town, and the story of the first colonizers of Mars after they find out that Earth is no more.

It is worth noting that the project has already reached its funding, has already been written, and simply needs the funding to pay for the first print run.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/520578277/dealing-with-the-apocalypse

Why I like it.

I like this project because I am a terrible person.

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Let me explain.

The end of the world is a pretty popular topic in popular culture, in fact it has been for quite some time.

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That being said, while I’m sure our ancient ancestors gleefully awaited the end of the world as we know it, it seems that the coming apocalypse has taken on a new meaning in this day and age.

Everything from books,

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to movies,

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to comic books,

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we love stories about the end of the world.

Why?

Well, I can’t speak for anyone else but I love reading these stories because I like to think that I wouldn’t just survive in this new world, but thrive and become the awesome human being I always knew I could be if it wasn’t for pesky things like society, and rules, and common decency.

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To be honest, I probably wouldn’t survive a second out in the wilderness without electricity and running water, but I like to think that I could.

It’s fun to imagine ourselves being able to live without rules and become immortal bad assess of the wasteland and many authors, artists, and directors know this.  As a result, a lot of post apocalyptic literature tends to focus on the journey and trials of an individual or a small group in a narrow space of time.  Just a person, a group, or a town surviving the near end of the world.

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That’s what I like about Dealing with the Apocalypse, it’s not afraid to broaden the scope of the genre and explore different types of stories.

Sure, you’ve got stories about people surviving and trying to protect themselves during the end of the world,  but you also have stories about the birth of magic what happens centuries after the apocalypse instead of decades.

Apparently, in the universe that this book creates humanity colonized Mars just before the world ended.  That’s a really interesting story that hasn’t been told yet and personally, that’s the one I’m most excited to read.

Why you should donate

Two reasons:

First, the book is already completed and ready for print.  There are almost no risks involved and you are guaranteed to get what you pay for.

Second, the team that put these stories together is top notch and deserves nothing but good things and good press.

Besides the literary talents of Jack Holder, there is a small army of great artists involved with the project.  Here’s a sample of some of the artists and their artwork.

Ed Bickford

 

Carlos Bonardi

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Hansel y Gretel

Cari Dee

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and there are a whole bunch more.

If you like any of the art you see, or want to learn more about the universe this book is creating, I highly recommend donating to this Kickstarter, it is well worth your money.

Kickstarter link:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/520578277/dealing-with-the-apocalypse

Kickstarter Comics that deserve more attention: Air Pirates vs. the Dragon

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Today it’s a pretty simple project.  Instead of a romantic graphic novel or a five part sci fi epic (holy crap, looking back we do a lot of science fiction on this blog) we’re looking at a comic book project that tells an entire story in a single page.

Today we’re looking at Air Pirates vs. the Dragon.

The project is a single large poster detailing a young air pirate’s adventure as she gets swallowed up by a massive dragon and has to escape from the bowels of the beast’s stomach.

The campaign is run by a gentleman named Thane Benson and is looking for $1000 by January 14th, 2017.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1011388152/air-pirates-vs-the-dragon-a-giant-poster-comic?ref=category_newest

Why I like it

When you hear the word “comic” I’m going to bet a lot of you think of this.

Image result for comic books

There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just that some of you might also think of this.

Image result for japanese comic books

While the idea of comic books, pictures and words combining to tell a story, has pretty universal appeal the format of comic books has developed according to the needs of the story and the resources available at the time.

For example, did you know that American comic books tend to be 22 pages long so the artist could produce art on a monthly basis?

It’s important to remember that comics don’t need to conform to a single format, and if you’re a fan of Scot McCloud’s Understanding Comics,

Image result for scott mccloud understanding comics

you know that comic books don’t need to stick to a certain format in order to be considered comics.

This is a comic,

this is a comic,

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heck, you could even make the argument that this is a comic.

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The point is that the word “comic” can mean a lot of things and Air Pirates vs. The Dragon thinks so too.

The entire comic is a single poster that tells the a story.  You follow the numbers on the poster and it walks you through an entire story on a single image.

I think that’s really neat, and I think this project could open the doors for a lot of people to play around with the idea of a comic and come up with some really cool ideas.

