Indie and self-published comics are in a bit of a renaissance right now as the major comics powerhouses are on the decline and tools for independent creators are becoming much more plentiful and accessible. As a result, comic readers can find whatever niche comic they want to read just by going to Kickstarter or Zoop and pitching in a few bucks to whatever suits their fancy.
But, with thousands* of projects across multiple platforms, how does the average reader decide where to put their hard-earned money? Hopefully, this article will help narrow things down, starting with...
Creator: K. Lynn Smith
Campaign Ends: July 7th
Status: Dear lord, already absurdly funded
PITCH:
Thatcher has spent the last six months becoming more demonic, all because some twat ninny had to go and curse him. Now, a hippie in a renovated school bus insists he go on a road trip of good deeds and—more annoyingly—self discovery. Well, it can't get any worse than this.
This Kickstarter will help bring the hardcover to print. This title is entirely self-published, so only with the help of Kickstarter and its backers can I make this baby come to life. The book will contain over 300 pages of story, with a never-before-seen epilogue.
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
If you're asking this question, you clearly aren't familiar with K. Lynn Smith's work. An absolute powerhouse of a creator, Smith regularly impresses with sharp writing, a unique artistic style, and fun, lovable characters. The only reason this isn't #1 on the list is our own self imposed limitations when it comes to projects that are absurdly over-funded. This one absolutely deserves the hype though and you owe it to yourself to jump into this charming series.
Writer: John Robinson IV
Artist: Marco Zuffranieri
Campaign Ends: July 4th
Status: 60% funded
PITCH:
What if there was a secret supernatural war raging all around us that we never knew about? What if that war was driven by powerful relics that are empowered by the Zodiac and the sign of their users? And what if you have been hiding one of those relics... and both sides of this war just found out?
Take a dive into a world where the vast diversity of personality in the Zodiac is paralleled with the vast diversity of cultural background in our world to create a stunning and eclectic cast.
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
I can get absolutely lost in the detail of the art in this book and that alone is worth the price of admission. Add in the buck wild story and diverse creative team and I think any fan of urban fantasy, action, magical adventure, and whatever genre results in a tiger with horns will absolutely love this beautifully drawn comic.
Creators: Windy and Wallflower
Campaign Ends: June 23rd
Status: Fully funded!
PITCH:
Paint The Town Red is a comic series depicting the lives of vampires and werewolves learning to coexist in the gothic city of Merlot. We follow a small set of characters that continues to grow and grow as mysteries unravel and connections, backstories, and new developments are revealed. It is a collaborative comic between the duo of W&W that has been printed since 2019!
Windy & Wallflower is a collective consisting of two queer creatives, Tas (Windy) and Winter (Wallflower) who have set their hearts on creating vivid worlds and stories with queer representation at their core. They specialize in mythical retelling, fantasy and (very soon) a little sprinkle of science fiction.
Paint the Town Red is our very first collaborative work so this particular story means a great deal to us, rough edges and all. We hope to see you along for the ride in Volume 3!
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
This list has a bit of an urban fantasy flair to it, but none are quite as stylized as Paint the Town Red. With its cartoon influences, noir settings, and unabashedly queer characters, it handles the mature themes and topics associated with urban fantasy without taking itself too seriously or sacrificing the fun of its silly premise. Definitely worth the read if you want a ton of story to dive into and a brand new world to fall in love with.
Writer: Chris Moses
Artist: Francesco D. Mazzoli & Marco d'Alessandro
Campaign Ends: June 29th
Status: Fully Funded!
PITCH:
Earth's control over the solar system is threatened as ragtag rebels and disenfranchised soldiers struggle for freedom when Star Wars meets The Expanse in THE SATURN EFFECT! Follow stellar siblings Alpha and Centauri as they try to free the Titan Colonies from the Earth Empire in Volume One of The Saturn Effect: Alpha!
This Kickstarter is to fund the printing of Volume 1 of The Saturn Effect: Alpha, which collects issues #1, #2, #3, and #4 of TSE: Alpha. This TPB is 140 pages filled with an action-packed story and eye-catching art perfect for fans of comics like The Incal or Valerian.
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
Despite it's slightly rough art style, the preview pages absolutely sucked me in and made me obsess over the world this team is creating and the characters that inhabit it. There 's a level of care, diversity, and talent on display that makes this project one of my most anticipated of the year. It's pure the kind of Space Opera pulp action that you can't help but love.
Organizers: Elyse Russell and Band of Bards
Campaign Ends: July 8th
Status: 45% funded
PITCH:
The Dark Side of Purity is an anthology combination of two books. A collection of prose and poetry in one book, with a second book for comics and graphic poetry. These works come from a stand out team of women and non-binary creators from all corners of literature.
Inside these pages and panels you will find many different points of view on the traditional values of “purity," “chastity," and “womanliness." These stories and poems shine a light on how society has used Purity Culture as a means of control, and how these creators feel about it. You'll hear many different voices all lashing out against these tools of oppression and suppression.
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
One of my favorite things to experience in fiction is a brand new point of view on an important subject I don't have any real perspective on. Gaining otherwise unattainable experiences is, in my view, what fiction is for (this, by the way, is one of the many reasons why diversity in storytellers is important). The Dark Side of Purity is an exciting view into a harrowing topic discussed entirely by women and non-binary people, and from the art that's available, it's going to be the kind of powerful statement those not affected by "Purity Culture," men, need to understand the severity of the issue.
Bottom line, it's big, it's bold, it's important. Give it your money.
*DISCLAIMER: Comics are selected from a very large pool of projects, some sent to us for review, some come across on the websites themselves. We tend to favor first issue comics by indie creators that haven't already hit their campaign goals 5 times over, so keep that in mind. While we feel this list is representative of projects most worth the time and money of a comic reader, it is by no means exhaustive and there are many, MANY more projects that you can and should explore on Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter and Zoop.
-Wells Thompson, Reviews Editor