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!
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Check out the campaign here!
Chris Braly: For readers just discovering your work, how do you describe Gods Among Men? What’s the story all about?
Aaron Mak: Welcome to the world of Gods Among Men — an unprecedented true-crime narco-noir; a world that exists parallel to our own. Follow one man’s descent from the world of the legitimate into the underbelly of society, uncovering that these worlds are much closer than most are comfortable with. Experience all of the realism and none of the risk.
We invite you to peer through the looking glass — question your understanding of reality and redefine those we deify — because the truth isn’t just in these pages. It’s among us.
Gods Among Men 2 - Announcement Trailer
CB: That’s a striking tone and concept. How did this story come to life, and what made you take the self-publishing route?
AM: Gods Among Men has been a story that sat in perpetual development in our minds for a decade. It’s a true story that’s personal to us, which gives particular insight in how to accurately portray this world without over-dramatisation or crime-genre tropes.
As this is a story where we know its ultimate destination, self-publishing allows us to retain the integrity of the story without any potential censorship. The story will inevitably encounter some thematically dark and controversial ideas that often hit too close to home.
CB: Who do you see as the ideal reader for Gods Among Men?
AM: Gods Among Men is a book best suited for the more sophisticated and mature reader. Our readers would likely enjoy works such as A Righteous Thirst for Vengeance (Remender), Sam & Twitch (Bendis), Sin City (Miller) and Stumptown (Rucka). In terms of film and TV, our readers would probably enjoy Trainspotting, Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy, and The Sopranos.
CB: Let’s dig into your creative side. How would you describe your writing style and process for bringing a story like this to life?
AM: Considering we began in comics only two years ago, I find style is the hardest thing to articulate coming from the creators — it feels like something better described by others.
Regarding my experience with the script-writing process, I tend to ultimately return to the utilitarian question: “Am I telling this story in the best way possible?” My inclination is always to be a servant to the narrative rather than its master, especially when handling a true story, juggling different character types and atmospheric tones.
CB: You’ve got some strong collaborators on this project. Can you tell us more about your creative team?
AM: Josh Mak (story writer) is fascinating to work with because of how he seems to pluck ideas out of thin air, and when questioned what inspires him, he consistently answers, “Food.”
Aaron Mak (myself, script writer) would describe himself as the resin that binds the team and oversees the overall. He has also described his almost 10-year working relationship with his brother as “Josh is like dark, brooding Batman and I’m like funny, sexy Nightwing.”
Ben Sullivan (pencils & ink) and Wilson Go (colorist) are comic book veterans in the Australian scene, which gave us great pleasure when they came onboard in the beginning. Our synergy with each other was strengthened by their openness to the unconventional nature of this story, their desire to grow as artists, and their unrelenting work ethic.
CB: That’s quite the team. What does your production process look like, and how close are you to completion?
AM: The substance of the story is provided by the story writer, Josh Mak, who provides the narrative raw material. I, Aaron Mak, then distill it into a script form where the style begins to emerge in how the story gets paced and a rough idea of panel flow. Our artist, Ben Sullivan, then pumps blood into the body of work with his visceral traditional illustration, followed by the imparting of soul from our colourist, Wilson Go.
I then return to it all to finish it off with the lettering and final editing touches… which is the skin, I guess? Sure, why not.
CB: As newer creators in both comics and crowdfunding, what have you learned from going through this experience?
AM: Being somewhat new to both comics and self-publishing, I have learnt the importance of observation.
I think that we are amidst a paradigm shift, in which crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter have risen to fill a growing void. In light of events such as Diamond’s bankruptcy and seeing just larger publishers (such as Skybound and IDW) and reputable creators take to Kickstarter, there seems to be a gradual shift toward direct creator-to-consumer interactions.
It suggests to me that creators are beginning to opt for crowdfunding over the traditional publisher route, prioritising higher profitability over higher visibility.
CB: Once Gods Among Men is out, what’s next for you and your team?
AM: We’ve always felt the same since even before we began — our stories far exceed our resources to make them a reality, for now. We decided to put all of our focus into our two titles — Gods Among Men (our latest book), and ANA (releasing later this year). Both stories have had successful first issues, so 2026 brings us the next instalment for both titles.
Beyond that, of course we have more stories we’d like to tell, but we feel that discipline, endurance, and focus are things we prioritise; something I feel is beginning to wither nowadays.
CB: For collectors and Kickstarter supporters, are there any special editions or rewards they can look forward to?
