Posted in: Comics, Current News, streaming, TV, YouTube | Tagged: Backerkit, iron circus, Lackadaisy

Lackadaisy Webcomic Hits A Million Dollars Fundraising After One Week

On the 25th of July, Iron Circus launched a campaign for more Lackadaisy and as of today has smashed through its million-dollar barrier.

On the 25th of July Iron Circus launched a BackerKit campaign for more episodes of the comic book series and animation Lackadaisy, and it raised more than $500,000 in less than 24 hours. Within the first two days, it hit two-thirds of a million – and as of this morning has smashed through its million-dollar barrier. At the time of writing, it is currently at $1,005,052 against a goal of $125,000 from 8,259 backers and 24 days to go. It is the most popular crowdfunding ever for Spike Trotman's Iron Circus operation. This has smashed through the final Lackadaisy stretch goal to fund a full five-episode season of Lackadaisy.

Lackadaisy is a Prohibition-Era webcomic by Tracy Butler about gangsters, bootleggers, molls, and rumrunners in St Louis who are all … cats. The Eisner-nominated webcomic has been adapted into a 27-minute animated pilot directed by Fable Siegel, which has been viewed almost 10 million times since it debuted on YouTube in late March. A season one trailer dropped last week has already been watched over a million times. Set in St. Louis, Missouri in the midst of Prohibition, Lackadaisy features an eclectic cast in a crime-filled, speakeasy tucked away in a cave beneath the Little Daisy Cafe. Patrons who flash the club symbol from a deck of cards are granted all the moonshine and music they desire. The story features action and adventure, comedy and crime, and a cast of jazz cats, including the Lackadaisy's freshly-widowed proprietor Mitzi May, jazz fiddler and rumrunner Rocky Rickaby, bespectacled hatchetman Mordecai Heller, and jazz-baby flapper Ivy Pepper.

On crossing their million-dollar moment, Spike Trotman tweeted "TOP O' THE WORLD, MA", animator Ashlet Nichols posted "WE DID IT!!!!! ONE MILLION!!!!!!!" and director Fable Siegel posted the following image, saying "Hastily tacking on my goals because /holy sh-t/"

There has also been supportive mention from the likes of these folks.

Former gaming artist Tracy Butler conceptualized and began work on Lackadaisy as a webcomic in 2006 after researching the history of her St. Louis surroundings, and being inspired by her love of jazz music, and 1920s aesthetics. Tracy co-wrote the script for the animated pilot with director Fable Siegel and oversaw a lot of the ensuing creative direction on the project. "The reception to the Lackadaisy pilot has been truly overwhelming," said creator Tracy Butler. "A crew of over 150 artists introduced Lackadaisy's world of gangsters, flappers, jazz musicians to millions of viewers around the world. That kind of success has encouraged us to continue to tell the story of these off-kilter cats in the only way we know how: with complete creative independence."

"Our three years of experience running a studio has taught us a lot about the animation process and given us a great idea of what we want to do going forward to create more animated episodes of Lackadaisy," said director Fable Siegel. "So, we're keeping things very simple with the campaign: any stretch goals for this project will be in the service of creating more animation."

"The internet is rife with stories of animated series and films that debuted with great fanfare and promise, but are shelved, fumbled, canceled, locked in a vault, pulled from streaming, or left to die on the vine, sometimes for no reason other than to balance the books of a corporate merger, or earn a tax break," said Iron Circus' Spike Trotman. "We don't want that for Lackadaisy. We want to retain ownership, direction, and oversight. We want to make more of what millions of viewers have already come to love about our animation. And beyond that? We feel we've come to the fore at a potentially critical moment for the future of independent animation. We have a chance to help establish the new normal. We don't just want to do this, we want to prove it can be done. And to do that, we're going to need your help."

• New, lush, 11.25" x 10.25" hardcover editions of Lackadaisy;
• The Lackadaisy Essentials, an art-and-lore volume highlighting the scenes and characters of the Lackadaisy universe.
• Limited edition plushies of Lackadaisy's chaotic protagonist Rocky Rickaby, and fan-favorite criminal kitty, Mordecai Heller.
• New animated episodes featuring voice cast including Michael Kovach as Rocky Rickaby, Belsheber Rusape as Calvin "Freckle" McMurray, Lisa Reimold as Ivy Pepper, Ashe Wagner as Mitzi May and SungWon Cho as Mordecai Heller.

"If you want more animated Lackadaisy, supporting this BackerKit is the most direct way to make sure that happens! Independent funding like this is the best way to ensure we have the freedom to create this series on our own terms, and see it through to its true conclusion," said Tracy Butler.

Meanwhile, LA's Secret Movie Club will present the first public screening of the online phenomenon Lackadaisy: The Animated Short Film at LA's Secret Movie Club Theater next Wednesday, August 2, 2023. The 27-minute animated film will be accompanied by a Q&A with creator Tracy Butler, director Fable Siegel and crew members from the animated short. Both of the Secret Movie Club screenings of the pilot Wednesday night in Los Angeles have sold out, but fans who can't attend can buy a commemorative poster online. The 27-minute animated film will be accompanied by a Q&A with creator Tracy Butler, director Fable Siegel and crew members from the animated short, including voice actors Jason Marnocha (Viktor), Tomas Walter Vitola (Hotaio), and Benni Latham (Serafine).

Tracy Butler left behind a college track in biology to pursue a career in her most beloved childhood interest – drawing stuff. Originally from New England, she relocated to St. Louis, Missouri to work for a small game dev studio, where she worked as an illustrator and concept artist, and later as a 3d character artist, animator and art director. After moving into a century-old home around 2006, she became fascinated with the history surrounding her and set about producing a comic – LACKADAISY – as an ode to that history. And to cats.

Fable Siegel is a veteran animation professional, boasting a resume that includes Titmouse, Starburns, the internet phenomenon Hazbin Hotel, and two Game Grumps Animated shorts, along with storyboard work for Cartoon Network (Ben 10), Stoopid Monkey (Adam Ruins Everything: Reanimated History), Warner Brothers (Wacky Races), Shadow Machine (F is for Family), and more, as well as being a board artist, animator, and designer for Six Point Harness (Like Share Die). Brought onto the Lackadaisy animated short as a production manager, director, and producer, they'll be overseeing the project utilizing their years of professional experience and skill.

C. Spike Trotman was born in DC, raised in MD, and lives in IL. An artist and writer, she founded Iron Circus Comics in 2007, which has since grown to become the region's largest comics publisher. Her notable work includes the webcomic "Templar, Arizona," the Smut Peddler series of erotic comic anthologies, and Poorcraft, a graphic novel guide to frugal living. A Kickstarter early adopter, she pioneered the widely-adopted bonus model that's since completely reshaped the pay system of the small press, jump-starting the current renaissance of alt-comics anthologies. Iron Circus is also the first comics publisher of note to fully incorporate crowdfunding into its business model, inventing one of the single most effective uses of new media in comics publishing today.

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