Welcome back to The Beat‘s weekly crowdfunding comics round-up! Each week we’ll spotlight comics projects we think would be a great investment, whether it’s a one-shot story or a sprawling anthology. This week’s round-up includes a Check, Please! collection, the fantasy/hip-hop fusion Tempo, an anthology of Cuentos from Latinx creators, a demonic road trip, and a secretive space tale.
Let’s get going!
1. ✔ Check, Please!: Chirpbook
Goal: $26,000 USD
Ends: Fri, November 22 2019 11:59 PM EST
Creators: Ngozi Ukazu
Best Value Tier: $10 USD for a digital copy
On top of collecting Bitty’s Tweets, The Chirpbook will contain new selfies, never-before-seen pictures from Jack Zimmermann’s camera roll, brand new comics, and secret tweets from Bitty’s senior year. (So, SPOILERS!) All of these features and more will be in The Chirpbook, the perfect catalog to round out your Check, Please! Collection.
Check, Please! is a blockbuster hit, and creator Ngozi Ukazu is bringing fans a new collection of tweets and photos from Bitty’s daily life to help round out the world of the comic even more before it comes to a close next April. If you’re new to Check, Please! have no fear: this one won’t ship til after the comic is over, giving you plenty of time to catch up without having to resist the urge to dive into this sweet treat. $10 will get you a digital copy, but if you’re a diehard fan of the series, $60 USD will get you a hardcover and digital copy, a signed bookplate, stickers, and a postcard set.
You can back the campaign here.
2. Tempo – Combining Fantasy and Hip-hop
Goal: $2,000 USD
Ends: Sun, November 10 2019 7:05 PM EST
Creators: Kevin Betou
Best Value Tier: $10 for a digital copy
Tempo is an action adventure story combining elements of hip-hop and fantasy. In this world, people can physically manifest music. This ability is called Tempo. The story follows a young woman named Baako who gets her Tempo stolen by a famous rapper. She must reclaim what is hers, and along the way create new bonds that will help her on her quest!
I’m obsessed with this concept, and with creator Kevin Betou’s distinctive style. Betou wrote, illustrated, and lettered Tempo himself, and his work is absolutely gorgeous — the world of Tempo has its own unique, distinctive aesthetic, brought to life with vibrant, rich colors. This book just looks flat out rad.
You can back the campaign here.
3. QUADRANT 75: NASA’s Secret Mission to Mars in 1966
Goal: Approx $14,398 USD
Ends: Thu, October 31 2019 11:59 PM EST
Creators: Sharic Bui
Best Value Tier: Approx $32 including US shipping for a physical copy
The astronaut selected for QUADRANT 75 was Lisa Summerhill. She was an unknown test pilot who was hand-picked by the Department of Strategic Affairs to carry out the mission. Two months after Lisa left Earth to Mars, she was pronounced dead by the U.S. government. This is her untold story.
Backing this one might pull you into a dangerous conspiracy, but Sharic Bui’s tale of a secret mission to send a human to Mars is too thrilling to pass up. Bui’s art has a lively, cartoonish Fallout element to it at odds with the more mysterious vibe of her clever campaign concept, but that dissonance makes QUADRANT 75 that much more emotionally compelling. If you’re similarly drawn in by the promise of government secrets revealed, the highest tier (approximately $99 USD not including shipping) will get you a folder of more top secret documents tied to QUADRANT 75.
You can back the campaign here.
4. FOR GOODNESS’ SAKE Volume One
Goal: $6,500 USD
Ends: Thu, November 28 2019 9:59 AM EST
Creators: K. Lynn Smith
Best Value Tier: Approx $10 USD plus shipping for a hardcover
Thatcher is on a journey of self-destruction after he finds himself cursed, turning more and more demonic as the days go by. He soon runs into the free-spirited Rayne, who believes there might be a way to cure him. Together, they travel the country, working to unravel his predicament, while trying to survive each other.
K. Lynn Smith’s art is amazing! For Goodness’ Sake is going to be a beautiful read, and what’s not to love about a demon on a cross-country trip in a refurbished school bus? It’s not your run-of-the-mill supernatural tale, but should still scratch that spooky post-Halloween itch. Nab a digital copy for $10, and for enamel pin fiends like me, keep an eye on those stretch goals.
You can back the campaign here.
5. Cuentos: A Bilingual Latinx+ Illustrated Story Anthology
Goal: Approx $4,000 USD
Ends: Sun, December 1 2019 1:03 PM EST
Creators: Anthology, published by Creatively Queer Press (Cover art, featured, by Little Corvus)
Best Value Tier: $15 USD plus shipping for a physical and digital copy
Cuentos embodies the storytelling tradition with a contemporary spin, creating a timeless addition to any book enthusiast’s collection. Our book is meant to be shared with you and those important to you. Cuentos will make a thoughtful and original gift for friends and family interested in fantasy art, myths and legends, groundbreaking indie publications, or supporting LGBTQ+ and BIPOC creative communities.
Cuentos is a bilingual anthology centering Latinx creators and their interpretations of Latinx myths and mythology. Featuring two dozen incredible creators including Little Corvus, Terry Blas, and Jenn Corella, this collection is going to be a fantastic read — $15 plus shipping for a digital and print copy is a steal for a collection like this, but there’s also a $5 digital only tier for a slightly more budget friendly option.
You can back the campaign here.
The following campaigns from previous round-ups are still running:
- POWER & MAGIC: The Queer Witch Comics Anthology VOLUME 2 (Ends 11/9)
- Moonlight: A Queer Werewolf Anthology (Ends 11/12)
- Strange Waters (Ends 11/18)
- SPOOKY BABES (Ends 11/20)
- Elsa Charretier’s artbook (Ends 11/21)
- Camp Bitter Lake: The Case of the Stolen Stuff (Ends 11/22)
- The Plague and Doctor Caim
