As crowdfunding continues to serve as a viable method for creators to fund their creative endeavors, comic-related projects flourish on sites like Kickstarter, Patreon and IndieGoGo. The internet also allows creators to sell their projects direct to fans, through sites like Gumroad, Etsy and of course their own websites. If you’re looking to buy something from or support a creator directly, you’ve come to the right place.
Here’s a look at a few recent projects that fall into those buckets that caught my eye. Send any suggestions of your own to jkparkin@yahoo.com.
THE BOX CITY WALLOPS COLOR SPECIALS
Creators involved: Jim Lawson
Platform: Kickstarter
What to know: Lawson, probably best known for his work on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, has crowdfunded several of his own comics through Kickstarter over the last few years, including The Box City Wallops — a team of alien teen-aged superheroes. This is the first time they’ll appear in color, and he’s enlisted Dmitry Bobrovnik as colorist for the project.
From the Kickstarter page:
The Box City Wallops actually began life in 2016, and was originally a self-published, Kickstarter exclusive, black and white comic. There were 2 issues (1 and 2) and for those of you that backed that campaign, those same 2 issues are reprinted in this volume, although of course now in color. At that time, my intention was to print all the issues singly, but when that didn’t work out I reevaluated my idea and decided that a color trade paperback would be the way to go.
To be clear, there will be 2 books I’m making available here. The first book will be the trade paperback. It will be 210 pages and will combine the first 7 issues of The Box City Wallops in one volume. The second book presented here will be a 48 page bonus story- The Happiness Creature. Also color, this bonus comic will be available with 5 covers created exclusively for this project and offered only here. Please be aware here that I consider my cover the main cover and in addition to that there will also be the 4 variants- total 5.
What’s the deal? $10 gets you a digital copy of both books, while $35 gets you signed print copies. Higher tiers offer sketch cards, variant covers and original art.
World War Terminus
Creators involved: Jakob Free, Alchemichael, Nic J. Shaw
Platform: Gumroad
What to know: A few weeks back we ran a preview of Cayrels Ring, featuring artwork by Alchemichael. I really enjoyed his work, so I went looking for some of his other projects — and discovered this, a collaboration with Jakob Free. It’s a high-concept story featuring miniature aliens attacking human bodies, and the soldiers tasked with defending them. If you like science fiction comics with great art, this is for you.
Here’s the description:
In the not-too-distant future, humans are under attack from cancer-like outbreaks called Intralien Invasions. These invasions are just that, intrusions upon the human body, at the subatomic level, by living, breathing, thinking beings.
There is a solution for those that can afford it: A private military company called The Micro-Union–in possession of cutting-edge size-changing technology–will send its roughneck platoons into a host body to destroys the Intraliens living within.
The Soldier Called Rickard leads the most effective fighting team in the entire Micro Union.
On a routine mission inside the body of a foreign dignitary, Rickard has a change of heart and sets into motion a chain of events that will utterly destroy the Tanhauser Squad, once and for all.
What’s the deal? $2 gets you a digital copy.
The Comic Book History of Animation
Creators involved: Fred Van Lente, Ryan Dunlavey
Platform: Kickstarter
What to know: The team behind such nonfiction comic books as Action Philosophers and The Comic Book History of Comic Books re-team for a fun and crazy look at the history of animation. The plan to cover everything from the first cartoon and animation’s early history through the “CGI Sensations” of more modern times. They’ll release it as five digital issues before collecting it into a single volume.
What’s the deal? $20 gets you the digital subscription, while $40 gets you a hardcover volume of everything (plus the digital sub). Higher tiers offer commissions, a process-oriented edition and even Dunlavey’s thumbnails for the book.
Cartoon Art Museum Calvin & Hobbes Fundraiser
Creators involved: A lot!
Platform: eBay
What to know: The Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco is holding a fundraising tribute auction, featuring Bill Watterson’s Calvin & Hobbes. Various cartoonists and artists have drawn pieces that pay tribute to the classic comic strip duo, which will be featured in an exhibit at the musuem in March: A Boy and his Tiger: A Tribute to Bill Watterson. The individual pieces are also available up on eBay, like this one from Riley Rossmo:
Other artists who have contributed pieces include Roger Langridge, Jeffrey Brown, Brian Fies, Lynn Johnston and Patrick McDonnell, among many others.
They’ve been putting up pieces since December, adding 3-4 every other week. You can see all of them on their Comic Art Fans page.
What’s the deal? It’s an auction, so prices will vary. Head over to eBay to see what they’re currently going for.
Quick Hits
- The award-winning political/nonfiction comics website The Nib now has an online store, offering print copies of their magazine and some of their collections, as well as graphic novels from many of their contributors. It’s a good way to support the site.
- Speaking of buying comics and graphic novels, John Porcellino has added a whole bunch of new stuff to the Spit and a Half site, including books and minicomics from Noah Van Sciver, Edie Fake, David Lasky, Mandy Ord, Keiler Roberts, David Heatley and Gilbert Hernandez.
- Andi Watson is offering many of his charming comics and other works on Gumroad now.
- Finally, Kickstarter employees voted to join a union earlier this month.