Welcome to the latest installment of The Beat’s Comics Crowdfunding Round-Up. This week, we present a look into stories of our homes, a harsh alien frontier, a fantasy cowboy epic, and more.
The City We Chose
Creators: Various
Goal: $7,272
End Date: May 16
Goodies: Get the PDF for $10, the softcover copy for $30, a complete digital library of TO Comix Press, or other choices from their past library.
Every year life in the city becomes a little less affordable. As inflation roars, even the starriest-eyed city-dweller has to wonder: “How did it get like this? Why am I here?”
In this mix of fiction and non-fiction comics about the homes that shaped us, 26 upcoming and marginalized creators trace the paths that brought them where they are, and explore the alternate worlds that might have been if things had shaken out differently. Join evolving millennial vampires, accidentally empowered sim-citizens, disability advocates, and baffled possums as we celebrate the concrete labyrinths we can’t afford to live in, and can’t bear to live without.
The purpose of The City We Chose is to express various narratives about growing up in the homes of marginalized people. From the outset, it tackles sensitive topics, yet it manages to forge a connection with readers on a personal level. Whether the stories within the comic are fictional or nonfictional, the diverse creators have succeeded in offering a glimpse into their lived experiences. In many ways, it resembles a slice-of-life series — but with the added ability for a broader audience to resonate with its content. With its funding well underway, don’t miss out on the opportunity to engage with this meaningful narrative before it’s too late.
REFUGIUM
Creators: Simon Roy (creator/writer)
Goal: $18,181
End Date: May 16
Goodies: Get the PDF for $20, the PDF of the original Habitat novel for $5, the hardcover copy of REFUGIUM for $50, a special T-shirt, model kit, and more.
REFUGIUM is a full length graphic novel and sequel to 2022’s GRIZ GROBUS. Set on the same wild, mountainous planet of Altamira, this tale finds the Scribe, ever hungry for glory and adventure, waking up with a mean hangover on a northbound riverboat. She’s in the company of the Trapper, who has been sent to to catch a monster – an unknown beast who has been stalking the timberlands, there in the shadow of the polar ice sheet…
The cover of REFUGIUM immediately caught my attention, featuring three prominent characters at the top, each showing signs of wear and tear. As your eyes travel across the cover, you’re drawn into an otherworldly forest populated by strange creatures staring back at you. Upon delving into the synopsis, you discover the intriguing tale of a trapper and a scribe embarking on a perilous journey through a treacherous frontier in pursuit of their objectives. REFUGIUM promises to be an exhilarating read, especially for those who enjoy gritty frontier narratives.
The Elf With No Name
Creators: Jeff Schiller (writer), Jeff Foulsham (artist),
Goal: $4,800
End Date: May 17
Goodies: Get the Digital PDF for $5, the physical copy for $7, the variant for $8, and a digital catch up package for $9.
THE ELF WITH NO NAME is a mixture of the western and fantasy genres. It’s meant to feel a bit like THE LORD OF THE RINGS meets BLOOD MERIDIAN. In this second issue, we will see THE ELF as he gets used to his surroundings in the desert of ZODIAZ. Will he use his sorcery to reek havoc on the town of Dwarfwood?
The Elf With No Name doesn’t need much to catch your attention. I mean, it’s a gritty elf cowboy with a revolver pointed right at you. Why wouldn’t you want this comic? Then to find out that it’s in the same world as Magic Powder, a fantasy crime epic we mentioned on the Round-Up before, made me want to learn about this project immediately. For fans of modern takes on fantasy, cowboys, and great stories, make sure to back The Elf With No Name before it’s gone.
Kindred Heavens – Book Two
Creators: Bryce Beal (writer), Scott Malin (artist)
Goal: $1,000
End Date: May 3
Goodies: Get the digital copy for $5, get the first graphic novel and the second for $10, the physical copy for $15, or the check out the higher tiers for variants, stickers, bookmarks, pins, and more.
It is the early 1920s, and the world has been gripped by a new sport called “Windracing.” Using Wright-Brothers-esque machines, people race around crowded streets, kicking up dirt and cramming their wings together as they all compete for the glory of being number #1. Everyone’s eyes are currently on the two top companies, PEGASUS and CERBERUS, as their ongoing feud spills off the racetrack and into the papers…
Currently, Kindred Heavens has already surpassed $20,000 of its initial $1,000 goal, showcasing the immense enthusiasm from fans for this series. With its theme centered around perseverance and chasing one’s dreams, it delivers a heartwarming narrative filled with highs and lows. Combined with stunning artwork, its reminds us of a modern day Speed Racer, where the indomitable human spirit shines through its pages.
I am the Comic / Comic Book Walk
Creators: Cecil Castelluci (creator/writer)
Goal: $8,000
End Date: May 2
Goodies: Get a social media shout out for $10, a postcard from Cecil for $20, a temporary tattoo blank comic template for $20, or at higher tiers get some of Cecil’s past works, signed copy of one of Cecil’s books, ART Saves pin, and more!
I am the comic book.
In an effort to come up with a truly ephemeral sequential arts experience, I am going to become a walking comic book where the pieces of the story will temporarily live on my right arm as I walk through the world. It’s a conceptual art piece! That will last a year!
This is truly a one-of-a-kind project. In essence, it’s a creative response to the encroachment of AI into artistic domains, with Castellucci defiantly asserting their presence in the comic book world. This project is something AI could never recreate, since Castelluci is the comic book! Working alongside 24 different artist we get to see “Maxi”, the very same character in the photo of this project, “Walk” alongside Cecil over the course of a year through a temporary tattoo template on her arm. As a backer, you’ll receive postcards documenting Maxi’s travels around the world, with every change of the comic. It’s a truly amazing way of displaying the creativeness and wonder that comes from our comic book creators and the community we love. Castelucci’s inventive reward tiers and active engagement further enrich the experience.
Miss any of our previous Comics Crowdfunding Round-Ups? Check out the archive here!
