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 the Ghibli-inspired fantasy, Lampblack, the queer 70’s romance Pass Me By, and more.

Let’s get started!


Pass Me By: Electric Vice

pass my by electric vice

Creators: Kyle Simmers (illustrator), Ryan Danny Owen (visual artist)
Goal: $6,359
End date: May 12, 2021
Goodies: The digital version is $12, the physical version is $20, and higher tiers include signed copies, exclusive book sleeves, and more.

A queer love story set in Ed’s memories as a young man in the 1970s touring with the outrageous glam rock band, Electric Vice.

Electric Vice tells a story in the past and the present. Its main character, Ed, experiences dementia, and has slowly been losing pieces of his memory, but when a song from his youth comes through the radio they come back stronger than ever: lipstick, leather, platform heels, and neon seep back into his mind, and the story begins. Electric Vice is the follow-up to the award-winning Gone Fishin’, and will be available in traditional and risograph editions.

Become a backer here.

Lampblack #1: fantasy horror comic in cinematic style

lampblack

Creators: Camille Longley (writer), Pablo Peppino (artist), Damián Peñalba (colorist), Joel Saavedra (letterer)
Goal: $9,000
End date: May 6, 2021
Goodies: Grab the digital version for $6, get the physical version for $15, or check out higher tiers for variants, pins, and more.

A girl whose paintings come to life. A Deaf boy who wants to be a soldier. Lampblack is a story of passion, art, and war inspired by Studio Ghibli. 

Set in an early 20th century fantasy world, Lampblack follows Mabel, a girl with the ability to bring her paintings to life. She’s technically forbidden from using her power, but art is her first love, and she knows she can use her gift to help support her struggling family. Rendered gorgeously by Peppino and Peñalba, this 24-page comic is produced in a massive landscape format measuring 22 inches by 8.5 inches. 

Become a backer here.

Sombulus Graphic Novel Print Run 2021

sombulus

Creators: Christina Major (author)
Goal: $4,500
End date: May 8, 2021
Goodies: The digital book is $5, the physical version is $20, and backers can also check out previous entries in the series, additional comics, and more.

 Flying toasters, magical coffee shops, and adventure! Book 3 of the silly fantasy adventure comic Sombulus is coming to print!

 The silly and surreal webcomic, Sombulus, is coming to Kickstarter for another print run. The series follows a trio of world-hopping adventurers: a tinkerer who speaks to machines, a flippant magic harvester, and a zealous paladin as they solve and create problems wherever they go. Sombulus began in 2010, and is currently funding its third book, which collects acts three and four of the series across 191 pages.

Become a backer here.

Tokai: Blasted

tokai

Creators: Andrew Lytle (author)
Goal: $2,000
End date: May 9, 2021
Goodies: Get the PDF for $10, get a physical book for $20, or check out higher tiers for bnack issues, prints, and more.

 Printing the fourth Installment of the fantasy war series “Tokai” about a pacifist named Tokai.

Tokai is a space epic of an alien caught in a complicated war between governments, religious zealots, insurgents, and Network soldiers. The title character, Tokai, is extremely pious himself and, even though his gods forsook his planet, he’s still a devout pacifist. In this series, Lytle explores Tokai’s beliefs and compares them to those of his companions: a sniper and a former solider. This is the fourth out of a planned five-part series, and will be told over 100 pages of black-and-white artwork.

Become a backer here.

Off Into The Sunset Anthology

off into the sunset

Creators: Brentt Harshman (curator)
Goal: $20,000
End date: May 14, 2021
Goodies: The PDF is $15, the physical version is $25, and higher tiers include additional comics and retailer bundles.

 A collection of stories inspired by Westerns curated by Brentt Harshman.

 Off Into the Sunset is an anthology for fans of Westerns and Western-inspired stories. This 120+ page collection has everything from the genre standard to stories of spies, aliens, and disgraced knights, all nodding to the anthology’s theme. Plus, with artists like Skylar Patridge and Kenneth Laster on board, backers should be confident in this book’s quality. To check out concept art for yourself, just head over to the campaign page.

Become a backer here.


Here are a few funded projects we love:

And don’t forget to check out last week’s projects: