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 return of Andrew Pepoy’s The Adventures of Simone & Ajax, the Aztec-focused origin story Teoatl, and more.
Let’s get started!
The Adventures of Simone & Ajax
Creators: Andrew Pepoy (author), Jason Millet (colorist)
Goal: $10,000
End date: October 14, 2020
Goodies: Grab the digital edition for $10, the paperback for $30, or pledge higher to get your copy signed and doodled in.
A new collection of the wacky adventures of a girl and her dinosaur pal, from Andrew Pepoy, artist on “Fables” and “The Simpsons.
If there’s a hole in your heart shaped like the misadventures of a girl and her dinosaur, you’re in luck. Yes, the classic series, The Adventures of Simone & Ajax returns with an all-new collection; a 128-page graphic novel including backmatter like Christmas cards, covers, and more. For those who aren’t familiar with his work, Pepoy has been nominated a Harvey Award for his work on Simone & Ajax, and has also taken home an Eisner, and an Inkwell. To get an idea of what’s in store from this campaign, check out previews, and already-published stories here.
Drexler #3
Creators: Nathan Kelly (writer/artist), Marco Pagnotta (colorist), HDE (letterer), Bob Salley (editor)
Goal: $3,000
End date: October 15, 2020
Goodies: A digital version is $5, the physical is $10, and higher tiers include back issues, variant covers, and more.
All the nefarious elements converge upon the little town of Marvin with Drexler in the crosshairs…
Drexler, one of the latest thriller series from Scout Comics, continues with its third issue. Called back by his sister to investigate a strange presence stalking folks out in the dark, our protagonist returns to the small, isolated town of Marvin. But, of course, with his homecoming Drexler will have to unpack his feelings while he figures out what demons are lurking in the shadows. The comic itself is 30 pages of full-color art with a noir-esque style perfect for the setting – and that Kelly has perfected on series like Snarl.
TEOATL
Creators: Kevin Garcia (writer), Emmanuel Valtierra (artist)
Goal: $3,200
End date: October 22, 2020
Goodies: A PDF of this comic is just $5, a physical version is $10, and higher tiers include postcards, portraits, and more.
The Birth of the Aztec Empire as a Sword-and-Sorcery Graphic Novel!
Teoatl is the creation story of Mexico, beginning with the rise of the Aztecs or – as they called themselves – the Mexica, and the founding of the great city of Tenochtitlan. This campaign is the first of what Garcia and Valtierra hope will be an entire series, telling the story episodically over chunks of about 24 pages. Both creators have worked in publishing for years and, although it’s their first comic book, Teoatl looks to be a great one.
Encoding Bushido – A Robot’s Journey Into Madness
Creators: Jesse Toves (author)
Goal: $1,700
End date: October 15, 2020
Goodies: A digital version is $6, the softcover is $10, and higher tiers include special features, prints, and more.
A graphic novel on the real meaning of Samurai.
Encoding Bushido is samurai meets cyberpunk in a story that redefines the warrior code. Toves, a Pacific Islander, came up with the idea when an anthology prompted him to answer the question of what being a samurai means, and as he developed the idea, it quickly outgrew its 24-page limits and became a seven issue series. The Emmy nominated visual designer of Battlestar Galactica fame is hoping to print the first two issues with this campaign, in a deluxe 48-page version.
Ava’s Demon: Reborn
Creators: Michelle Czajkowski (author)
Goal: $25,000
End date: October 14, 2020
Goodies: Grab a digital PDF for $15, or go all in on the 300+ page hardcover for $40.
Ava’s Demon is a webcomic about a girl named Ava and the demon haunting her. Help me continue her adventures!
This webcomic is a genuine tour de force. Czajkowski writes and illustrates the emotional story of a girl haunted by a demon/alien queen set on revenge, even in the afterlife. She’s teaming up with Skybound to collect a Kickstarter exclusive hardcover of the series, as well as an artbook and – if the stretch goal is reached – an entirely new set of short stories. If you aren’t one of the many readers who’ve kept up with the series since 2012, go ahead and check it out for yourself here.
Plus, don’t forget to check out these already-funded campaigns:
- Brian Stelfreeze & Doug Wagner’s THOMAS RIVER #1
- We Said Goodbye to Gravity (And Other Little Catastrophes)
And here are last week’s campaigns:
- LA MANO del DESTINO Bilingual Flipbook
- immigratitude – tales of Asian immigration
- No Going Back | A Graphic Novel
- Serious Creatures: A Horror Adjacent Coming of Age Comedy
- Shot Gun Full Of Roses: A Romantic Horror Comic Book
