Kickstarter (click for source) By Sarah Wagner
With USD $1.32 billion donated overall since the start, Kickstarter is the most successful crowd-funding site in existence, and the place to go for artistic types who need the funding to launch their creations into the world. From theatre to games, design to film, music to books, there’s a Kickstarter project to get everyone inspired and, for us comic fans, it’s swiftly becoming one of the most exciting places to see and support new talent.
So, for those of us yet to be formally introduced to the weird and wonderful world of Kickstarter, how does it work, and how did it all begin?
With USD $1.32 billion donated overall since the start, Kickstarter is the most successful crowd-funding site in existence, and the place to go for artistic types who need the funding to launch their creations into the world. From theatre to games, design to film, music to books, there’s a Kickstarter project to get everyone inspired and, for us comic fans, it’s swiftly becoming one of the most exciting places to see and support new talent.
So, for those of us yet to be formally introduced to the weird and wonderful world of Kickstarter, how does it work, and how did it all begin?
Tobacco-Stained Mountain Goat (click for source) Kickstarter kicked-off (sorry, couldn’t resist), back in 2009 in Brooklyn, New York, as a way of supporting and promoting independent creative projects, by helping artists raise the funds they need to publish and distribute their work to a global audience. Described by one user as ‘the most democratic way art has ever been made’, Kickstarter ensures that artists retain 100% creative rights over their project, avoiding the tug-of-war over decisions and direction that some artists face when dealing with private investors.
From writing the project title and blurb to shooting an inspiring video, it’s simple and easy to create your Kickstarter page. Once uploaded, your project will be visible to people all over the world, giving them the opportunity to find out more about your work and, most importantly, donate whatever they can spare to help you reach your target by the deadline. You can also offer rewards to readers, making the whole experience more interactive and rewarding, and ensuring everyone can feel part of the creative process.
So, what does this mean for the world of comics? Well, with 2,239 comic projects successfully funded since conception (amounting to a staggering USD $32 million), Kickstarter is one of the most successful ways for up-and-coming comic artists and writers to get their work out there, while still retaining a level of control and artistic freedom they may not have had working for an established publisher. What’s more, with 152 live comics projects on the go, Kickstarter shows no sign of slowing down in its backing of new comic creators.
At I’m With Geek, we love to show our support for up-and-coming writers and artists who, like us, are working to make their way in the world. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be reviewing some of the recent comics successfully funded through Kickstarter, by fresh talent from across the globe. To give you a taste of what’s to come, here’s a selection of some of our top-tipped, newly-funded projects:
From writing the project title and blurb to shooting an inspiring video, it’s simple and easy to create your Kickstarter page. Once uploaded, your project will be visible to people all over the world, giving them the opportunity to find out more about your work and, most importantly, donate whatever they can spare to help you reach your target by the deadline. You can also offer rewards to readers, making the whole experience more interactive and rewarding, and ensuring everyone can feel part of the creative process.
So, what does this mean for the world of comics? Well, with 2,239 comic projects successfully funded since conception (amounting to a staggering USD $32 million), Kickstarter is one of the most successful ways for up-and-coming comic artists and writers to get their work out there, while still retaining a level of control and artistic freedom they may not have had working for an established publisher. What’s more, with 152 live comics projects on the go, Kickstarter shows no sign of slowing down in its backing of new comic creators.
At I’m With Geek, we love to show our support for up-and-coming writers and artists who, like us, are working to make their way in the world. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be reviewing some of the recent comics successfully funded through Kickstarter, by fresh talent from across the globe. To give you a taste of what’s to come, here’s a selection of some of our top-tipped, newly-funded projects:
Pumpkinface - Origins (click for source) Tobacco-Stained Mountain Goat – by Andrez Bergen (Australia/Japan)
Created by Australian artist and writer, Andrez Bergen, and his daughter Cocoa, Tobacco-Stained Mountain Goat is a graphic novel adaptation of Bergen’s acclaimed 2011 dystopian novel of the same name. Set in Melbourne, Australia, the story follows the life of Floyd Maquina and explodes onto the page in a riot of guns, kidnappings and chaos, with artwork inspired by Dada, Terry Gillam and Dr Seuss. Having beaten its Kickstarter target of AUD $3,500, with donations amounting to AUD $5,262, the comic sold half its print run on the first day of release, and is now available on IF? Commix website. We’ve got our mitts on one of the first copies, and will be reviewing it for your reading pleasure soon.
