This month we found a bunch of crowdfunded campaigns available to support on Kickstarter. This is a pretty interesting group of projects. They range from new comic material, to art books, to collections, to figurines? Yep. A lot of cool things.
Kickstarter is a platform available at Kickstarter.com where creative individuals have the ability to design and run a crowdfunding campaign. The concept is that individuals pledge to support the project, and if the project reaches the planned goal of pledge money in the time that campaign is running, then the project will get made. There are usually many various tiers of backer pledges, and different pledge levels come with different backer reward items. It is a fantastic way for creators to fund the projects that they love and want to create while getting new interesting things into the world.
The campaigns we highlighted for this month are in various states of funding. Some are fully funded and into the state of trying to hit stretch goals that come with even more cool stuff for backers and some are still in need of backers to hit their goal and get their project made.
The projects are listed below in chronological order of the end of the campaign. So, the ones that end soonest come first. Make sure you click on the Campaign Links for each campaign to get all the detailed info about the rewards and creators. We feel there is something for everyone on this list. Enjoy!
STANDSTILL THE SURVIVAL HORROR COMIC BOOK 1-12
The complete season 1 of Standstill!
Ending: Thu, September 8 2022 12:09 PM EDT
PCS Thoughts: We are fans of this series that Justin Gray has been working on for quite a while and the opportunity to get the whole thing is very cool. Hurry up this one ends really soon!!
From the Campaign:
This Kickstarter is for the complete season 1 of the survival horror sci-fi comic for mature readers including previously unreleased issues #11 and #12.
We have 12 issues worth of content well over 300 pages. This comic has been a passion project that I first conceptualized in 2015 but wasn’t really able to get it to where I needed it to be until 2020. These 12 issues would not have been possible without Kickstarter backers just like you coming back time and time again to show your support even after a nearly 4 year hiatus. That support has allowed me to tell the story my way including mature content that might have otherwise been watered down or removed. I didn’t go into this story thinking about TV or film deals or anything other than doing work I’m proud of in a way that gave me total creative freedom in the medium I love.
Intoximancy: A boozy wizard subclass for 5e
Your guide to becoming a drunken master of the mystic arts! Plus new spells, items, and creatures! #ZineQuest4
Ending: Thu, September 8 2022 10:00 PM EDT
PCS Thoughts: This is a great get for fans of D&D. There are some really cool included things in the guide book and also with the stretch goals. Steve Conley never lets you down with the package you receive from his Kickstarter Campaigns.
From the Campaign:
What’s in the Book?
- Rules for the Intoximancer wizard subclass: a fun, powerful, and playable subclass for fifth edition
- A guide for creating each Intoximancer’s unique Flagon – a magic drinking vessel which levels up and gains powers as the Intoximancer does
- Variant rules for those wizards who prefer pipeweed over ale
- New spells and cantrips like Cheers and Blackout Drunk
- New magic items like the Beard of Holding and the Crapulancer’s Great Staff
- New creatures like the Hobgoblet and the fire-breathing Pseudoflagon
Both the zine and the hardcover editions will be printed at A5 size – this is about 5-7/8 x 8-1/4 inches in size. The book will be a minimum of 32-pages.
The Intoximancer mini will be approximately 32mm “heroic” miniature scale with a 1-inch round base. The mini will be a high-quality, ready-to-assemble figure.
A Fistful of Pain | Kung Fu Sci-Fi Dragon Die-Cut Hardcover
Large-format, one-shot graphic novella about VENGEANCE, DRAGONS and SIBLING RIVALRY from award-winning Ryan K Lindsay & Louie Joyce.
Ending: Sat, September 10 2022 11:59 PM EDT
PCS Thoughts: This is one where all the details are in the video, but it looks like a fun comic story and we are definitely interested in getting our hands on it. There are some really cool backer rewards and stretch goals with this campaign.
From the Campaign:
SIDE-KICKED Chapters 1-9: Heroes, Sidekicks, Aliens and More
FINAL ISSUE: The sidekick strike is over. Can the heroes & sidekicks learn to work together when an alien invasion threatens the peace?
Ending: Tue, September 20 2022 11:59 PM EDT
PCS Thoughts: We ran into the creators for this series at a con last year and are happy to promote this next installment in their Indie super-heroey story. There are good catch up backer rewards for new comers. Definitely an interesting campaign.
