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 final volume of O Human Star, a dieselpunk airship adventure called Skies of Fire, and more.

Let’s get started!


O Human Star Volume 3

o human star

Creators: Blue Delliquanti (author)
Goal: $19,000
End date: August 29, 2020
Goodies: PDFs run $10, softcover is $25, and anyone who isn’t already caught up, or just wants to own the first two volumes, can snag those with higher pledges.

The third and final volume of O Human Star. Available as softcovers and KS-exclusive hardcovers!

Like many of my favorite campaigns, O Human Star began life as a webcomic, and is setting out to fund a print run. Delliquanti’s long-running series is a touching re-examination of artificial intelligence through an LGBTQ lens (former Beat Managing Editor Samantha Puc has a few hundred words on that here). In a nutshell, a prominent roboticist dies, and is unknowingly transferred to a new, synthetic body and given a shot at new life and identity when he reunites with an old flame and meets an all-too familiar-face. If that sounds like it’s up your alley, get started and read for free here.

Become a backer here. 

Skies of Fire #7

skies of fire

Creators: Vincenzo Ferriero (writer), Ray Chou (writer), Pablo Peppino (illustrator), Bryan Valenza (colorist), Cristian Docolomansky Cerda (letterer)
Goal: $9,000
End date: September 3, 2020
Goodies: A digital copy is $7, while a $15 pledge secures a physical edition, along with a postcard and print. Higher tiers include back issues, more postcards, and variants.

The seventh installment of Skies of Fire, a dieselpunk airship adventure.

The first thing one notices about this Skies of Fire is the art. It’s instantly eye-catching and detailed, which tends to be exactly what fans of war fought via dieselpunk airship are looking for. Digging deeper, the setting is just as intriguing. In the Aquilan Empire, a massive, never-ending storm rages across the land and, of course, the predominant mode of transportation is by air. In the first issue, we see that on display as a raider makes a move on an outpost – which of course prompts the Royal Guard to bring him to justice. It’s a world filled with lore, action, and adventure.

Become a backer here.

By Man & Angels – a Sci-Fi Fairtyale Comic

by men & gods

Creators: Jennie Gyllblad (artist), Pedro La Barba (writer)
Goal: $4,495
End date: August 19, 2020
Goodies: A $7 pledge includes all three issues as PDFs, OR a physical version of #3. Get the whole series as floppies for $20, or get them signed for with a higher tier.

Issue 3 is complete! Kickstarting the print run!

By Man & Angels is Norse mythology meets the cosmic in a sci-fi adventure heavily influenced by Gyllblad’s Scandinavian heritage. It’s a pitch that sounds like Thor: Ragnarok, but in practice is something much better. The watercolors are gorgeous and designs are delightfully weird. This third of nine issues will be 24 pages of full-color, and continues the story of a crew of space pirates navigating the return of a woman called God.

Become a backer here.

Keep Staring

keep staring

Creators: LArime Taylor (co-writer), Sylv Talyor (co-writer), Jenny Odio (artist)
Goal: $5,000
End date: September 2, 2020
Goodies: For $10, you get a digital copy complete with braille formats and a full pitch package, with a higher tier granting access to development blog and progress.

A ‘kids on bikes’ adventure/horror story where all the core kids are disabled.

A Voice in the Dark creator Larime Taylor is back with a new comic, made by and for disabled folks. Keep Staring is described as similar in vein to It and Stranger Things, aimed at a YA audience. The hope is that with a successfully funded Kickstarter, the team can create a polished comic that can be pitched and picked up by a publisher to support an ongoing series. Furthermore, that pitch will also include proof-of-concept for disabled-accessible comics, including braille formats. Jump on board and watch this band of kids team up to take down a California cult fond of eldritch cosmic horror.

Become a backer here.

Honorable Mention (and a disclaimer that the writer of this next book is longtime Beat contributor Zack Quaintance)

NEXT DOOR: A Neo-Noir Comic One-Shot

next door

Creators: Zack Quaintance (writer), Pat Skott (artist), Ellie Wright (colorist), Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou (letterer)
Goal: $2,750
End date: Spetember 4, 2020
Goodies: A digitial edition is $5, the 40-page physical version is $10, while higher tiers include interlocking covers, a Journalism 101 call with Quaintance himself, and more.

A story of paranoia, privilege, and walking the dog gone wrong. 30+ pages with extras.

Next Door has quite the unique premise among comics. It puts the United States’ housing crisis front and center, highlighting white privilege and gentrification. Plus, there’s a dog! For more on this one-shot, make sure to check out Quantance’s write-up, here.

Become a backer here.


Be sure to check out these campaigns!

And don’t forget to take a look at the ongoing campaigns from last week.