Welcome to the new Comics Crowdfunding Round-Up! Moving forward, I decided to switch things up and highlight crowdfunding projects from marginalized and underrepresented creators in this column. I have a laundry list of reasons for this change backed up by research that shows the importance of representation in media, both behind the scenes and on the page. But the bottom line is that moving forward this column’s new mission statement is representation always matters.
Sex on Wheels
Creators: Larime Taylor and Sylv Taylor
Goal: $5,000
End Date: November 30, 2022
Goodies: PDF or physical copy of issue #1, signed copy of issue #1, one-of-a-kind 36×24 poster of the cover, variant covers, “Inspiration Porn” t-shirt, be a “chat perv,” cameo character, or minor character, and stretch goals
Issue #1 of a comic book about disabled life, art, and sexuality.
Everyone poops, even disabled people (and yes, we can even wipe our own asses). If that sounds crude to you, sorry not sorry? That’s kinda the moral of this comic book. Disabled people aren’t inspiration porn. And we aren’t fetish porn, either (although this can be a complicated topic). Sex on Wheels is the story of Morning Glory, a disabled artist who recently lost their first and only service dog after eleven years of having him, and his absence has left a hole that she hasn’t been able to fill. The story explores disabled body image, disabled sex, and sexuality.
Slice of Life #1-3 – Queer WEBTOON with an Anime Twist
Creators: Kat Calamia and Phil Falco (co-creators), Taylor Esposito (letterer), Valeria Peri (artist), Brant Fowler (graphic designer), Garth Matthams (WEBTOON letterer), Mau Mora (variant cover)
Goal: $13,000
End Date: November 22, 2022
Goodies: Digital indie comic book bundle, Slice of Life #1-3 and #1 or #3 (digital or physical, Lady Vengeance plush doll, five trading cards, enamel pins, sticker pack, variant covers, Kickstarter exclusive variant cover, and mystery box
Gritty anime protagonist, Lady Vengeance, finally realizes her romantic feelings for the girl next door.
I have recommended this comic before (when it crowdfunded its last installment), and I am sure I will recommend it again, but for all of you late to the party: it’s time to get in on Slice of Life! According to its Kickstarter crowdfunding page, Slice of Life is “a queer romance that deconstructs the ‘slice of life’ genre, unpacking the importance of everyday narratives to tell a larger story about the meaning of life from the point of view of a fictional character.”
The Shallot – A Journal for the Underrepresented
Creators: The Layered Onion
Goal: $100,000 (flexible)
End Date: January 14, 2022
Goodies: Issues #1 and #2 (digital or print), The Layered Onion shop coupon, coffee mug, limited edition onion print, “Off the Wall” print, “Onion” print, and library distribution
Fund our quarterly art journal, The Shallot, to give voice to artists with mental health challenges.
A 2021 groundbreaking report by Johns Hopkins and the Aspen Institute found that “the arts and aesthetic experiences impact human biology and behavior in ways that differ markedly from any other health intervention,” demonstrating “that many art modalities act on complex biological systems and mechanisms to generate physiological and psychological effects.” Per Indiegogo, The Layered Onion was founded to provide support, structure, and encouragement to allow artists to collectively focus on their art and tackle the stigma surrounding mental health. As part of the organization’s initiative, The Shallot: Journal of Mental Health, Art, and Literature sheds light on the difficulties of chronic illness.
Brooklyn Tattoo, the Graphic Novel
Creators: Adam Suerte, Mark Bodē, Sophie Crumb, Myke Maldonado, and Jason Mitchell
Goal: $5,000
End Date: December 16, 2022
Goodies: Stickers designed by Suerte, signed copy of the graphic novel, and back issues of the Apprentice comic book series, graphic novel, shirt, one-hour or three-hour tattoo session, Brooklyn Love bundle, and original painting
The true story of a New York tattooer
Apparently, tattooing only became legal in New York in 1997. I learned that golden nugget of information only a few lines into reading about this Kickstarter, so ’nuff said.
Space Castle Artemis #1 – A Dimension-Hopping Comic
Creators: Jack Carter (writer) and Gabriel Carvalho Santos (illustrator)
Goal: $2,500
End Date: December 20, 2022
Goodies: Digital or physical copy of issue #1, four SCA stickers, signed copy, and foil variant cover
The beginning of the battle to save the multiverse!
In Space Castle Artemis, Max and her friends must stop the multiverse from crashing in on itself once more. The sci-fi/fantasy story is inspired by video games, Shonen/Shojo anime, garage bands, and D&D. I’m unclear if this one is queer. Still, it’s a safe guess that it is since it’s described as a good comic for fans of Adventure Time and Steven Universe (and I think there’s a non-binary character in the mix).
Here are some already-funded crowdfunding projects worth checking out:
- Egoraven: Heir of the First Unicorn #1-5 & Vol 1 Trade
- Love in the Time of Corona- Going long-distance during COVID
- Felix the Cat: The Collected Edition
- Destinations: An Anthology of Short Comics About Arrivals
And don’t forget to check out last week’s campaigns:
And finally, here are some projects that haven’t launched yet, but that look to be worth keeping an eye on:
- RIP Corey: My Friend Died. It Sucks!– Short Graphic Novel
- HOPE: THE SCI-FI COMIC BOOK SERIES
- Galaxy Goodbyes #1
- Ms. Inkwell Gallery Book
Miss any of our previous Comics Crowdfunding Round-Ups? Check out the archive here!