Welcome back to another installment of Indie Comics Showcase, the weekly blog where we signal boost a few truly independent comics that are currently crowdfunding their projects, crowdsourcing their funding in some way, or just completely self-publishing on their own. Every little bit of support for these creators matters, from a single dollar pledge to the twenty-five dollar bundle, and of course the higher tiers are usually fun too! Even if you can’t back a campaign or buy a book, you can share or tweet about these projects to your friends and followers.
On Indie Comics Showcase, we interview the creators, show off some art, and tell you how you can check out the product for yourself. Below we have some outstanding crowdfunding campaigns this week for you to learn about, enjoy, and hopefully support by backing one or more of them! Thanks for checking these out and for being the best part of Indie Comics Showcase.
Let’s jump in!
Check out the campaign here!
Chris Braly: Welcome to Indie Comics Showcase, Jerry. Hit me with your elevator pitch for Alphatron: Origins!
Jerry McClellan Sr: In a galaxy torn by conflict, the planet Alluvium stands against the menacing Ultradian Legion, with its fate resting in the hands of the Silver Six—an elite group of undercover warriors backed by the advanced science of Enzetech. Amidst the chaos, a young farmhand named Gabriel, yearning for adventure, unlocks hidden powers that thrust him into the heart of the battle. Now, he must rise to become the legendary hero, Alphatron, and tip the scales in the fight for peace and freedom across the United Planetary Systems.
Super Galactic fantastic Dimension Campaign is live
CB: What’s the origin story for this project?
JM: The idea for Super Galactic Fantastic Dimension came from my lifelong love of music from the likes of Earth, Wind, and Fire, as well as science fiction, action-adventure and fantasy stories that inspired me while growing up. Shows like Super Friends, Thundercats, and Transformers, as well as iconic films like Star Wars and Indiana Jones, set fire to my imagination and inspired my passion for storytelling. Creating this comic was my way of paying homage to those great stories and sharing that same sense of adventure and heroism with a new generation that seems to be inundated with the deconstruction of heroes rather than the celebration of them. I hope to be a part of changing that.
CB: What led to your decision to self-publish and crowdfund the book?
JM: I decided to self-publish because I wanted full creative control to shape the story and characters in a way that stays true to my vision. The entertainment landscape as evolved where barriers of entry are now removed for most, thanks in large part to social media and technology. Self-publishing allows me to directly connect with fans, to build a community, and ensure that Super Galactic Fantastic Dimension is crafted with the same passion and integrity that inspired its creation.
CB: Who is this comic aimed at?
JM: Super Galactic Fantastic Dimension is perfect for readers who love epic space adventure, action-packed battles, and stories of true heroism. It’s aimed at fans of classic superhero tales, sci-fi enthusiasts, and anyone who enjoys character-driven narratives about courage, friendship, and fighting for what’s right. For those who love the heroes journey set against an epic backdrop of space. This comic series is suitable for all ages. whether you’re a long time comic book reader or new to the comics altogether!
CB: Tell me a little about your creative process, and how you like to work.
JM: My creative process is pretty informal and fueled by inspiration from a great story, or a bad one, and even music. Earth, Wind, and Fire, in particular, have been a huge influence on SFGD and the character Alphatron. I often have their music on repeat when I’m brainstorming and writing. Every story, for me, starts with a character idea, and when a character idea clicks for me, I start bringing it to life visually using tools like Photoshop, Blender, and/or Daz3D. I write down ideas as they come and incorporate them where they fit best. Once I have a solid concept and rough character synopsis, I dive into the story, just letting my thoughts flow onto the page without worrying about structure.
After a few rewrites, I shape it into a screenplay format, since I naturally visualize stories as movies rather than individual comic panels. Once I’m happy with the draft, I send it to the artist, and we discuss how to bring each scene to life visually. Thankfully, the artist I work with has no problem interpreting my stories from a screenplay format to a comics panel format. It’s a collaborative process that evolves as we go, but that’s what makes it exciting!
CB: Tell me about your unique creative team.
