Posted in: Comics, Current News | Tagged: ai, Colin Kaepernick, Lumi, nfl

NFL Quarterback Colin Kaepernick Raises $4 Million to Create AI Comics

Colin Kaepernick, former NFI quarterback has raised $4 million in investments for Lumi, a new AI-based platform for publishing comics.

Colin Kaepernick, former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, has raised $4 million in investments for Lumi, a new AI-based platform for publishing comics and graphic novels. Seven Seven Six led the seed round alongside Kapor Capital and Impellent Ventures, angel investors Mariam Naficy (founder of Minted), David Sze, Chamillionaire, and tech execs from Meta, Anthropic, ContextualAI, Sleeper, Pave, and more.

Lumi is intended to "empower" comic book creators by "providing them with the tools needed to independently create, publish, and merchandise their stories both digitally and physically." And that "The company plans to focus energy on comic book and graphic-novel creators first, a market with the need for multiple creative skill sets." ‍And that "Lumi is on a mission to democratize storytelling by providing creators with the tools to independently create, publish, and merchandise their stories" and that "Lumi leverages advanced AI technology to enhance the creative process and ensure diverse and authentic stories shape our future."

Oh, joy. This must be a definition of "authentic" that I was previously unaware of.

Lumi's mission is to "democratize storytelling by providing tools for creators to turn their ideas into finished products, as well as distributing and merchandising those stories – transforming any creator into Disney. By leveraging advanced AI tools, Lumi enhances the creative process, allowing creators to focus on bringing their stories to life while the platform handles all of the logistics. Creators have had a significant impact on AI, and they should be a primary beneficiary of its use."

You can see where this is going, can't you? Type in a few words, and get a comic book out.

"Creators today face significant challenges, including exploitation and lack of independence. Lumi addresses these issues by providing an end-to-end solution for storytelling, leading to more financial stability, creative control, and ownership of their work. Additionally, as AI continues to evolve, it is essential to ensure that the resulting content reflects diverse and authentic perspectives. By empowering creators to authentically create their stories, Lumi helps ensure a more equitable future for AI."

I'm not entirely sure that existing comic book creators, aside from maybe Brian Haberlin, will see it this way.

"Lumi was founded out of the barriers that Kaepernick discovered publishing his own works. This included high production costs, long production timelines, and gatekeeping within the industry. These challenges generate significant friction for creators, preventing many projects from getting off the ground. By decreasing the barrier to entry, Lumi opens the funnel of creativity to the world, enabling a new wave of diverse and innovative stories to come to life."

"Lumi addresses an unnecessary dependency on gatekeepers that slows creators down," says Kaepernick, Founder & CEO of Lumi. "This allows creators to get back to what they ultimately want to do: create. The platform empowers creators to work freely and independently, deciding when and how they want to collaborate with others. This independence is crucial for fostering a vibrant and diverse creative ecosystem."

Barriers such as having to write and draw the damn thing? Gatekeepers such as artists who want to be paid?

Seven Seven Six, the venture capital firm founded in 2020 by Alexis Ohanian, states that it has been a staunch advocate for tech-forward storytelling. "The timing for this venture is perfect, as recent technological advancements have made it possible to realize Lumi's vision," said Cristina Apple Georgoulakis, Partner at Seven Seven Six. "Colin and the Lumi team have gathered valuable insights from creators about their concerns and needs, including the desire for control over their work and financial sustainability. We believe Lumi is the perfect solution to a problem that has existed for decades."

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