By Todd Allen

Alex de Campi and Jimmy Broxton proposed a $27K project on Kickstarter.  “Ashes” is a sequel to de Campi’s and Igor Kordy’s 2005 Eisner-nominated mini-series Smoke (published by IDW).  This 250 page graphic novel is one of the most ambitious projects in terms of the dollar amount of the goal in the comics category on Kickstarter.  Ashes has now reached it’s funding goal and is sitting at 101% funded at $27,285 in funding with 11 days to go before the funding period ends.

If you go to the “Most Funded” page for comics projects on Kickstarter and disregard the Harvey Pekar statue as not actually being a comic, that would place ashes as the #7 most funded comic project.  #6 if you regard the Transmetropolitan art book as not being comics.

Aside from such a large upfront goal funding an original graphic novel, Ashes is also significant for being the first Kickstarter project to offer retailers a chance to participate and get discounted copies of the graphic novel for sale in stores.  As of this writing, it looks like 11 retailers have participated.  A small start for a new practice of cutting and the distributor and merging Direct to Consumer with Direct to Retail fulfillment.

Also of note is the appearance on that same “Most Funded” page of The Unprofessionals – A Graphic Novel of Sociopathic Bromance.” This 6-issue mini-series and accompanying graphic novel, fronted by Stargate actor Alexis Cruz, asked for a massive $30K in funding and ended up with $30,477 off a mere 153 backers.  Yes, that does include one pledge in the $3K+ category.

Crowdfunding is looking more real all the time.

6 COMMENTS

  1. Definitely not the first to offer retailer packages. But they are the first to get called “the First”, which means some excellent marketing on their part. Way to go guys. The hard part isn’t making a comic or starting a kickstarter, it’s getting people to notice.

    Great tier levels too. That seems to be a difficult part for most kickstarters to get right.

  2. #7 if…, #6 if…, #5 if…. Such a rush to make a claim. Just enjoy the placement and stop trying to qualify it. Sheesh.

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