Tag: crowdfunding

Abbott and Costello return to comics to face the monsters once again

The legendary comedy duo will face the Night Stalker, the Morlocks and Cthulhu in a new comic book series from Monstrous, with T-shirts featuring art by Russ Braun and Zac Atkinson.

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are returning to comics for the first time in more than 50 years, and they’re bringing some monstrous company with them.

Monstrous Books is launching a Kickstarter campaign for Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters, a new series that pairs the legendary comedy duo with horror icons and supernatural threats they never encountered in their classic films.

The campaign will feature three full-length comics written by James Aquilone, along with variant covers by an array of artists and exclusive merchandise. Smash Pages can exclusively reveal the T-shirt designs that will be available through the campaign, featuring artwork by Russ Braun and Zac Atkinson.

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Oni Press takes Adventure Time comics to Kickstarter with six-volume deluxe library

The campaign collects more than 100 issues across six oversized hardcovers, with Kickstarter-exclusive slipcases, a Jake the Dog metal bookmark and sticker set.

Oni Press is bringing 15 years of Adventure Time comics together in a six-volume deluxe hardcover collection that’ll be available through a Kickstarter campaign.

The Adventure Time Deluxe Comics Library campaign, launching today, will collect more than 100 issues of the comics series in six oversized hardcover volumes, including material from the original 2012 run published by BOOM! Studios and Oni Press’ 2025 continuation.

Each volume will come with a Kickstarter-exclusive slipcase, with the books also available individually, as a six-volume bundle or through two limited-edition box sets themed around the Land of Ooo and Land of BMO.

“The Adventure Time Deluxe Comics Library slipcase editions are entirely Kickstarter exclusive and will never be made available in mass quantities anywhere else,” Oni Press Director of Business Development Sam Kusek said. “This campaign is a celebration of the comic adventures of Finn, Jake, Princess Bubblegum, Marceline … the list goes on and on.”

As an exclusive first look for Smash Pages, the campaign’s Land of Ooo box set will include a metal Jake the Dog bookmark and an Adventure Time sticker set:

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Smash Pages Q&A | Hank Kanalz on the Marvel Masterworks line moving to Clover Press

The Kickstarter for the first four volumes is now live.

For nearly 40 years, Marvel Masterworks has been one of Marvel Comics’ definitive archival collections, bringing classic stories from across the company’s history to readers in carefully produced hardcover editions. Now the long-running line enters a new era with a new publisher, as Clover Press takes over publication.

The boutique publisher behind the line of comics-related art books, special editions and original comics launched its first Marvel Masterworks releases yesterday through Kickstarter, with plans to bring them to the direct market. The first wave includes Marvel Masterworks: The Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 18; The Mighty Thor, Vol. 25; The Tomb of Dracula, Vol. 6; and Super-Villain Team-Up, Vol. 1.

The new editions will retain the familiar Marvel Masterworks legacy trade dress while also introducing a new variant design by Clover Press art director and co-founder Robbie Robbins. But the publisher’s plans go well beyond a new look. The books will feature extensive restoration work overseen by longtime Marvel Masterworks editor Cory Sedlmeier, including material restored from original art, new scans and high-resolution reproduction.

I spoke with Clover Press co-founder Hank Kanalz about how the partnership with Marvel came together, why maintaining continuity with the existing line was important, the challenges of restoring hundreds of pages of classic comics and what Clover Press has planned for Marvel Masterworks over the next three years.

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Smash Pages Q&A | Zack Quaintance on ‘Death of Comics Bookcase: Reign of the Comics Bookcases’

Quaintance talks to us about his latest project, which is currently up on Kickstarter, as well as writing comics about comics and the enduring legacy of an aspiring actor-turned-furniture.

Death of Comics Bookcase started with a pretty simple question: What if a comics bookcase could tell stories?

Two years after the first volume, Zack Quaintance is back with Death of Comics Bookcase, Vol. 2: Reign of the Comics Bookcases, a 48-page anthology that uses its titular piece of furniture as a framing device for stories that range from superheroics and science fiction to fantasy and comics-industry satire.

Quaintance, a writer and editor at The Beat, brings his own experience as a comics journalist to the project, recruiting artists whose work he’s encountered through his reviewing and reporting. Reign of the Comics Bookcases features stories illustrated by Nick Cagnetti, John P. Golden, Luke Horsman, Ryan Lee, Jeremy Hyler and Jim Lavery.

