Comic Watch is proud to spotlight and support crowdfunded projects across various platforms so that these creators are able to bring their creations and stories to life. Here are just a few of the projects that we feel deserve your attention and support.
Zoop Platform Funding
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The Fury, The Maelstrom, and The Kiwi
by M.H. Cali, Elsa Charretier, Liana Kangas, Skylar Patridge, Alison Sampson & many more
This is a story about revenge.
A story about having nothing left to lose.
This is definitely not a tale about redemption.
Because once you’ve fallen this far, there’s no way back. Darkness will consume you until your soul is dimmed, and your ideals have vanished.
You’ve been warned.
It’s Kill Bill meets Atomic Blonde in this sapphic spy tale by an all-star lineup of creator
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Comics Are Dying: The Comic
A satirical journey through the history of the comic book industry recounted by 100 one-page comics by 1 writer and 100 artists.
A Comic Book About the Comics Industry, By the Comics Industry, For the Comics Industry
For the better part of a century, people have said that comic books are dying. Crisis after crisis, the comic book industry has survived and lives to this day. So, to celebrate its harrowing journey into the 21st century, a satirical OGN about the history of comic books has taken shape. Introducing the ironically named Comics Are Dying: The Comic – a brief history and celebration of the comic book industry!
Curated and written by Louis Southard, a 24-year-old comic book writer (THE BLACKOUT BOMBSHELL / MIDNIGHT WESTERN THEATRE / VILLAINS SEEKING HERO), the book is about the history of comic books using one-page short story comics with a new artist for every page. The main goal was to create a diverse team of over 100 people featuring a collective of established as well as up-and-coming artists from all walks of life for this. Comics Are Dying: The Comic exists to create a fun, educational, tongue-in-cheek, parodic, and optimistic book to help attract new readers, give artists jobs, and help comic book stores. With your support, we can make this book a reality and spread some great art into the world.
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Who Killed Nessie?
Every year, legendary creatures from all over the world gather for an annual convention. But never has there been a murder.
Lindsay Grockle, a skeptical, rational young woman, agreed to be the manager of an isolated hotel in the Great Lakes to get over a terrible break-up that left her with zero self-confidence. Her partner was romantic, whimsical, a believer. And she kept telling him there were no such things as fairies. She arrives to find the former manager on his way out of the door, as if he’d been freed from a terrible burden. The rest of the staff have all elected to go on leave this weekend.
Every year, Lindsay is told, the cryptids gather here for their annual convention. But never has there been a murder. Suddenly, they can’t trust each other. They’ve locked the doors and prevented all external communication. The only person they can agree on to solve this mystery is Lindsay.
The creative team of Paul Cornell and Racheal Smith sat down with Comic Watch for an interview about the campaign currently running on Zoop
OUTCASTS
Days Left: 17
OUTCASTS is a gritty sci-fi/action story about Aaron, a former super-soldier afflicted with chronic asthma, who is cast out of the covert government program that created him. Armed with his specialized Battlehaler, Aaron takes to the streets as a vigilante, seeking redemption. His quest for reinstatement leads him to uncover a deep-rooted conspiracy that threatens to unravel the very fabric of his society.
Get ready for the next dope sci-fi story from Stone Harbor Comics, OUTCASTS, a gritty action series that’s all about knowing your worth. Meet Aaron, a former super-soldier and candidate of the Pinnacle Task Force, who, despite being their best, was cast out due to the development of his “imperfection” – chronic asthma, a side effect of the very procedure meant to enhance him. Never accepting his fate, Aaron becomes a vigilante with the aid of his high-tech Battlehaler, half staff, half inhaler. He now takes on the city’s worst by night while pretending to be just another office drone by day. But when a sinister plot surfaces, involving military-grade weapons and a vengeful inventor set on chaos, Aaron and his estranged friend Imara are thrust into an alliance to save the city he swore to protect.
Growing up with asthma, this project holds a special place in my heart. I was never a fan of the stereotypical representation of people who have asthma in storytelling. We’re always the nerdy, weak kid who can’t take the pressure. My goal is to help flip that depiction completely on its head. That’s why OUTCASTS isn’t just another comic book to me. It’s a story about not giving up, about fighting for your place in the world, even when the world doesn’t want to give you one.