JM: I started out developing most of the characters and story concepts on my own, but eventually, I brought in my oldest son, Jerry Jr. He’s an incredible writer and has really helped take the story to the next level, bringing fresh ideas and new perspectives to the table. We’ve been able to develop so many more stories working together.
CB: What’s your production workflow like?
JM: Since we’re working in a screenplay format, we already have several episodes written, and two of them are fully edited and ready to go to the artist for production. Episode 1, which is Issue #1, already has 5 pages completed by the artist, and we’re estimating it to be around 50 pages in total. We expect to finish Issue #1 in about 6 months, but we’re allowing up to a year to account for edits, mistakes, and any unexpected setbacks.
CB: What have you been learning from self-publishing through this process?
JM: There’s so much I’ve learned, but one of the biggest takeaways has been the importance of connecting with other indie creators. I wish I had understood this before producing my first book years ago. Building those relationships has been invaluable—they’ve provided encouragement, advice, and support in so many areas. The indie comics community, writers, artists, and fans, is incredibly welcoming, and I’m grateful for the connections I’ve made so far. I’m excited to keep building more relationships and hopefully collaborating with even more talented creators in the future.
CB: Can you share your plans beyond this book? Where is this headed?
JM: The plan is to produce a series with Alphatron Origins, I know there is 3 issues for sure, but there could be even more story beyond that. We also plan on producing another series called Alphatron Adventures, which focuses on our heroes’ adventures throughout the galaxy. These will be more standalone stories. There is also a rough draft for a Big Russ and the Silver Six story. I am also working on a Lovecraftian story that takes place within the Super Galactic Fantastic Dimension, but not directly related to our main cast of characters. Beyond the books, I do have a goal of producing an animated movie or series based on our characters. If all goes well and we are able to exceed our funding goals, we will produce a 1 minute animated pilot.
CB: Anything else you want to share with our readers before we wrap?
JM: Thanks so much for the opportunity to be interviewed, and a big thanks to everyone who took the time to read it! We’re working hard to create something fresh and exciting, and I truly hope you enjoy what we have to offer. Be sure to catch our live stream every Saturday at 10:30am on Youtube and X.com, where we dive into everything from entertainment and comics to writing and more. We’d love to have you join the conversation! Our crowdfunding campaign is live at FundMyComic.com, and we appreciate any support you can give.
CB: Looks great, Jerry. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Check out the campaign here!
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Check out the campaign here!
Chris Braly: Welcome back to Indie Comics Showcase, Jack! Get the uninitiated readers caught up on Voluntaryist: Suit Saga!
Jack Lloyd: Voluntaryist is the tale of a superhuman hero who finds himself pitted against the government as the government tries to enslave humanity once and for all. He is a young man with extraordinary powers created through a chance encounter with cosmic radiation. His personal mission is to rescue his parents from government agents, but that objective is often frustrated with the likes of giant monsters, super-villains, and even the deep state.
Voluntaryist Suit Saga II OFFICIAL ANIMATED TRAILER
CB: Where did the idea for this comic come from?
JL: Voluntaryist was created by liberty fanatic and producer Jack L., whose passion for liberty is only matched by his passion for memes and film production. He began the long process of creating the series while trudging through his graduate studies. His wife, Pho, acts as editor and can often be seen in cosplay cameos! The Voluntaryist comic series was in a prototyping process for 6 years and just completed the Origins Arc with a successfully-funded 192 page trade paperback. The script for this new arc has been written and we’re building out even more of the Voluntaryist universe in the Suit Saga arc!
CB: What kind of comic readers is this suited for?
JL: This comic is suited for teens+ and is aimed at those who want a superhero-genre story with a theme of individual liberty.
CB: What’s been your creative approach to the book like? And if it’s not complete, how far along is the book?
JL: I developed my style and creative process through trial and error. I learned by playing around in Photoshop to do some initial graphic work and then worked with outside help to create the comic. The comic is almost complete as we’re just finalizing the last few lettered pages.
CB: What have you been learning from self-publishing / crowdfunding and creating through this process?
JL: I have been learning how to better ship products using a Rollo printer and PirateShip.
CB: Are there more Voluntaryist adventures you plan to tell?
