Welcome to The Beat’s crowdfunding round-up: a collection of some of our favorite campaigns from the week including one-shots, on-goings, anthologies and everything in-between! This week, we’re checking out chapter 4 of Barbarous, volume 1 of Alien Heart, and more. ICYMI, Saldin Ahmed, Dave Acosta, Chris O’Halloran, Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and Nate Cosby also launched DRAGON, which is already funded and looks very promising.
Let’s get started!
Barbarous Chapter 4 – Leeds Sized Edition
Creators: Ananth Hirsh (author), Yuko Ota (author)
Goal: $10,000
End date: July 31, 2020
Goodies: PDFs are $10, physical is $20, and higher tiers include print sets, sticker sheets, and signed bookplates.
The Reuben award-winning series returns! BARBAROUS is back with a Kickstarter for the Chapter 4 book!
Barbarous is a story of life-after-school, trying to find a new direction, and suddenly becoming a working as a super with a beefy lizard man who wears sweaters a lot, and yes I binged it all on Wednesday morning. It’s been online for a few years now, and is heading back to physical in a large, French album inspired edition at 9 x 11.5” and will be 48 pages in length. Plus, anybody who’s late to Barbarous can catch up for free online, or grab the back issues as part of a higher tier.
Alien Heart – Volume 1
Creators: Anna Fitzpatrick (author)
Goal: $6,251
End date: August 5, 2020
Goodies: $7 for a PDF version (and a Hi-Res wallpaper pack), $16 for a physical copy, with higher tiers including stickers, prints, and more.
Volume 1 of Alien Heart, contains chapters 1–3 of the Weeaboo Queer-punk, Sci-fi/Comedy webcomic in print form, plus bonus content.
It must be said: this campaign video is one of my recent faves and, having just read all of Alien Heart that’s available online, I can say that this story totally lives up to its claims of being “cool, gay, awesome, and good.” Fitzpatrick’s pages are cyberpunk bubblegum pop, filled with energy, and a protagonist who will make you laugh, smile, and “aww,” to yourself. This campaign will collect the first three chapters of the series; the first two of which are available on the Tapas link above, while the final one is still in the works.
Croc and Roll: Issue 1
Creators: Hamish Steele (writer), George Williams (artist), Ayoola Solarin (editor)
Goal: $3,125
End date: August 2, 2020
Goodies: A digital copy is about $7, physical is $13, with higher pledges including plectrums, stickers, and art cards.
The brand new comic from Eisner-Award winner Hamish Steele (‘DeadEndia’, ‘Pantheon’) feat. GAYS & CROCS & ROCK & ROLL!
Croc and Roll is another comic with totally electric art, courtesy of George Williams. The story follows a literal band of anthropomorphic, queer crocodilians dealing with themes of “modern masculinity, queer love, and the struggle of turning your hobby into a job.” The crew has already been compensated on work for issue 1, and funds will primarily go to its printing – but, stretch goals promise up to six issues of story, so long as backers provide enough to pay the team through the series’ completion.
Kokoro: A Graphic Memoir
Creators: Christine Mari Inzer (author)
Goal: $15,000
End date: August 1, 2020
Goodies: Jump on board at $15 for a digital copy, grab a physical copy for $27, or commit to higher tiers for art prints, tote bags, and more.
My life in Tokyo, a young woman’s journey through anxiety and depression to self-discovery and hope.
Author of 2014’s Halfway Home, cartoonist Christine Mari Inzer is back, this time a collection of autobiographical comics dealing with her mixed-Japanese experience, as well as themes of anxiety and depression. Kokoro will bring to print 250 pages worth of her comics in a 6 x 9” softcover book, along with a selection as-of-yet unpublished stories in her minimalist, yet expressive style. To check out her work, head over to her Instagram.
Freak Odyssey
Creators: Adin Milostnik (author)
Goal: $697
End date: July 24, 2020
Goodies: A digital copy is just $4, while physical versions are $11, and higher tiers promise posters and avatars.
A Mid-Century art style Sci-Fi comedy set in a retro-futuristic Australia.
Pitched as The Jetsons meets Pulp Fiction, this 16-20 page comic looks like it was ripped right out of a time capsule. Milostnik’s mid-century style is total eye candy (check out his riffs on the Marvel Universe) and this comic tells the story of a set of belligerent adventurers trying to get by in a retro-futuristic Australia overrun with cutthroats. Plus, if this one is successful, there are plans to move forward with even more stories set in-universe, to eventually come together in a 100+ page collection.
Bonus Round! Holler #2 is a late addition to this week’s round-up as it’s end date is next Thursday. Check it out!
Holler #2
Creators: Jeremy Massie (author)
Goal: $500
End date: July 16, 2020
Goodies: A physical copy runs $10, with A or B covers available, along with issue #1 for $10.
The alt-rock, grunge-fueled comic that everyone can enjoy continues with an awesome second issue!
In the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, four grungy teens do what they do best: form a garage band. Full of ’90s nostalgia and rock, this second issue collects two extended stories, as well as three one-page stories, following the crew’s continued misadventures as they try to navigate their adolescent years. For more on Holler, check out a three-page preview at the link below, or head over to the comic’s publisher, It’s Alive.
Don’t forget to check out last week’s ongoing campaigns if you haven’t already:
- BUUZA!! Vol. 2
- Cafe AU Lait Comics Anthology
- Later: Illustrated Children’s Book
- Cities of Magick #2 & #3 Double-Sized Special