This campaign is geared towards completing the first chapter in the series, which is an introduction to Aaron and his vigilantism on full display. It’s a blended style between Manga and Western comics with its black and white pages and splashes of color for heightened moments. With your help, we can bring this epic tale to life. We’re talking big battles, heart-stopping moments, and a story that’ll stick with you long after you’re done. But we need your support to make it happen. This is your chance to jump on board with something special, to help us shake up the sci-fi scene with a story about beating the odds and finding your purpose against all obstacles.
Let’s make OUTCASTS happen together. Chip in, spread the word, and let’s show everyone that anyone can don the cape, asthma and all!
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A Good Sport
by Soizick Jaffre
A Good Sport is a graphic memoir from French cartoonist Soizick Jaffre.
A Good Sport is a graphic memoir written and drawn by French cartoonist Soizick Jaffre, detailing her participation in the 2018 Gay Games, her lifelong love of athletics, and her own personal search for freedom. This memoir is visually rich with Jaffre’s colorful, expressive illustration style that runs the gamut from realistic portrayal to eye-popping surrealism. A Good Sport deftly balances both personal and world history to paint a picture of feminist triumph and queer self-determination.
Jaffre’s journey takes her from the beaches of France to the streets of Saigon, from the cafes of Tel Aviv to the bowling alleys of America. Along the way we learn some of the history of the Gay Games and their origins in Olympian Tom Waddell’s fight against discrimination. We also see how the Games provide a gathering point for a world of queer athletes whose drive to compete is also an expression of their personal struggles for equal rights in their home countries. Throughout A Good Sport, Jaffre makes the connection between one’s right to participate in a chosen sport and the “game of freedom” that we all must play to become our best selves.
A Good Sport is a full-color trade paperback over 150 pages in length, published by award-winning imprint Stacked Deck Press. It features an introduction by cartoonist and comics scholar Justin Hall and a foreword by Gay Games organizer Pascale Reinteau. A Good Sport has something to inspire, inform, and delight readers from all walks of life.
Upcoming Projects:
Previously featured campaigns still running and unfunded:
Previously featured, fully funded Kickstarters Worth A Look:
- I TOOK A HAMMER TO HELL #3 – 20 Days Left
- Death’s Kiss: A Supernatural Romance Comic for Readers 18+ – 11 Days Left
- True Believers: A Slasher Comic by Stephen Graham Jones – 11 Days Left
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Vampires on Mars #1—Sci-fi and dark comedy collide in space.
A 300-year-old vampire battles a vapid billionaire, volatile astronauts, and chaotic humans to complete her quest to step foot on Mars.
Days Left: 19
Billionaire Gary Laurie has a dream—to be the first person to safely send people to Mars. The problem is it can’t be done, and he’s losing billions in the process.
Desperate to save his dream, he turns the mission over to Hanna Von Fleischer, a brilliant, gorgeous, and mysterious woman who promises to get the crew to Mars and back.
Oh, and she also happens to be a 300-year-old vampire.
So, how much of your humanity would you give up to achieve your dreams?
Vampires on Mars blends the over-the-top vibe and humor of CHEW with the claustrophobic hunt of Aliens.
Written and co-created by George O’Connor, illustrated and co-created by Fernando Pinto, colored by Ellie Wright, and lettered by Justin Birch.
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Gods Among Men #1
BREAKING BAD meets TRAINSPOTTING in this socially disruptive true crime story. We invite you to peer through the looking glass.
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Kickstart the NW Museum of Cartoon Arts’ First Exhibit!
Launch NWMOCA’s community-oriented and funded inaugural exhibit: “Foundations of Pacific NW Cartooning.”
Days Left: 24
The Northwest Museum of Cartoon Arts (NWMOCA) is thrilled to announce its first major fundraiser, a $75,000 Kickstarter campaign set to run from April 2nd through May 7th. This campaign aims to finance the inaugural pop-up museum with an exhibit titled “Foundations of Pacific Northwest Cartooning,” curated by the esteemed Andrew Farago of the San Francisco Cartoon Arts Museum.
