Author: JK Parkin

Kickstarter’s comics projects have increased by 14% this year

The crowdfunding platform shares some of their data for the first half of 2023, as comics projects continue to flourish on the site.

Crowdfunding continues to serve as a viable method for creators to fund their creative endeavors, as comic-related projects flourish on sites like Kickstarter. Even with the rough economic environment we’ve seen over the last six months, with rate hikes, inflation and layoffs, comics-related projects on Kickstarter have remained resilient — and have even grown compared to last year.

With Comic-Con on the horizon and the first half of the year complete, Kickstarter shared some of their recent data with us.

In the first half of the year:

  • Comic projects on the platform grew by 14% when compared to the first half of 2022. Comic projects in the first half of 2022 numbered 1,457 and increased to 1,666 in the first half of 2023.
  • Dollars pledged to comics campaigns also increased, from $14.4 million in 2022 to $17.6 million in 2023.
  • While the number of overall projects increased, so did the number of successful projects. 1,171 comics projects, or 78.1%, successfully met their funding goal this year. This is a 13.5% increase compared to the same time last year. 
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Flash Gordon will soar again at Mad Cave

The publisher plans both new and reprint titles, which will kick off next year.

Mad Cave Studios and King Features have announced plans for Mad Cave to publish new Flash Gordon comics, along with reprints of older material and graphic novels.

In addition Papercutz, the middle-grade imprint owned by Mad Cave, will publish new Flash Gordon comics aimed at that younger audience.

“As one of the first action heroes Flash Gordon has always been powerhouse in the comics universe,’ said Christina Nix Lynch, King Features’ licensing director. “We’re delighted to have a partner like Mad Cave Studios on board who are true Flash fans as well as publishing experts. This program will bring a long-awaited, regular stream of new and legacy content to generations of readers.”

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Top Cow opens ‘Destiny Gate’ in October

Ryan Cady, Christian DiBari and Simon Gough bring the upcoming video game to comics.

Top Cow is teaming once again with video game designers EP1T0ME Studios to co-produce and to publish Destiny Gate, a “noir thriller” comic.

This will be the fourth title the two companies have collaborated on, following St. Mercy, The Clay People: Colossus, and Revolvers. This one is based on a video game concept by Paul Limon, which EP1T0ME plans to make in the future.

“I told Paul, an ex-Blizzard artist, that his Destiny Gate game pitch was one of the best I’d ever read;” said Richard Leibowitz, President at EP1T0ME. “We’re happy to work with Paul and Top Cow to make the comic and look forward to making the game next.”

Writer Ryan Cady, whose Haunt You to the End debuted a few weeks ago, will work with illustrator Christian DiBari, who drew The Clay People: Colossus, and colorist Simon Gough.

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A killer doll runs wild and Betty gets a superhero upgrade in this preview of ‘World of Betty & Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest’ #27

The Boy Buddies and Mr. Justice return to Riverdale in two new stories appearing in next week’s digest from Archie Comics.

Courtesy of Archie Comics, we’re pleased to present a preview of two new stories from World of Betty & Veronica Jumbo Comics Digest #27, which comes out July 19.

This week we start with an homage to the already classic killer-doll-run-wild movie M3GAN, as the Little Archies call in the Boy Buddies to help them stop M1N3RVA 2.0, a doll Little Dilton brought to life with an AI upgrade. This one is by Ron Robbins, Steven Butler, Bob Smith, Glenn Whitmore and Jack Morelli.

Then, in the second story, Mr. Justice is back in Riverdale looking for another sidekick — I guess things didn’t go so well with Moose — and this time he has his sights set on Superteen, aka Betty Cooper. Ian Flynn, Bill Golliher and Jim Amash team with Whitmore and Morelli on this one.

Check out both stories below, along with a complete classic Veronica story by Jamie L. Rotante and Dan Parent.

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Street Noise announces two new titles for fall 2023

New projects from Joseph Kai and Karina Shor will arrive from the nonfiction graphic novel publisher later this year.

Activist nonfiction graphic novel publisher Street Noise has announced two new graphic novels it will release this fall: Restless, by Joseph Kai, and Silence, Full Stop, by Karina Shor.

“I’m blown away by the two books we have coming to you in the fall of 2023. Each of these books is breathtaking and transporting in its artwork, and both Joseph Kai and Karina Shor have the power to take us outside ourselves and broaden our understanding of the struggles and trauma of the life of another,” said Liz Frances, Street Noise publisher and founder in a statement. “These graphic novels are clear examples of the transformative nature of the art of comics.”

Street Noise Books is a fairly new publisher but already has an impressive list of books under their name, by creators like Hayley Gold, Tracy White, Gabriel Ebensperger, Elizabeth A. Trembley, Woodrow Phoenix and more. You can check out their backlist here.

Here are more details on both graphic novels:

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Nominees announced for the 2023 Ringo Awards

The awards will be presented during the Baltimore Comic-Con on Sept. 9.

The nominees for the 2023 Ringo Awards have been announced, marking the seventh year for the awards program named for artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away in 2007.

Nominees were chosen by fans, along with a panel of judges. The awards presentation will take place at The Baltimore Comic-Con on Sept. 9.

And this year’s nominees are …

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There’s another new Carnage series coming later this year

‘Carnage’ by Torunn Grønbekk and Pere Pérez will arrive in November.

