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...
Writers: Wells Thompson & Dalton Shannon
Artist: Fernando Pinto
Campaign Ends: June 19th
Status: 75% funded
PITCH:
Siblings Derek and Leah don’t really have a plan. All they know is that video games are awesome and that you should always look out for your neighbor. When giant mutant insects start terrorizing the neighborhood, they’ll have to get off the couch and do something about it.
Luckily, everything they need just fell out of the sky: the MechaTon glove, a machine that converts anything it punches into a real life Gundam, whether it’s a hotdog stand or the entire planet. They aren’t the only ones who want to take advantage of this power, though; if they want to save their neighborhood, they’ll have to battle corporations, the military, and actual space fascists. Here’s hoping they look cool doing it.
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
MechaTon's dynamic art style and light, fun dialogue match it's promise of an over the top action romp perfectly. Pair that with some genuine heart and a stellar creative team and you have a great recipe for a phenomenal comic. There's some unique benefits to backing the campaign including a tantalizing family recipe for lentil soup. All in all, I can't think of a better place to put your money...except all the other comics on this list.
Writers: Dalton Shannon & Wells Thompson
Artist: FPinto!
Campaign Ends: 6/19
Status: 3/4 Funded
PITCH:
When two idiots find a glove that grants them the power to turn garbage into power armor, they'll have to make the difficult decision not to go completely mad with power and instead fight for the little guy. As inexplicably gargantuan cockroaches start raiding the city in search of the people's stockpile of delicious cheese, these morons will commandeer a local business and cause more property damage than they ever could have prevented. Will doing the right thing cause more problems than leaving well enough alone?
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
There's a bluntness and honesty to the pitch that captures the rawness of the story. Characters are exaggerated without being caricatures and the story, while seemingly one-note, has some subtlety that makes it worth discussion. The rough edges on the art and hot pink color palette won't be everyone's thing, but I think it's interesting enough to be worth taking a look at regardless.
Writer: Dalton Wellsman
Artist: Pintobean Ferdinan
Campaign Ends: Next Saturday
Status: Single and ready to mingle
PITCH:
A love story spanning galaxies, MechaGlove follows a mechanical wonder that escapes captivity and makes its way across star systems to be with its one true love, Derek, a regular guy in small-town America. Their unstoppable connection transcends time and space and when they reunite, entire hotdog stands will be reshaped in their image. But not all is mustard and flowers as Leah, Derek's sister, grows jealous of their love. Conspiring against the MechaGlove, Leah unleashes the horrors of the common insect infestation, only giant. Will the love between man and machine survive?!?
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
I don't often see compelling romance in comics, much less the romance between a man and a glove, but this avant-garde, steamy display fills a particular niche I didn't even realize was possible to fill. Some may consider the full-frontal robotic nudity of the glove excessive and even a little gross, but when you're as lonely as I am, it's hard to argue, it's, it's a real hard thing to...I forget.
Writer: SCOT MAKES YOU FAT?!
Artist: I'm just Chilean on the Beach
Campaign Ends: End? Nothing ever ends, Adrian.
Status: Close your eyes, it'll be over soon
PITCH:
What if you made a book and it was all references? Hi, I'm that fish captain from the Star War movie, and I'm currently being crushed by a boulder! If that doesn't make you feel nostalgia, then I don't know how to wring money out of your emotionally dead pockets! HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHJAJAJAJAJAJAJA!!!!!
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
You know what the comics industry doesn't have enough of? Superheroes! That alone is reason to back Scott Pil-Something or Other. With a creative team full of people that started a flame war about this year's Eisner Awards, it's no wonder this project is already so close to hitting its goal!
Writer: Help!
Artist: You can put an end to this!
Campaign Ends: We're trapped in this article!
Status: He's coming for you next!!!
PITCH:
This is a message from the Controller. Soon, we will tear apart your planet and add it to our growing armada. The fabric of reality bends to my will, you have no chance to stop me. I will turn your people into fodder for my cannons or food for my rats. Some of you I may keep in a zoo, to remember what it was I destroyed more fondly. This can be avoided and a generous number of you might be spared. If you tell me where to find my weapon. You have until June 19th to comply.
WHY SHOULD I BACK IT?
Oh no, Dear God no! How could we have not seen this coming? Quickly, everyone, go support MechaTon, it's the only way to fight off this tyrant! He'll kill us all, he'll turn our planet into a missile silo! We still have the power to stop it, though, all we have to do is --
*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