We’re sifting through all the many crowdfunding coverage requests we receive here at BF each week once again to bring you a handful of the more intriguing, exciting, experimental and daring uses of the form that we spotted, along with some interesting campaigns found ourselves. These are comics that both fit the Broken Frontier ethos and that we think deserve your support and backing. Welcome to Crowdfunding Corner…
Tillie Walden’s ‘Spinning’
The who and what: A competitive figure skater for twelve years, every day was the same for Tillie Walden. Sports, school, and family, with no chance for her to stop and think. But when Tillie met her first girlfriend, it changed her whole life. She broke out of the reinforced sameness of a routine into a new relationship and a new interest in making art. She began to be sure her life should be different. A poignant, honest autobiographical graphic novel about realising you can reinvent your life.
With this campaign Avery Hill is funding a brand-new UK edition of Tillie Walden’s acclaimed memoir Spinning, featuring an all-new cover design and luxurious hardback binding! Fans of Avery Hill’s books will know Tillie as one of our longest-standing collaborators, who has published five books with us, from her very first graphic novel The End of Summer in 2015, to the acclaimed collection Alone in Space in 2021. Spinning won the Eisner Award for best reality-based work in 2018.
What’s on offer: Avery Hill are offering a limited number of signed/sketched copies of this lovely new edition of Spinning available, plus some signed bookplate editions. Additionally, the creator’s previous works with the publisher are available as campaign add-ons.
Why you should back it: Support Spinning and pledge to bring more diverse and interesting comics into the world. You can also read our BF review of the original SelfMadeHero edition here.
Falling Awake – A Sci-Fi Horror Graphic Novel
The who and what: Long story short, awakening from a cryosleep on a hostile planet, is John and a young girl who face a non-human threat. He must confront his past to survive. Behind this graphic novel is Jan Ditlev who is a seasoned Art Director at Rovio Copenhagen, SEGA, with over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry. He has contributed his skills to various sectors, including film, games, toys and advertising for clients such as ROVIO, SEGA, LEGO, Netflix, Sony, Unity and Io Interactive. In 2023, Jan fulfilled a lifelong dream of developing comics, writing and illustrating his first graphic novel, Falling Awake.
What’s on offer: Falling Awake is available digitally and in print and additional campaign rewards include merchandise such as a t-shirt and mug. Other books from the publisher, Afterlight Comics, are also available as add-ons.
Why you should back it: This is a 14-day limited campaign but the quick turnaround promises the rewards to be delivered sooner rather than later.
Brigantia Volume 2
The who and what: Brigantia is a fantasy comic book series about a pagan goddess from ancient, pre-Roman Britain, thrust into the modern day. Dropped into modern London and cut off from the tribe that worshipped her, Brigantia must enlist the aid of new followers to defeat her nefarious brother Veteris, who has spent centuries feasting on the fear of Britain’s people and gathering his strength. The creative team as a whole boasts an impressive portfolio of previously published comic book work.
What’s on offer: We have previously covered the first issue of Brigantia here at Broken Frontier and so we look forward to this next volume with the book, prints and original artwork on offer.
Why you should back it: This campaign caught my eye as credited in the team is Limnaia Areia who is a pagan consultant. Based in the UK, Limnaia has been a dual tradition Hellenic/Norse polytheist and a practising witch for the best part of twenty years, keeping this book authentic.
‘New Punk Signal’ and ‘Fwishi’Shi’
The who and what: Kelci D Crawford, webcomic artist, has created the comic New Punk Signal and the novella Fwishi’shi. Both books are now running on the same Kickstarter campaign and are stories that deal with themes of radio shows and podcasts, community, and platonic love. New Punk Signal tackles these themes by telling the story of two college boys trapped in their apartment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fwishi’shi addresses these themes by way of anthropomorphic animal people and their local legends in a seaside town.
What’s on offer: Rewards include physical and digital copies of both books, as well as exclusive bookmarks with every physical book order. There are also additional books available as add-ons, as New Punk Signal and Fwishi’shi are from two comics universes that have additional stories.
Why you should back it: The budget for the campaign has been carefully calculated to include the creator’s earnings from the ‘Toledo Arts Commission’ which means that any takings from the Kickstarter will be truly invested in the rewards offered to the backers.
Article by Ellie Egleton
Tags: crowdfunding corner
— Ellie Egleton
English (US) · 