From the Campaign:
Story
Sick and tired of being disrespected by the super-heroes they work with, taken for granted by the general public, and ignored by the media, the sidekicks of Chicago WENT ON STRIKE.
That is the story detailed in Side-Kicked Chapters 1-4 (collected in the Side-Kicked Volume 1 trade paperback), which were successfully funded on Kickstarter.
Side-Kicked Chapters 5, 6, 7 & 8 were successfully funded on Kickstarter in 2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022 and launched a brand new story arc (which will ultimately comprise Chapters 5-9 of the series).
This campaign is to raise funds to print Side-Kicked Chapter 9, the Fifth (and FINAL) Issue in the second story arc in the world of Side-Kicked.
But don’t worry. If you missed out on Side-Kicked Chapters 1-8 you can still get copies through this campaign. There are several Reward Tiers specifically for catching up on the story so far.
Who Will Love Side-Kicked?
- Fans of Side-Kicked Chapters 1-4 (Seriously. If you enjoyed Volume 1 you will definitely enjoy what’s in store for Chapters 5-9).
- Also, fans of The Justice League, Young Justice, The X-Men, The Tick and other super-hero comic books.
- Collectors looking for limited print run books and great artwork.
- Supporters of independent comics who want to see what the comic book world has to offer beyond the BIG 2.
Sleep Terrors
A new horror graphic novel from Cavan Scott and Stephanie Son with exclusive cover by Hong Jacga
Ending: Wed, September 21 2022 2:54 PM EDT
PCS Thoughts: Good Creative team, solid publishing company running the campaign. What is not to like about this project. We are backing it.
From the Campaign:
SLEEP TERRORS is a dark tale that follows Terri Shepherd whose life falls apart when she is involved in a hit-and-run accident. Now suffering from extreme narcolepsy, Terri is plagued with terrible nightmares involving those who have wronged her being slaughtered horribly. But dreams can’t hurt anyone, right?
Wrong.
Terri’s nightmares are becoming reality, and an unknown force kills anyone who crosses her. Fearing for both her sanity and the safety of those she loves, Terri goes on the run. But who are the government agents that are tracking her every move and what do Terri’s nightmares-turned-reality have to do with an escaped psychiatric patient who also hides a dreadful secret?
As the murders become increasingly bizarre, Terri must find a cure before everyone around her is killed—if only she can stay awake…
SLEEP TERRORS is an original graphic novel created by New York Times best-selling author, Cavan Scott (Star Wars: The High Republic, Justice Society). The book also features art by South Korean illustrator, Stephanie Son (Immortal Souls Anthology, The Witches of Silverlake) who is best known for her ability to create lush dreamscapes that brilliantly capture mood and tonal nuance.
SLEEP TERRORS is a 6.63″x10.19″ graphic novel featuring approximately 162 pages of content. This Kickstarter campaign will feature two exclusive HARDCOVER versions that will NOT be available in retail – Cover A by South Korean illustrator Stephanie Son (Immortal Souls Anthology, The Witches of Silverlake) and Cover B by renowned South Korean webtoon creator Hong Jacga (Dr. Brain, Star Wars)! ***PLEASE NOTE***: Cover A will be available in retail, but as a softcover only. Additionally copies (of both Cover A and B) will be available to add on in the BackerKit survey we’ll be sending out after the Kickstarter campaign has concluded.
Beowulf #1-4: Adventure that spans centuries
The dragon slayer from myth, reincarnated as a 30-something slacker. His sidekicks are a magic cat and a thirteen-year old girl.
Ending: Wed, September 21 2022 7:00 PM EDT
PCS Thoughts: This is a campaign that we think is absolutely worthy. The book is completed and the creators are looking for printing money. This book should be printed. There are great and affordable backer rewards. Looks good to us.
From the Campaign:
Issue #4 continues the story begun in issues #1 through 3.
Don’t worry, if you missed those, we have the ketchup tier. (you can also add issues via the add-on option) There’s also a brief summary of the first two issues in issue #4.
The Story So Far
Hazel, a pre-teen girl living in suburbia, is having a typical, boring evening when she’s startled by the premonition of a dragon awakening from a centuries long nap.
