Welcome to this week’s installment of The Beat‘s Comics Crowdfunding Round-Up! Join us for a new perspective on growing up, space magic, a new take on a groundbreaking adventure, and a new take on the “next frontier”.
Becoming Who We Are: Real Stories About Growing Up Trans
Creators: Based on nine real-life stories, including Sam Long, Robbi Mecus, Brooke Guinan, Robbie Ahmed, Robin Aguilar, Dr. Kate Stone, Rebekah Bruesehoff, Diamond Stylz, and Marli Washington, with art by Cynthia Yuan Cheng, Naomi Rubin, Hazel Newlevant, Victor Martins, Sunmi, Ravi Teixeira, Higu Rose, Kameron White, and Sage CoffeyGoal: $20,000End Date: December 14, 2023Goodies: A digital, paperback, and exclusive hardcover release
BECOMING WHO WE ARE is a 144-page middle-grade-appropriate comics anthology featuring the real-life stories of nine members of the trans community as they share their very relatable experiences of growing up, overcoming challenges, and discovering who they really are.
For the LGBTQIA+ community, it can be difficult to share personal stories that focus on a very important part of their lives: when they were able to recognize the people they would grow into and the difficulties that came with that. So, to have multiple people come out and tell their stories—all in one beautifully drawn anthology—makes this graphic novel a special release that could potentially help those needing to see something like this either now or in the past.
It’s a memorable anthology, and I think readers would not only benefit from it but would like to be a part of it, as well.
Become a backer here.
The Wild Cosmos
Creators: Curtis Clow (writer), Guillermo Fajardo (artist), Bryan Valenza (colorist), Toben Racicot (letterer)Goal: December 7, 2023End Date: $6,000Goodies: digital, paperback, and exclusive variants to this Kickstarter!
The Wild Cosmos is set in the future; humans have colonized thousands of planets and made home to many planets in the galaxy. This story takes place in our version of a colorful, beautiful, wild west version of space, filled with exotic alien planets and creatures and with a bit of… magic!
It’s about an infamous space smuggler who must capture a magical girl and trade her to space pirates to get his crewmate back. The Wild Cosmos deals with subjects like being a leader, overcoming guilt, and the fact that every choice you make will yield different consequences.
The cover art for The Wild Cosmos immediately grabbed my attention, and for good reason: the art for this comic is fantastic. That was just the beginning; a story based in space with various colorful planets, characters, and a little magic made me want more. I want to see where this goes, and I think this could be right up your alley if you indulge in sci-fi.
Become a backer here.
Jules Verne the Return of Captain Nemo
Creators: Francois Schuiten (artist) and Benoit Peeters (author)Goal: $7,500End Date: November 26, 2023Goodies: Exclusive bookmark, holiday card, pack of five EX LIBRIS bookplates, art prints, and more!
The Return of Captain Nemo is a love letter to Jules Verne and his iconic character, Captain Nemo, presented as a blend of graphic novel and illustrated narrative. The book also features Benoît Peeters’ history of Jules Verne himself, who had settled in Amiens, and where a monumental bronze sculpture of the Nauti-Octopus, designed by François Schuiten, will once be erected in 2025.
The latest entry in the international award-winning graphic novel series, The Obscure Cities. Originally written in French, The Return of Captain Nemo gets its first English translation through this Kickstarter campaign! Already having crowdfunded over $16,000 out of its $7,500 goal, it’s clear how excited fans are for this series. A story based on what is argued to be the creation of modern-day sci-fi, centering around a legendary captain going through an underwater journey to different cities to remember who he once was, it sounds absolutely amazing.
Become a backer here.
Frontier
Creators: Guillaume Singelin (writer, illustrator)Goal: $7,500 End Date: December 1, 2023Goodies: A digital copy, a softcover copy, an exclusive hardcover, an etched metal ticket bookmark, mini statuettes, and more!
It was inevitable. Our ravenous hunger for resources eventually stripped the Earth dry. Fortunately, our ambitious technology reached the point where we could turn our sights to the stars, which were full of materials to exploit—a New Frontier for a new gold rush.
In this rustic future, three souls eke out a living: Ji-Soo, a scientist with a passion for discovery; Camina, a feisty, battle-scarred mercenary; and Alex, an asteroid miner who has never been to Earth. Through their exhausting daily lives, they each dream individual dreams, following their own road toward that horizon. But when those paths cross, those dreams change trajectory, taking them all in a direction they couldn’t have imagined. What will become of humanity when it is completely disconnected from its cradle, the Earth?
Singelin can take cartoony characters, create stunning but ominous-looking backdrops, and add amazing detail to each comic panel. It’s breathtaking, and each new panel and bit of story previewed leaves us at The Beat wanting more.
Become a backer here.
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