Also, the artwork is really cool, colorful, and filled with neat little details that make this a fun and engaging “read”, but you already knew that from looking at that artwork.

Why you should donate

Some of the more pessimistic folks who read this article might dismiss this as a silly gimmick and in a way they’re right, but it’s a silly gimmick that works.

Plus, at some of the higher levels you get your pick of some pretty great pinups and other artwork.

Image result for thane benson artwork

Image result for thane benson artwork

Image result for thane benson artwork

It’s some really creative and cool stuff, definitely worth your time and money.

Kickstarter link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1011388152/air-pirates-vs-the-dragon-a-giant-poster-comic?ref=category_newest

Crowdfunded comics that deserve more attention: Aldous Spark: Meddler in History and other Unsavory Affairs

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Today we’re going to talk about a comic book with one of the longest titles I’ve ever seen: “Aldous Spark: Meddler in History and other Unsavory Affairs”.

Image result for aldous spark meddler in history and other unsavory affairs

The project is the first book in a series following the adventures of Aldous Spark, an adventurer, magician, master thief, and member of the secretive anarchist Black Moth society that wages a never ending battle against the powers that be.

Aldous is accompanied on his adventures by his apprentice Isaiah,

and over the course of his adventures he meets a whole host of colorful and dangerous individuals such as a drug addled heiress Araceli who has the ability to see the future.

Aldous’ on again, off again rival in crime Marla,

and a mysterious and terrifying order of silent and emotionless religious zealots called the Red Priests.

The comic is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter and seeks to raise $5000 by November 20th, 2016.

Kickstarter link: here

Why I like it:

If you spend any amount of time around me you will find out that I am a rabid fan of history and like a lot of people I am fascinated with Victorian England.

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It’s a wonderful era for story telling filled with tremendous wealth,

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crushing poverty,

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fantastic technological progress,

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exploration,

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and political intrigue that would shape the world for decades to come.

Image result for victorian royal families

From what I’ve seen, this Kicstarter project takes a lot of these tropes, ideas, and imagry and turns it into its own special type of story where there is something for everyone.  You’ve got cool looking technology coupled with ancient mystical artifacts,

intrigue and danger,

and all sorts of strange artifacts and codes that look like they could create a fun and engaging mystery that will leave the reader scratching their head and wanting more.

This is Victorian fiction done right and I can’t wait to see what happens.

Why you should donate:

First and foremost, the artwork is fantastic!

I was really drawn into this project for the story and atmosphere but for all you art fiends out there this is some really fantastic stuff.

But there is a deeper, more important reason why I think a lot of other people will like this book.

As I said before, Aldous is a member of the Black Moth Society.  It’s a group of anarchists dedicated to foiling the schemes and machinations of the powerful elite.

The Victorian era was a great time of progress, but it was also a great time of turmoil.

There were the wealthy industrialists,

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bankers,

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and inventors.

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While these men made fortunes and created the world we know today they also created tremendous poverty and squalor,

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and a new brand of imperialism that left most of the world in shambles.

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It was during this time that anarchists rose up and organized themselves against the ruling elite of the time to protest what they saw as unfair treatment and horrific living conditions of many for the needs of a few rich men and women.

Image result for victorian anarchists

Image result for victorian anarchists

This is the social and ideological divide that Aldous Spark plays around with and as I said before, it’s a tremendous opportunity for a great story.

Any historian worth his/her salt will tell you that history repeats itself, but that’s ridiculous.  After all it’s not like there are modern day wealthy industrialists,

Image result for modern day industrialists

bankers,

Image result for modern wall street bankers

and inventors,

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who have become fabulously wealthy while a lot of the world lives in crushing poverty.

Image result for modern poverty

Are there differences?  Yes.  Have we learned from the mistakes of the past?  A little bit.  But it doesn’t change the fact that the world we are living in is eerily reminiscent of the Victorian world that Aldous Spark takes place in.  Sometimes in order to fix the problems of the world you need a little bit of chaos and anarchy.  Sometimes you need to be a meddler in history and other unsavory affairs.

Kickstarter link: here