The second volume is currently up on Kickstarter, following the first book’s successful 2024 campaign. I talked with Quaintance about the secret origin of the Comics Bookcase, finding the right artists for each story and what comes next for the Bookcase.

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Clover Press reveals Marvel Masterworks plans, including four new volumes and a Jim Lee puzzle

The publisher will launch its new era of Marvel’s iconic archival series with restored editions of X-Men, Thor, Super-Villain Team-Up and Tomb of Dracula, and we have an exclusive look at one of the Kickstarter rewards.

The return of Marvel Masterworks under Clover Press was one of the more well-received announcements to emerge from San Diego Comic-Con this summer, especially from fans of the line. Now, the publisher is revealing exactly what that new era will look like as they prepare to launch the first Kickstarter for it.

Clover Press has announced the first four volumes of its ambitious plan to continue Marvel’s long-running archival hardcover series, with new editions devoted to The Uncanny X-Men, Super-Villain Team-Up, The Mighty Thor and The Tomb of Dracula. The books will feature extensive new restoration work, including hundreds of pages sourced directly from original art, as well as three distinct cover treatments, including a new trade dress designed by Clover Press co-founder and art director Robbie Robbins.

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Smash Pages Q&A | Zeronis on the art of character design

The ‘League of Legends’ artist looks back at the games, anime and personal artwork that shaped his distinctive style in ‘Reminiscent: Art of Zeronis.’

Paul “Zeronis” Kwon has spent much of his career creating characters for some of the biggest games in the world, including League of Legends, where he helped design fan-favorite champions such as Ahri, Vi and Gwen. He also worked on the Star Guardian universe and K/DA, bringing familiar characters into different visual worlds.

But Zeronis’ path to the video game industry began much earlier, with Final Fantasy VII and a young artist trying to make friends after moving from Korea to the United States. Unable to speak English, he drew Cloud Strife from memory and gave the drawings to his classmates.

That early connection between games and art eventually became a career, but Zeronis says his artistic identity is still evolving. His new book, Reminiscent: Art of Zeronis, collects 152 pages of professional work, fan art and, most importantly, personal pieces that show the experimentation happening outside the constraints of game development. The deluxe hardcover is currently being crowdfunded through Kickstarter by Clover Press.

I spoke with Zeronis about finding his artistic voice, the difference between designing characters for games and for himself, the lessons he learned creating League of Legends champions and skins, and the games and anime that continue to inspire him.

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First Look: Planetoid Raiders get their own retro-style hats

Wandering Planet Toys’ upcoming Kickstarter campaign will include exclusive baseball hats celebrating the Planetoid Raiders and mysterious Arcade Raiders.

The Planetoid Raiders are getting ready to invade Kickstarter, and they’re bringing some headwear with them.

I mentioned these new action figures a few days ago with the news about the Cthuluchador and Ultimoth Warrior figures that Wandering Planet is doing, but now we have an exclusive first look at two new hats that will be available as part of Wandering Planet Toys’ upcoming Planetoid Raiders Kickstarter campaign. The retro-inspired hats celebrate the company’s new line of collectible space adventurers, as well as the mysterious Arcade Raiders.

If you think they look like knock-offs of the original Star Wars action figures Kenner released back in the day, well, that’s what they’re going for. I also feel a little Yo Gabba Gabba being channeled here, but that might just be me:

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Cthulhu + Mothman throw down in Wandering Planet’s Cryptid Combat figures

VELIKAN’s 5-inch sofubi-style Cthuluchador and Ultimoth Warrior bring cosmic horror and wrestling to the toy shelf.

Cthulhu and Mothman are about to settle their differences the only way two legendary monsters can: by getting in the ring and throwing down.

Wandering Planet Toys has teamed with sculptor and horror artist VELIKAN to crowdfund Cryptid Combat, a new pair of 5-inch soft-vinyl art toys that mash up classic horror, cryptid lore and good ole’ professional wrestling. The lineup pits H.P. Lovecraft’s ancient evil against the legendary creature of Point Pleasant, with Cthuluchador taking on the Ultimoth Warrior.