JL: Yes. The Suit Saga arc will continue with several more issues and the Voluntaryist universe is ever-expanding.
CB: Any special features on the crowdfunding campaign you want to mention?
JL: There is a special holofoil cover variant created by legendary Rippaverse artist Igor “Chakal” Teixeira.
CB: Nice. Anything else you would like to share with our readers?
JL: Readers can learn more about the Voluntaryist universe at volcomic.com
CB: Awesome. Good luck, Jack!
Check out the campaign here!
Check out the campaign here!
Chris Braly: Welcome to Indie Comics Showcase, Akeem. Tell us what your comic Ariana Trench is all about.
Akeem Oviahon: The story takes place in Libertalia, a hidden pirate colony on the island of Madagascar. A treasure-hunting expert, Ariana Trench, has been recruited by a shady pirate captain, Hector Azucar, who promises her a share of the treasure she must retrieve from the Treasure Man’s cave, which is littered with the world’s most dangerous booby traps. The unique part about this comic is that it is made to give the readers the feeling as if they are playing a video game. This 50-page comic book will be illustrated in beautiful pixel art graphics and have creative puzzle-solving segments integrated into the story. It’s a comic book that readers of all ages can enjoy, though it may also attract fans of pixel art, pirates, and even tabletop games.
CB: Where did the idea for this comic come from, and led to your decision to self-publish it?
AO: I’m a huge fan of classic point-and-click adventure games such as the Monkey Island series because I love how the game offers an engaging story and puzzle-solving segments for the player to solve. Another series in recent years that has perfected this balance of storytelling and puzzle-solving was the Professor Layton series. I thought it’d be cool if this genre could somehow be converted into a comic book so that it could reach a broader audience and add something new to the comic book industry. Other authors have attempted this in the past, but for the most part, they were one-and-done projects and didn’t fully capture what I envisioned. I considered reaching out to publishers, but since this is not a traditional comic book, I had a hard time selling them on the idea, which is what led me to self-publish.
CB: Tell me a little about your history with creating comics.
AO: I’ve been writing stories ever since I was in elementary school, but I never really had the art skills to fully illustrate the stories I’ve been envisioning. Aside from storytelling, I’m also good at designing logical puzzles and riddles. I have published 3 puzzle adventure books in the past but none of them possessed the stories that I wanted to tell, due to them not being fully illustrated. Finally, these issues have been solved thanks to the artist I’m collaborating with.
CB: Who your creative team for this project?
AO: The artist that I’m collaborating with, Lana Wanderwood, is very good at what she does and quickly understood the type of comic I was trying to create. With a page of dialogue, she can visualize and illustrate an entire scene in ways that exceed how I initially thought the scene would look.
CB: What have you been learning from self-publishing through this process?
AO: I’d say that marketing the book was a challenge. I see the fun that could be had with this kind of book, however since it’s not traditional, not everyone understands what it is. Some people thought it was a video game due to the pixel art illustrations, but that was just a creative choice, and my future comics will have a variety of art styles. Other people thought the comic was an activity book because I used to advertise it as a puzzle book and puzzle adventure book. This is the last thing I would want people to think the book is, which is why I’m now marketing it as an interactive adventure comic, at least until I find something more suitable.
CB: Are there more Ariana Trench stories you hope to tell?
AO: Yes! I already designed Ariana Trench to be a series, as well as other unrelated comic books of the same niche that I have planned. This is a niche of comic books that I intend to popularize and dominate.
CB: It looks good. Anything else you would like to share with our readers before we sign off this week?
AO: This genre of comics may seem a bit obscure to some people, but I believe it is a new frontier in the comic book industry. Even if some people don’t back the project, I encourage people to follow our social media and watch what we do with the genre.
CB: Thanks and good luck!
Check out the campaign here!
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That’s it for this installment. If you’re a creator ramping up your own campaign or have a comic available for purchase online and you want to be featured in our weekly column, click here. And follow Indie Comics Showcase on Twitter at @Indie_Comics and reach out to them for more eyes on YOUR crowdfunding comic project. Until next time, support indie comics!
English (US) · 