Sithrah – by Jason Brubaker (USA)
Inspired by 90s comic artists, Brubaker’s unique hard-cover, cloth-bound sci-fi comic, Sithrah, follows the story of a seven-year-old girl navigating the world alone after a plane crash. Searching for her missing father, the little girl glimpses an invisible creature following her across the deserted landscape, in an unusual story that is part comic, part novel and part children’s story. Having demolished its original Kickstarter target of USD $17,000, the campaign closed just four days ago with an astounding total of USD $51, 761, over 3 times its original aim. By posting each page as he finishes it, Brubaker (a visual developer for Dreamworks Animation) has kept readers in suspense, and we’ll be reviewing the story so far.
Pumpkinface - Origins – by Graeme Buchan (UK)
With six projects already successfully funded and another one in progress, Graeme Buchan is a Kickstarter aficionado. Pumpkinface - Origins reveals the backstory of Pumpkinface, the twisted and creepy villain from Buchan’s Creepy Scarlett series. Previously featured on the Comics section, Pumpkinface – Origins beat its Kickstarter target of GBP £1,500 on 22nd September and is on target for a Halloween shipping date. We’ll be tracking down a copy to get us all in the mood for ‘trick or treat’ come October 31st.
Love independent comics? A massive fan of Kickstarter? Can't wait to read more about Tobacco-Stained Mountain Goat? Let us know what you think below.
Created by Australian artist and writer, Andrez Bergen, and his daughter Cocoa, Tobacco-Stained Mountain Goat is a graphic novel adaptation of Bergen’s acclaimed 2011 dystopian novel of the same name. Set in Melbourne, Australia, the story follows the life of Floyd Maquina and explodes onto the page in a riot of guns, kidnappings and chaos, with artwork inspired by Dada, Terry Gillam and Dr Seuss. Having beaten its Kickstarter target of AUD $3,500, with donations amounting to AUD $5,262, the comic sold half its print run on the first day of release, and is now available on IF? Commix website. We’ve got our mitts on one of the first copies, and will be reviewing it for your reading pleasure soon.
Sithrah – by Jason Brubaker (USA)
Inspired by 90s comic artists, Brubaker’s unique hard-cover, cloth-bound sci-fi comic, Sithrah, follows the story of a seven-year-old girl navigating the world alone after a plane crash. Searching for her missing father, the little girl glimpses an invisible creature following her across the deserted landscape, in an unusual story that is part comic, part novel and part children’s story. Having demolished its original Kickstarter target of USD $17,000, the campaign closed just four days ago with an astounding total of USD $51, 761, over 3 times its original aim. By posting each page as he finishes it, Brubaker (a visual developer for Dreamworks Animation) has kept readers in suspense, and we’ll be reviewing the story so far.
Pumpkinface - Origins – by Graeme Buchan (UK)
With six projects already successfully funded and another one in progress, Graeme Buchan is a Kickstarter aficionado. Pumpkinface - Origins reveals the backstory of Pumpkinface, the twisted and creepy villain from Buchan’s Creepy Scarlett series. Previously featured on the Comics section, Pumpkinface – Origins beat its Kickstarter target of GBP £1,500 on 22nd September and is on target for a Halloween shipping date. We’ll be tracking down a copy to get us all in the mood for ‘trick or treat’ come October 31st.
Love independent comics? A massive fan of Kickstarter? Can't wait to read more about Tobacco-Stained Mountain Goat? Let us know what you think below.
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