Welcome back to The Beat‘s weekly crowdfunding comics round-up! Each week we’ll spotlight comics projects we think would be a great investment, whether it’s a one-shot story or a sprawling anthology. This week we’ve got the first Kickstarter from HEK Studio and a wonderful collection of comics curated by the inimitable Shelly Bond of Black Crown that will teach you everything you need to know about things you didn’t know you needed.
Let’s get going!
1. Ella Upgraded – Volume 1
Goal: Approx $2049 USD
Ends: Sat, August 31 2019 5:00 AM EST
Creators: Dan Whitehead (Writer), P.R. Dedelis (Artist), Abby Bulmer (Colors), Jim Campbell (Letters)
Best Value Tier: Approx $10 USD plus shipping for a PDF and print copy
When 11-year-old Ella is in an accident her scientist brother saves her life by putting her beloved GameBox console in Ella’s brain! Now Ella can gain the skills and abilities of her favourite video game characters…but does she have what it takes to become a real superhero?
This comic is adorable — if you’re looking for a new book for a young reader in your life, pick up Ella Upgraded Volume 1. There’s a PDF-only tier for approximately $3 USD, a deal that can’t be beat for a 60 page comic.
You can back the campaign here.
2. HEY, AMATEUR!
Goal: $50,000 USD
Ends: Sat, August 31 2019 12:00 PM EST
Creators: Anthology
Best Value Tier: $30 USD for a digital copy, pin pack, and stickers
ALL PROS, NO CONS! Top-notch writers and artists share hidden talents from the practical to the peculiar in a collection of 1-page comics.
You may recognize Hey, Amateur! from Black Crown Quarterly. Now Shelly Bond is expanding it in a single collection featuring dozens of how-tos on topics as varied as lucid dreaming, decorating pastries, and asking for pronouns. If you’re itching to have creators like Gail Simone and Paulina Ganucheau teach you how to do all the things you didn’t know you needed to know, this anthology is worth picking up.
You can back the campaign here.
3. HEK Treasury
Goal: $20,000 USD
Ends: Wed, September 11 2019 12:05 PM CDT
Creators: HEK Studio
Best Value Tier: $10 USD for a PDF copy
The HEK TREASURY is an over-sized deluxe collection of all new epic, science fiction, fantasy and genre short stories. The HEK Treasury will showcase each creator as they unleash new ideas, using experimental art, formatting, and storytelling techniques.
Brian Hurtt, Marie Enger, and Matt Kindt are among some of the most talented folks in comics today. HEK Treasury is the first offering from HEK Studio, a beefy volume featuring over 100 pages of science fiction/fantasy stories. The print edition will be a large format hardcover, with a narrative poster included. You can get both the print and PDF editions for $25 USD plus shipping.
You can back the campaign here.
4. Come Together – A European Anthology of Erotic Comics
Goal: Approx $18083 USD
Ends: Sat, August 31 2019 7:02 AM EST
Creators: Anthology
Best Value Tier: $12 USD for a PDF
Come Together is an erotic anthology featuring a host of comic talents from all over Europe. Our book’s theme is Reunion; old friends sharing sizzling tension in a Finnish sauna, long distance lovers yearning for each other on a train ride to rural Italy, rival fashion designers clashing in battles of sexual prowess in Berlin, and more.
Come Together describes itself as an LGBT+ heavy, body-diverse erotica anthology — you had me at body diverse, honestly. Every snippet of preview art for this book is gorgeous. The anthology features 180 full-color pages of stories from creators like Niki Smith, Shazleen Khan, and Vasarru (whose art is particularly delightful). If you prefer physical media, approximately $24 plus shipping will get you a physical copy and PDF.
You can back the campaign here.
The following campaigns from previous round-ups are still running:
- The Hues Volume 3: EMBER (Ends 8/22)
- Women Do Not Creep By Daylight (8/23)
- Dont Cry Witch Volume 1 (Ends 8/23)
- Crescent City Monsters: Issue #2 (Ends 8/23)
- Dani and Ramen (Ends 8/28)
- YOU DIED: An Anthology of the Afterlife (Ends 8/21)
- NPC Tea Issue 7 (Ends 8/23)
- Sad Comics, Good Pins (Ends 8/28)
- ELEMENTS: Earth (Ends 9/9)
