Posted in: AWA, Comics, Comics Publishers, Current News, Image, Marvel Comics | Tagged: gi joe, kickstarter, ronda rousey

A Tale Of Two Comics On Kickstarter, Getting Very Different Reactions

The GI Joe Compendium and Ronda Rousey's graphic novel on Kickstarter are getting very different reactions from comic book folk. Why?

As we predicted, the GI Joe Compendium has crossed the three million dollar mark, making it the most successful comic book Kickstarter ever. It will reprint the original Marvel Comics titles written and sometimes drawn by comic book legend Larry Hama. And licensed from Hasbro by the Walking Dead producer Skybound Entertainment, publishing through the direct market's third biggest publisher, Image Comics, as a series of massive, expensive volumes. GI Joe editor Alex Antone tweeted the news, saying "Most funded comics project ever…insane." And he received plenty of congratulatory comment from comic book industry figures.

Ben Abernathy: CONGRATULATIONS!

Kyle Starks: Insane! Wild! Well earned congrats!

Dave Hendrick: Amazing! Congratulations!!! And a hearty #YoJoe to you and the team. Can not wait to get my mitts on it.

Zac Thompson: Hell yeah! Congrats!

Annie Wu: Wow! Congrats.

Max Dunbar: So awesome. Congrats Alex!

And then there was the announcement of another Kickstarter for another publisher. Earlier this year, wrestler Ronda Rousey told ABC News back in April, "I've gotten more into creative writing and stuff like that so, I started writing screenplays just for fun… I'm an intern at the W.M.E. Story Department [that's the William Morris Agency, screenwriting agents] and I read and write coverages of scripts and things. And my first comic book is coming out soon and it's just stuff that I really enjoy. And I'm a big nerd, and it's not something to impress anybody but, the act in itself is so rewarding for me, so I do it." And that comic is now being published by AWA Inc and drawn by comic book legend Mike Deodato Jr.

AWA also tweeted the news and video, saying; "Announcing EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED by WWE & UFC Champion @RondaRousey & @MikeDeodato . The graphic novel launching @Kickstarter in July sets a new bar for fight scene authenticity as it follows a newly pregnant mom with a bounty on her head fighting waves of assassins. Penned by Rousey and edited by @axelalonsomarv , AWA CCO, the graphic novel draws on Rousey's incredible career in the ring & pairs it with Deodato's martial arts background to create the most accurate & action-packed fight scenes in comics!  Launching in late July, the EXPECTING THE UNEXPECTED @Kickstarter features exclusives & premium, tiered rewards for the biggest @RondaRousey fans. To learn about the campaign & its reward offerings, sign up to be notified when the campaign is live."

But this news about Expecting The Unexpected graphic novel had had a rather different reception from comic book folks.

Ben Templesmith: Imagine being an "industry leading full service entertainment studio" as AWA tells me via Google, but needing to crowdfund a comic. Direct to consumer is great. For the little guys. Has this industry shrunk so much that this is the new norm now?

Heidi MacDonald: Do not want.

Michael Shelling: And in today's "The Answer to A Question Nobody Asked…"

Jared Trautman: Ronda Rousey is using Kickstarter for her new graphic novel. It's got a publisher backing it and Ronda's money, but it NEEDS @Kickstarter With that said #TheBoneHerdChronicles is also on Kickstarter. We won't do the numbers Ronda does, but our comic will be better

There is an argument that big-name and high-profile comic book Kickstarters like GI Joe, Good Omens, Brzrkr, and The Expanse take attention away from crowdfunding comics that need it. Another says that such projects bring people to sign up to the Kickstarter platform, making it easier to donate to other projects and raise awareness of them.

Certainly, Kickstarters can also work as an effective advance order service, and help find consumers that the direct market cannot. But it can also take sales away from the direct market and comic book stores that desperately need it. But there also seems to be a disparity over which projects get celebrated and which get condemned. One rule for women wrestlers, and another rule for action figures when it comes to comic books, I guess.

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