The pop-up exhibit promises to be an extraordinary showcase, featuring iconic Pacific Northwest-based cartooning legends, publishers, and studios. The venue will also house cartooning classes and community events focused on cartooning, comics, and animation. The expected venue will be the Lloyd Center in Portland—a location surrounded by a vibrant arts community, providing an ideal setting for an exceptional and visually stunning experience.
“Cartoon arts fans in the Pacific Northwest have asked for a place to celebrate and enjoy the power of cartoon arts which bring entertainment, education, and joy to fans worldwide,” says Mike Rosen, NWMOCA’s board chair. “Our Kickstarter campaign is the first step toward establishing a permanent home in Portland by 2025, and we are confident that the community’s support will propel us to success.”
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SIGNA: Issue #1 – Sci-Fi Adventure Comic
The debut of a new sci-fi comic from the acclaimed Transformers team of John Barber & Andrew Lee Griffith. Giant robots? Of Course
Days Left: 20
A hundred years after a war with renegade mining robots transformed the sun into a red giant, dooming the Earth, the grandchildren of that war struggle to survive off the ashes of the past. That is, until a scavenger named Ketna Vora and her crew find SIGNA—an old war mech that thinks it might know how to save the solar system. But the real question is: save it for who? Because after a century…the machines have returned.
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LGBTQ+ Fox & Wolf Enamel Pins
Celebrate Queer Pride with FOX & WOLF enamel pins representing different Pride Flags! GAY, TRANS, LESBIAN, PAN, ACE, BI, & NONBINARY!
Days Left: 12
Lifeline Comics is back with a set of new Fox/Wolf LGBTQ+ Pride Enamel Pins!
Featuring our returning Rainbow and Trans designs, as well as new Bisexual, Pansexual, Lesbian, Asexual, and Nonbinary Foxes & Wolves!
You can also get pins from our existing library of over thirty (30) designs to choose from! Everything from LGBTQ+ Labels to Pride-themed Animals to pins based on our comic book properties!
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LUMBERJANES 10th Anniversary Complete Comic Book Library
Reserve the complete LUMBERJANES graphic novel library in exclusive 10th Anniversary editions, plus limited edition collectibles!
Days Left: 25
Great Annie Edson Taylor! It’s time to celebrate 10 years of friendship to the max with the LUMBERJANES!
Exactly a decade ago, LUMBERJANES changed the face of the middle grade comic book and graphic novel landscape when the world was introduced to Jo, April, Mal, Molly, and Ripley and the magical world of Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady-Types.
Now, BOOM! Studios proudly commemorates the legacy of LUMBERJANES with the first-ever COMPLETE library of every LUMBERJANES comic book and graphic novel in a brand new 10th Anniversary eight volume hardcover set, along with limited edition, exclusive collectibles reserved for the truly most hardcore lady(and all other)-types.
What began as a limited series adventure within BOOM! Studios’ burgeoning BOOM! Box imprint soon exploded in popularity, capturing the imaginations of a generation of readers, and expanded into over 75 issues, a trilogy of graphic novels, a quartet of illustrated novels, in-world reference books, apparel, one singing plush cat, and other collectibles. The success of LUMBERJANES sparked an explosion of middle grade and young adult comic books and graphic novels across the publishing industry, the ramifications of which can still be felt today.
Along with collecting the entire series in a hardcover set for the first time ever, we’re also offering a 10th Anniversary reprint of the original LUMBERJANES #1 and an opportunity for longtime fans to complete their LUMBERJANES “To The Max” Edition sets. And because LUMBERJANES also sparked a love of reading in so many new readers, we’ve partnered with ComicBooks For Kids, so that your support of this BOOM! Direct Reserve campaign will also result in sets of the complete LUMBERJANES to be donated to children’s hospitals and cancer centers!
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Make 100: Sex, Spies, & Rock ‘n Roll Pinup Art Book
32 pages of great pinup art from the Sex, Spies, & Rock ‘n Roll series, by an array of international artists!
Days Left: 17
In the course of 3 Volumes of Sex, Spies, & Rock ‘n Roll anthologies, 3 issues of the spinoff series “Spades,” and 3 issues of the spinoff series “ISF: Origins,” over a dozen artists have supplied some great pinup art and covers. Mini art prints of most of those pieces have been included in packages for backers, and some of the images have also been made into trading cards. But this is the first time they are being collected in an official PINUP ART BOOK!