As surprised as she is by the vision, she’s absolutely shocked when her cat, Mooney, opens his mouth and tells her that he too had the same premonition.
Mooney knows of only one man brave and mighty enough to go toe to toe with a dragon, the mighty warrior, Beowulf. Unfortunately, he’s been reincarnated as this guy…
Victor’s an unemployed millennial slacker who can’t even get his life together much less slay a dragon.
Mooney brings Hazel and Victor back to his base, where he puts Victor under a trance so he can see how his ancestor defeated a dragon.
In the vision, Victor sees that his ancestor swallowed dragon blood, which gives him the powers of a dragon. Mooney sets about showing him how to use his new powers… With mixed results:
Young Offenders! Volume 1 | Teen Superhero Comic
Collecting the first arc of the teen superhero series by Mike Becker & Mark O. Stack with all-new material!
Ending: Thu, September 22 2022 11:01 AM EDT
PCS Thoughts: This is a project that we missed out on earlier in the initial single issue phase of this series. We are excited to get a chance to have the whole first arc in one book.
From the Campaign:
Young Offenders! is an ongoing comic book series by writer Mark O. Stack and artist Mike Becker with letterer Jodie Troutman. The support of the Kickstarter community allowed our team to create and release the first arc in single issues through two successful campaigns. Now, that first arc is being collected together in one deluxe paperback!
If you’re one of many who supported our single issue campaigns in the past, you’ll find that a new prologue along with a slight but impactful restructuring of the book. And backers new to Young Offenders! will find the best teen superhero comic since Runaways… Hey, it’s not bragging if you can back it up!
The goal of this campaign is to raise funds to print Young Offenders! Volume 1 as a 128-page trade paperback collecting the first three over-sized issues with additional story pages, back-up stories from the single issues, an art gallery, and a host of making-of material.
THE STORY SO FAR
One fateful evening, the stars fell to the earth and the world’s premier superheroes responded to the crisis. They disappeared. Six months later and it’s time for the next generation to pick up the pieces. The world needs heroes. It’s going to have to settle for the Young Offenders!
- Victor/Demon Boy, a former kid-hero turned grown-up rock’n’roller with a touch of the devil in him.
- Colin, an invulnerable college dropout with no sense of direction.
- Jane/The Lark, a high-strung vigilante itching to take over for her father.
- Elaine/Whiz Kid, an average student with ADHD and an armored supercomputer in her brain.
- Esperanza/Bruja, a magical mean girl who doesn’t need magic to make her friends disappear.
When an intergalactic death-god sets his sights on what he thinks is a vulnerable Earth, these would-be heroes will have to swallow their egos and overcome their various traumas to work together. If they’re lucky, they might just add up to more than the sum of their dysfunctional parts…
Cupid’s Arrows Volume 2
The collected print edition of the second season of my hit WEBTOON, Cupid’s Arrows!
Ending: Thu, September 29 2022 1:01 PM EDT
PCS Thoughts: This is the collection of the second volume of one of our favorite webtoons. Thom Zahler always delivers high quality backer rewards and this book has great content in it. Don’t miss it.
From the Campaign:
Hey, there, everyone! It’s me, lovable furry old Thom. I’m back spinning my yarns of love and romance and adventure.
In 2019 I created Cupid’s Arrows, about the bantery Rick and Lora and their divine mission to get couples together all the while being a couple that couldn’t get together. Then, at the end of the first arc, they said “To hell with the rules” and got together.
In 2020, I came back to tell the story of how that totally went fine and there were no problems at all. But Rick and Lora found out that 2020 wasn’t going to go smoothly for anyone. So they had more adventures and problems and a few drinks, and I told that story.
And now you can get all that in an awesome printed edition. If things go well (and you all amaze me every single time) there are going to be some cool bonuses and extras along the way.
All my stories are special to me. I wouldn’t write them if they weren’t. But this one has some deeper levels, because 2020 was rough on all of us. We all had to find ways to get through it. And being able to do this book for you helped keep me sane through it all.
Well, sane-er. Okay, sane-adjacent. Fine, barely functional. But that was something, especially then.
I’m excited for you to read this for the first time or experience it all over again. It’s a fun and sweet story that will become part of your heart. Plus, if this goes well, I can make another.
And trust me, when you get to the end of this, you’re going to want some more.
All right. Let’s make something awesome together.
