Posted in: Comics | Tagged: Comics, kickstarter

Kickstart From The Heart – Surfer Bats, Zombie Ninjas, Forgotten Spirits And Chinatown

Published Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:00:00 -0500

Last updated Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:38:30 -0500

Bleeding Cool's Kickstarter Correspondent, Shawn Demumbrum has lead three Kickstarter campaigns to launch comic books, two successfully funded and one that wasn't. Each week he will point out some of the unique Kickstarter projects that wouldn't normally be published by the big comic book companies, but deserve your attention. Shawn's current project Break the Walls: Stories Inspired by the Songs of the Pixies was also funded through Kickstarter Interested in learning how to run a Kickstarter campaign? Read his new series Kickstart Your Comic.

Recently, I accepted the position of Manager of Comic Book Programming for Phoenix Comicon (May 23-26, 2013). Between the release of Break the Walls, my new responsibilities with Phoenix Comicon, and my normal job/life/family, things have been pretty busy. I've got some catching up to do. In order to get the word out about some Kickstarter projects coming to an end soon, I will put out three columns over the next two weeks. Thanks for reading the column and for all the email suggestions from fans of the column who suggest their personal favorite Kickstarter comic book project.

Project: Southern California Surfer Bats

Creator: Ryan Shepard

Concept: One late night in 1979, a spaceship smashed into a Southern California beach embedding their craft into some dark ominous caverns below. Three surviving aliens, on the brink of death, manage to use their evolutionary special powers to mutate and transfer their lives over to some nearby bats.

Emmette Sinclair – a young mad scientist in love with a hot surfer named Jenny – unexpectedly discovers the alien crash site and leads to the scientific breakthrough of a lifetime.

10 years later, Slater (Jenny's boyfriend) surfs some of the wildest waves in history and makes a time altering discovery of his own…

Sweet spot: Pledge $10 or more. "WANNABE SURFING" REWARD: Get a PRINT copy of the COMIC BOOK mailed to you "

Tipping point: I was a big fan of the TMNT parody comics in the 80s, so you can imagine how excited I am by this.

So far: $126 of $500 with 7 days to go

Project: Zombie Ninjas

Creator: Michael Lee

Concept: "Not just Zombies – freaking Zombie Ninjas"

Sweet spot: Pledge $40 or more. "What what!? Hardcore believer in this. You have just upgraded to the hard cover of this wonderful wonderful graphic novel, plus all of the other good stuff listed in the box above."

Tipping point: Did I mention that I also was a big fan of the Troma B-movies like Surf Nazis Must Die. Freaking Zombie Ninjas could easily fit between The Toxic Avenger and Reanimator on my DVD rack. I just hope the final book has that same Ben Templesmith feel to the art that the preview image has.

So far: $20 of $8,000 with 18 days to go

Project: Nenetl of the Forgotten Spirits

Creator: Vera Greentea and Laura Müller

Concept: "Nenetl, of the Forgotten Spirits is a spirited horror story about a ghost searching for her family during the festival of the Day of the Dead, while dodging ambitious exorcist apprentices. Vera Greentea (Recipes for the Dead, To Stop Dreaming of Goddesses) and talented artist Laura Müller (Mega Man Tribute, Subway to Sally Storybook) collaborate to create an autumn-friendly tale of skulls and hope. The first issue introduces the vivacious but forgotten ghost girl, Nena, as she explores the labyrinthine streets of Mexico during its most eerily evocative celebration and Bastian, the first of the exorcists speeding after her – completely for the wrong reason."

Sweet spot: Pledge $10 or more. Signed physical copy of Issue 1 of NENETL: OF THE FORGOTTEN SPIRITS as soon as it's available.

Tipping point: Vera Greentea may not be known in the mainstream comic book world, but she continues to create wonderful niche comic books teaming up with talented artists on Kickstarter. This is her fourth Kickstarter project and each campaign has been more successful than the previous one.

So far: $7,280 of $4,000 with 7 days to go

Project: Chinatown

Creator: The Sun Bros

Concept: "Chinatown blends together strong elements of magical realism, adds in some trippy psychological horror, and finishes off with memories from our own cultural experience. For the small, frightened community of Chinatown, a missing girl ushers in not only panic—but an onset of the truly strange and bizarre. In Chinatown, there's just no telling what lies skulking in the dirty streets and back alleys."

Fundraising for: "The funds we're raising here on Kickstarter will go right into the printing costs of Chinatown. We've looked at printing companies throughout the Chicagoland area, and have found a printer that is both affordable and committed to putting out quality work. A portion of our Kickstarter funds will also be used to offset the cost of legal fees, the copyrighting costs of the book itself, and the art materials used during the creative process."

Sweet spot: Pledge $25 or more. "You'll get a copy of Chinatown, signed by the Sun Bros and delivered right to your door. On top of that, you'll be thanked by us on our website and you'll get the digital copy as well. Plus, everyone who buys our book gets an invitation to the Chinatown Launch Party this December on the South Side of Chicago! Details TBA."

Cool Zone: Pledge $150 or more. "For the serious art lover. You get everything listed above—the digital book, mention on our website, the signed copy of Chinatown, an invitation to the Launch Party, and a signed copy of Apocalypse Man. Plus, your name will be included in the book in the super special Laughing Dragon donors section! And here's the kicker: you'll get a piece of original art straight from Brad's drawing table. You'll also get a personalized note explaining the art you receive and the process involved in creating it. If we get more orders than we have artwork to offer, Brad will draw a sketch just for you!"

Tipping point: The artwork and the project video are enough to draw me into this Kickstarter project.

So far: $13,583 of $11,000 with 7 days to go

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