It looks like Marvel’s “Summer of Symbiotes” will extend into the fall, as the publisher has announced a new Carnage series will debut later this year. The announcement comes the same week that Web of Carnage debuted in shops, so if you like Carnage, well, this is your best week ever.

The new title comes from writer Torunn Grønbekk and artist Pere Pérez who set out “to reunite the bloodthirsty symbiote with its equally ruthless host.” Currently Cletus Kasady is split from the Carnage symbiote, but it sounds like that could be changing.

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‘I basically wanted to make the greatest Toonami show that never existed’: Kennedy + Formisano bring the supernatural to life in ‘Nights’

The ongoing series will arrive from Image Comics in October.

Wyatt Kennedy, writer of the Image series Bolero, will team with artist Luigi Formisano for a new series featuring vampires, alternate history and Florida.

Nights, a new ongoing series, will debut from Image Comics this fall.

“I basically wanted to make the greatest Toonami show that never existed,” Kennedy said. “There’s so many bizarre genre-bending elements with horror, comedy, action and romance, but the characters are the true heart of this story. Expect an episodic start to the ‘season’ as it were, but we’re ramping up to tell an incredible near apocalyptic event love story.”

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Winter Soldier forms a new Thunderbolts team in December

Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing and Geraldo Borges plot a new course for Bucky Barnes, Black Widow, Shang-Chi and more.

Marvel will launch a new Thunderbolts comic in December by recent Captain America writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, and artist Geraldo Borges. Kelly and Lanzing’s helped architect the recent Cold War crossover and Bucky Barnes’ new role in the Marvel Universe, which will be the focus of the new title.

The new line-up includes Black Widow and White Widow, as well as U.S. Agent, Red Guardian, Shang-Chi and Sharon Carter, aka Destroyer. They are led by Winter Soldier and Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine — so it’s very close to the line-up for the upcoming Thunderbolts film.

“Welcome to Operation: Worldstrike! The Hivemind is wildly excited to continue the saga we began with Carmen Carnero in Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty—while also starting anew with a dangerous and unpredictable cast from across the Marvel Universe,” Kelly and Lanzing said. “The call has gone out to all those who call the shadows their home; every spy, assassin, and renegade has a part to play in Bucky Barnes’ all-encompassing and uncompromising hit on the singular, monstrous living symbol of fascism: the Red Skull. Alongside our old friend Geraldo Borges, we’re taking this opportunity to tell a very different kind of team book. This is a whole new era for the Thunderbolts and it starts with a four-part espionage epic, an ever-shifting cast and a single overarching goal: to tear down a century of Nazi evil with justice like lightning.”

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Can’t Wait for Comics | ‘World’s Finest: Teen Titans,’ ‘Web of Carnage’ and more debut this week

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles meet the kids from ‘Stranger Things,’ Moon Knight hits a milestone, Knight Terrors kicks into high gear and … Svengoolie?

Welcome to Can’t Wait for Comics, your guide to what comics are arriving in comic book stores, bookstores and on digital. It’s another packed week as summer hits its stride, with more Knight Terrors, a new Carnage title, a big TMNT/Stranger Things crossover and more.

I’ve pulled out some of the highlights below, but for the complete list of everything you might find at your local comic shop and on digital this week, you’ll want to check out one or more of the following:

As a reminder, things can change and what you find on the above lists may differ from what’s actually arriving in your local shop. So always check with your comics retailer for the final word on availability.

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Smash Pages Q&A | Paul Cornell on ‘Con & On’

The writer of Ahoy’s newest title talks about comic conventions, working with Marika Cresta and more.

Most people reading this are probably familiar with the San Diego Comic-Con, the annual gathering of Hollywood, the comics community, media of all shapes and sizes, and fans from around the world. But are you familiar with the Vista Al Mar Comics Festival, which also has taken place on the California coast for the past five decades?

If not, don’t worry — the Vista Al Mar Comics Festival is fictional, a construct of writer Paul Cornell and artist Marika Cresta for their new miniseries from Ahoy Comics, Con & On. The first issue arrives in stores this week.

The comic is set in five different years in the life of the Festival—one year per issue, spanning three decades—from the points of view of “a diverse bunch of desperate people whose lives revolve around this greatest show on Earth.” The comic will track the lives of two young comics talents trying to break into the business; three “brilliant, boozy and bombastic” British creators; as well as crusty editors, forgotten TV stars and fans who “make the convention experience something to revisit year after year.” 

Cornell was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about his work on the title, as well as share some convention memories. My thanks for his time.

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Slugfest | Mary Jane officially becomes a superhero in ‘Amazing Spider-Man’ #31

Plus: News on the Witcher’s next comic series, White Widow, ‘Coda’ returns, Ram V and Filipe Andrade reunite, ‘Killer Queens’ is back, and more.

Slugfest is a roundup of cool announcements about projects coming to a shelf near you. Hit the links for more information.

Marvel has been teasing Mary Jane Watson’s new power set, most notably in the recent Mary Jane & Black Cat miniseries, but the longtime supporting character will put on a costume and go full superhero in Amazing Spider-Man #31.

The oversized issue will not only feature a story by the regular creative team of Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr., but also will include a story by Celeste Bronfman and Alba Glez that features Mary Jane suiting up to become Jackpot.

Here’s a look at her costume, designed by Humberto Ramos:

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