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 and pitching in a few bucks to whatever suits their fancy.
But, with over 10,000 projects* running at any given point in time, how does the average reader find the right Kickstarter to support? Hopefully, this article will help narrow things down, starting with...
Writer: Tommy Jauregui
Artist: Nic Giacondino
Campaign Ends: August 2nd
Status: 45% funded
PITCH:
Endless Moons is a science-fantasy black & white comic book, following the story of Dazel, a young bounty hunter who has been running from her past for the last 10 years. For our new Moon Wanderers, Endless Moons kicks off with Dazel joining a smuggler crew that would take her to the planet Migena, where a mysterious contact awaits her. But, when a man from her crew wreaks havoc on a Galactic bazaar, she is forced to confront her Velzian heritage after 10 years of running away from it.
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
Endless Moons fully embraces its pulpy roots and delivers an adventure well worth being swept up in. There's nothing particularly original on display, it falls in a direct linage with Star Wars and Firefly and it wants you to know it. Still, it plays with its genre so well its hard not to be entertained. All of that is to say nothing of the truly spectacular black and white artwork which hits just the right mix of detailed and streamlined. If you're looking for a fun time, this is one to look into.
Writer: Guillermo Xegarra
Artist: Ross Radke
Campaign Ends: August 3rd
Status: Fully funded
PITCH:
From the LETTERHACK comes Milagro! This is the story of a disgraced luchador living in self exile on the streets of Mexico City, where he discovers a chance for redemption. But the road to redemption...is paved in blood! When all you know how to do is fight, what does it take to be a hero?
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
This is a grindhouse style comic that doesn't shy away from realistic violence, brutal life situations, and an unapologetically rough style. Consider that both an endorsement and a content warning because this comic isn't for the faint of heart. If you can stomach it, this is a book that looks directly into the heart of fight culture, homelessness, and what redemption means. It's an explosively dynamic book that works to ask tough questions in an interesting way. That's worth a pledge from me.
Writer: Silvia Stevenson
Artist: Gab Serra
Campaign Ends: July 30th
Status: 65% funded
PITCH:
When Ahva accidentally kills the Grim Reaper, she is suddenly forced to become the new Reaper. Needless to say, life (and death) isn't quite turning out the way she thought it would. THE DEATH TALLY CHAPTER 2: The Reaper and the Oracle is a 20-page comic that continues the story of Ahva as she is immersed in a world of conspiracies and death. And a new threat...
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
From the interesting premise to the art style that owes something to Vampirella without falling into the trappings of cheesecake, this is one that gets more interesting and compelling the more you think about it. It's firmly an 18+ read with its language, subject matter, and suggestive situations, but the writing displays a maturity that suggest these aren't cheap tricks, but necessary components in a highly detailed, fully realized world. The mystique alone caught my attention, and it should get yours as well.
Writers: Kevin Cuffe and Bob Frantz
Artist: Tony Gregori
Campaign Ends: July 17th
Status: 75% funded
PITCH:
Ysennia, a revolutionary water mage transports two dashing pirates, the quick-witted and charming Blackheart Sam Bellemy and the tough and thoughtful Quinitor from 1790’s Earth to a desert world known as Atlantis in a desperate attempt to save its people from Xsicor, the tyrannical emperor of Atlantis. The Dust Pirates is a fast-paced, pulpy, swashbuckling, adventure story full of big, beautiful action sequences wonderfully illustrated by Tony and Josh!
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
Similar to Endless Moons, The Dust Pirates is a high pulp, ultra fun adventure with no qualms about being campy or playing into genre. There's a high level of polish and professionalism on display without losing its identity or edge. It also boasts lofty ambitions of reflecting society's power struggles and problems while maintaining its science fiction, swashbuckling charm. If Flash Gordon and Pirates of the Caribbean are your jam, this should be on your radar.
Writer: Grant Stoye
Artist: Alaire Racicot
Campaign Ends: July 13th
Status: 93% funded
PITCH:
Have you ever played a video game? Played a table-top role-playing game? Lost yourself in a book? Did you use that activity to escape reality for a bit, maybe blow off some steam? If so, you may relate to this book: when the stress of life gets to be too much for D'arik, he hooks up with his adventuring party to go on some quests! But what happens when he relies too much on escapism to cope? What happens when his choices begin to reflect his frustrations?
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
At the risk of playing favorites and putting a second Grant Stoye book at #1 on my list, I have to recognize how cool and well realized this series is. Sidequest is action pact, smartly written, beautifully drawn, rambunctiously funny, and wonderfully imaginative to boot. It forces the reader to question their own escapist tenancies even while indulging them and it does it without preaching or condescension. You've got three days left to back this excellent book, get after it!
*DISCLAIMER: Comics are selected from a very large pool of projects, some sent to us for review, some come across on the site itself. 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 Kickstarter.
–Wells Thompson, Content Editor