The book will be a full color, 32 page, magazine size publication!
Also, get a Digital ADD ON of the entire Sex, Spies, & Rock ‘n Roll library (so far). That’s over 400 pages of material that you can add to your pledge and be ready for what’s next. Speaking of which….
This is the first project in the planned 2024 re-boot, re-launch of the entire Sex, Spies, & Rock ‘n Roll franchise of comics. An art pinup book is a nice, simple way to reintroduce the Kickstarter world to the series, and allow us to pick up and move forward this summer with offerings of all the books previously printed, and a bunch of great new books as well!
All pieces of this book a pre-existing art, and are ready to print immediately upon completion of the campaign. So this will have rapid shipping for backers, getting us off to a great renewed start!
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Together Forever
Everyone’s favorite morsel re-imagined into a terrifying tale of love and loss that proves one person’s nightmare is another’s miracle
Days Left: 11
Hello, Dear Readers! If you thought you were safe from being scared, you were dead wrong! Myself and J. Schiek are getting the band back together to re-imagine our very first story, TOGETHER FOREVER. That’s right! Everyone’s favorite morsel is rising from the grave to scare readers once again. TOGETHER FOREVER is a 27-page story of love and loss that proves one person’s nightmare is another’s miracle. And if you think you know the story, think again.
It’s true when they say that you never forget your first. TOGETHER FOREVER was the first comic story that I wrote and Schiek drew with me. While I absolutely adore the comic Schiek and I created together, I always felt there was more to the story. That’s why I figured now would be the perfect time to add some meat to those bones.
If we hit our goal, not only will backers be getting the J.s back together, but they will also be getting a hauntingly beautiful cover by the talented Trevor Henderson, stunning colors by the phenomenal Roman Stevens, and pitch-perfect cover dressing from Second Rocket Comics.
Not only will you be getting all 27 pages of this macabre tale but the book will also include the original three-page story that started it all. That’s right! Backers will be able to read their favorite morsel alongside the new story. You’re talking about two back-to-back horror sucker punches for the price of one.
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The End of All: Terminus 1+2- 24 interior pages!
Submit to Death- science fiction epic space adventure!
Days Left: 21
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HELLFORGED #3 – Arthurian Fantasy Meets Cosmic Horror
A modern reinvention of the mythology of King Arthur… Camelot is on another planet and Excalibur isn’t a sword, it’s a teenage girl.
Days Left: 7
HELLFORGED is the story of a teenager named LIZ who is living in New York City with her father, the fabled wizard MERLIN, pretending to be normal people. Stranded on Earth after an accident transported Merlin and Liz to our world when she was a baby, Liz has grown up only knowing what Merlin has told her about their home- the utopian kingdom of Camelot- and the benevolent King Arthur.
After a mysterious force brings Liz, Merlin, and Liz’s best friend CALVIN to the world of Camelot, Liz discovers that it’s actually a nightmarish hellscape overrun with terrifying beasts that serve a world-consuming primordial evil. This evil, the universe’s personification of Death, is an extra-dimensional being known as THE ALL-DARK, and he has possessed and corrupted King Arthur and Camelot beyond salvation. This is just the tip of the iceberg of the many lies that Merlin has told Liz in the hopes of keeping the truth of what she is from her…
Liz isn’t Merlin’s daughter– she’s not even really human. She’s the soul of EXCALIBUR given a physical form.
Excalibur was never the vanquisher of evil that the legends have led us to believe, but instead it’s the tool that The All-Dark uses to consume life and devour worlds. Now, with Merlin and Calvin’s help, Liz must not only find a way to save Camelot and its few survivors from annihilation, but also free Arthur from the darkness that has consumed him.
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California, Inc. #1-3
©alifornia, Inc. is a geopolitical sci-fi story chronicling the corporate nation’s future rise from the old union.
Days Left: 4
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That’s a wrap for this week.
next week we will return with new projects to spotlight also if you are crowdfunding a project and would like to be put in the Korner, drop us a line at chad@comic-watch.com, and we will take a look when we put together next week’s post.