Inspired in part by VELIKAN’s childhood love of professional wrestling and later fascination with Lovecraft and cryptids, the figures are hand-sculpted and reproduced in Japanese sofubi-style soft vinyl. The original sculpts stand seven inches tall to accommodate the intricate details before being scanned and painstakingly reproduced by sofubi artisans.

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Smash Pages Q&A | Mike Kennedy from Magnetic Press on ‘Loba Loca’

The publisher talks with us about their latest team-up with Label 619 and more.

Magnetic Press is about halfway through their Kickstarter campaign for Loba Loca, a graphic novel set in the MFKZ Universe from creators Guillaume “Run” Renard and Guillaume Singelin of Label 619 in France. The project has already blown past its modest goal with more than $46,000 in raised funds and another two weeks to go.

The graphic novel is about Guadalupe “Guada” Mayflower, a 17-year-old who discovers her infamous luchadore father may have once saved the world. This sends her on a dangerous road trip to confront her family’s past that involves other masked luchadores, underworld figures and more.

I caught up with Magnetic Press’ Director of Publishing Mike Kennedy to talk about what drew Magnetic Press to the project, their relationship with Label 619 and, of course, the role of lucha libre in the book.

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Exclusive | First look at the ‘Loba Loca’ Slipcase Edition as Magnetic Press returns to the MFKZ universe

The world of the cult animated film expands with a road trip graphic novel about a teenager who uncovers dangerous family secrets.

Magnetic Press are preparing to crowdfund Loba Loca, a new graphic novel set in the MFKZ Universe from creators Guillaume “Run” Renard and Guillaume Singelin. The Kickstarter campaign will launch soon, and we’re happy to give an exclusive first look at the limited edition slipcase that’ll be available as a reward.

The book follows Guadalupe “Guada” Mayflower, a rebellious 17-year-old whose house arrest leads her to discover a diary that upends everything she thought she knew about her family, including the identity of her infamous father, a luchadore who once, maybe, saved the world. The revelation sends her on a dangerous road trip through a criminal underworld populated by other masked luchadores, underworld figures and (gasp!) reality show stars.

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Exclusive | Bit Bot reveals ‘Thief: Pulse of Promise’ apparel ahead of crowdfunding campaign

Bit Bot unveils officially licensed shirts, hats and hoodies inspired by the classic video game franchise ahead of the BackerKit campaign for its new graphic novel.

One of gaming’s most influential stealth franchises is returning as a graphic novel, and we’ve got a first look at some of the merchandise that will accompany it. You can sign up to find out when the campaign will launch on its BackerKit page.

We’re happy to exclusively reveal the first apparel from Bit Bot’s upcoming Thief: Pulse of Promise crowdfunding campaign, including officially licensed T-shirts, hoodies and hats celebrating Garrett and the world of Thief. The collectibles will accompany the publisher’s upcoming BackerKit campaign for the new graphic novel, which bridges the events of Thief: The Dark Project and Thief II: The Metal Age.

Written by Joshua Viola and Sean Eads, with artwork by Emanuele Ercolani and Gianluca Papi, Thief: Pulse of Promise follows master thief Garrett after what appears to be a routine burglary spirals into a mystery involving forgotten Keeper secrets, hidden powers beneath the city and a young boy whose fate could shape the future. The story is set between the original Thief and Thief II: The Metal Age and includes appearances by fan-favorite characters Artemus and Father Karras.

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Crowdpuncher | ‘Sink Your Teeth In,’ ‘The Monuments’ + more comics crowdfunding campaigns

Check out comics and graphic novels you can support by Juni Ba, Shelly Bond, Zoe Tunnell. Lauren Knight, Jordan Thomas, Chris Matthews and more.

Welcome to Crowdpuncher, where we round up cool comics crowdfunding campaigns. If you’re looking to buy from or support a creator directly, you’ve come to the right place.

Zoe Tunnell and Lauren Knight are back with another issue of Sink Your Teeth In, their mature sapphic vampire noir set in a Chicago divided by four rival factions of powerful undead. The comic is coming from the DEATHline imprint of Lifeline Comics, the publisher headed up by Kat Calamia and Phil Falco.

The series follows Corsica Smith, a vampire P.I. who has fallen far from her once-elite status, and Florence Carmichael, the woman who turned her decades ago and now needs Corsica’s help.

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