I’m sure, in your internet wanderings, that you’ve checked out Kickstarter and IndieGoGo, or at least heard about them by now. You’ve probably backed at least one campaign. Every week thousands of new projects are launched through these websites, and many creators have found that this is a great way to bypass the regular publication/distribution model, to get their projects directly into the hands of their fans.
It really is a bold new era, where creators come to you directly with their wares, and properties sink or swim based on the whims of the fans instead of editorial edicts and profit margins.
But seriously, crowd funding has been a game changer in its few years as a viable publication model, allowing many projects that wouldn’t necessarily have seen the light of day come to life because of fans like you. In a lot of ways it has become THE new distribution system, getting unique product directly into the hands of the consumer. Now, there are so many different campaigns being launched on a weekly basis, with a little something for everybody. But where do you start?
Let us be your guide to the thrilling world of crowd funded comics, art books, film, and associated geek and sundry. Each week we’ll scour the aforementioned websites, and profile those projects that we feel are worthy of your Paypal fees. Those projects that are offering something different than what you get at your local comic shop. Projects that defy classification, ones with interesting backer rewards, books that you might love, but would otherwise probably not happen without your support.
This week we start off with After Reset: The Fall of Gyes.
A fully painted post-apocalyptic science fiction graphic novel from Black Cloud Press and the makers of the After Reset RPG.
“This 32-page graphic novel will shed light on the back story of the game’s starting location, as well as one of the game’s companions, while delivering a compelling sci-fi narrative in its own right.”
After the world was laid to waste by nuclear fire, the rich find sanctuary underground, building for themselves a new metropolis, but will it remain a place of safety when surface dwellers begin to invade?
This beautifully illustrated graphic novel is the perfect thing for fans of Ridley Scott and John Carpenter films, video games like Dead Space and Fallout, or comics like Just A Pilgrim and Wasteland.
With great backer rewards like print and digital copies of the book, closed alpha and beta tests for the video game, posters, and more, this is a great campaign worth checking out!
Next up is 99 Ways To Die – A coloring book for ADULTS.
Does your sense of humor hang out on the darker side? Do you love movies like Very Bad Things and Comic Book Villains? When you see someone trip and fall in a puddles, can you not help bursting into fits of laughter? Then this brilliantly silly project, the brainchild of Christopher Locke, with 99 pages of people dying in hilarious and tragic ways for you to color is the perfect item for you.
“I know, death is a scary thing. It’s unpleasant and terrifying and sad. But when I am put in a situation that is unpleasant or scary or sad, I resort to humor. It’s how I deal with misery. Sometimes, it gets me in trouble. Sometimes, it keeps me from completely falling apart. So I have taken one of the most serious and unpleasant things i can think of, and combined it with one of the most fun and silly things I can come up with.”
Somebody dies on every page, and there are fun activities, too! There’s a word search of human parasites, a crossword of sexually transmitted diseases, and a maze that leads to the electric chair. Some pages are serious, but most of it is all in good fun. A way to colorfully laugh death in the face, and have fun doing it. For the kid in all of us, but definitely not your actual kids. Life will find enough ways to scar them, don’t help it along.
The pledge rewards are as delightfully disturbing as the book itself, including signed or unsigned pocket sized and regular print editions, a hand-made batik image of the “clowns” page, and even a page in the book depicting you dying in some horrible fashion! Seriously, if you’re anything like me, and any other time I would say god forbid you are, this is something you must have in your life.
Lastly this week we have Varney the Vampire, by Scott’s Massino and Kolins.
“His life stolen by Bram Stoker in “Dracula,” the world’s first vampire hires his modern-day screenwriter kin to reclaim his reputation.”
Varney The Vampire is a fun horror-comedy for mature readers, written by Scott Massino, with artwork by veteran comic artist Scott Kolins. This book is “For fans who want to see a foul-mouthed, denture-fang-wearing, 4 foot 5 vampire do your ex’s mom from atop a foot stool, film it on his Iphone, and then post it later on Youtube and send you a copy.”
No sparkles hear, this vampire has bite! Don’t believe me? Go read the first two parts on thrillbent.com for FREE right now. Seriously, I’ll wait.
You’re back? Good. What did I tell ya? Now you know what you have to do, right? Let’s get this sucker backed!
The funding will go toward production, printing, distribution, and Kickstarter fees. Even the writer won’t see a dime of it, as he is forgoing his fee because he truly believes in the project. The creators not only want to bring us a vampire for the 21st century, but want to give Varney, THE FIRST VAMPIRE his long-deserved credit.
The pledge rewards for this campaign are insane! You have your usual digital as well as glorious hardcover print copies of the book, your name listed as a “Blood Donor” in the book, CGC combo packs, actual pages from the book, original lobby card art, even portfolio reviews by comic professionals! And what professionals they have! Dan Panosian, Michael Avon Oeming, Jamal Igle, and more!
This really is a fantastically funny and dark book, and puts vampires back on the terrifying map!
These are just a few of the unique and interesting projects waiting to be crowd funded this week. There are plenty more out there, with new ones going up every day. The great thing about crowd funding, as well as its biggest flaw, is that these projects only happen if they get funded, so if you see something you like, pledge away! See you next week!
Previous columns:
Tangled Weeds, Red Hot Rebellion II, The Cape Creator, WW3 Illustrated
Exclusive Merrick: The Sensational Elephant Man Creator Interview
She Makes Comics, Deitch Miscellany, Menton 3′s Katabasis, Through the Dust of Empyrean
Fist Of Justice, The Tethermen & The Neolithics, Pinoy Komiks, Comic Book People