AM: In terms of story, one of the most common tendencies I find in most crime stories (whether it be comics, film or TV) is the tendency to over-dramatise and under-research. Call us lucky (or unlucky) that a real-life event occurred sufficiently close to us that we’re able to provide such a unique insight into a largely unfamiliar and misrepresented world alongside our own… and we do it with eloquence, poeticism and style.
In all of our releases via Kickstarter, we always reward initiative and eagerness. As diehard fans of the physical medium, we’ll be bringing two Kickstarter-only reward items — a Virgin Holochrome Edition and a Hardcover Edition. This is the ‘Cynation Couture Range’. This has worked to our benefit to ensure that stock always sells out and remains exclusive — once it’s gone, it’s gone.
CB: Before we wrap up, what would you like to leave readers with as they’re discovering Gods Among Men?
AM: Since I’m a much better delegator than writer, I’ll grace this sign-off with the opening line from Gods Among Men, to stoke your curiosity:
“Society exists in the knowledge that justice will always prevail.
An age-old tale of good always triumphing over evil. But is this reality?
Well, the answer to that, my friends… depends entirely on your perception of it.
Let me show you mine.”
Check out the campaign here!
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Check out the book here!
Chris Braly: For those just discovering your work, how would you describe Bastymania? What’s the story about?
Mary Ganim: It is a time-travel through the music and time of 20th-century popular music, seen through the eyes of a fictional rock band and a motley crew of cohorts who careen through the ’50s and ’60s with an assortment of chaos, ambition, and love. The band tries and fails and tries again, accompanied by real and semi-fictional personalities who can make or break them.
It is a hand-drawn, book-length (400 pages) black-and-white ink graphic novel.
CB: That sounds like a love letter to the music era itself. What inspired this story, and what made you decide to self-publish it?
MG: I love the music — rock and pop, rhythm and blues — of the ’50s and ’60s. I wanted to write about it in an entertaining way. I self-published because I thought it might be too out of the mainstream for publishers.
CB: Who do you think Bastymania will appeal to most?
MG: It is a nostalgia piece that I think readers of Dell Comics and the early MAD Magazine would love — people my age. (I’m 75.) Young people with a love of humor, satire, and grandpa’s music will like it too. (16+)
CB: Let’s talk a bit about your creative background. How did your artistic style and approach develop over the years?
MG: I have been drawing comics since I was a child. I have a degree in fine art but always returned to comics. I spent my youth studying the artists and writers of MAD Magazine, hoping some of their gifts would rub off on me.
CB: Did anyone else contribute to Bastymania, or was this truly a solo effort?
MG: I am the creative team. The script, lettering, and artwork are all done by me.
CB: What was your production process like, and where does the project stand now?
MG: I worked six hours a day, six days a week. I was working against time because my eyesight was starting to fail. The book is complete and available now on Amazon.
CB: Self-publishing is always a learning experience. What lessons have you taken from this process?
MG: Self-publishing is hard work, especially since I don’t like talking about myself. I have a contributor and a client helping me with marketing, which I really need.
CB: That’s quite the journey. What comes next for you — is there more story beyond this book?
MG: Oh, yes, Bastymania Part Two, which covers our band from 1966–1980! It is in the process of being digitized and formatted.
CB: For collectors and fans of your work, are there any special features they can look forward to?
MG: It is a nostalgia piece for lovers of twentieth-century popular music and for people who love old-time, hand-done humorous stories.
CB: Before we wrap up, what would you like to leave our readers with?
MG: I love this story — I always wanted to write a graphic novel. I love my characters and I want readers to love them too.
CB: Thanks for sharing it with us!
Check out the book here!
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Check out the campaign here!
Chris Braly: For readers new to your work, how would you describe Speedster? What’s the story all about?
Arnav Kapoor: This is the second graphic novel of my series, which I started last year with my first graphic novel named Super Guardian. Continuing from that story in a shared connected universe, this book focuses on a different character who is a speedster. It’s a very realistic, emotional sci-fi crime-fighting drama, and I’ve already received positive responses from the handful of people who’ve read it since its release. The story is about a young man named John who has experienced many tragedies but ultimately finds purpose in life by using his abilities to help people around him — though it comes at the cost of his own well-being.
SPEEDSTER GRAPHIC NOVEL MOTION TEASER-2. CREATED BY ARNAV KAPOOR. PLEASE LIKE, SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE.
CB: That’s impressive, especially continuing from your first graphic novel. How did this idea come about, and why did you choose to self-publish it?
AK: The idea has been there for about four years, since I started planning my series, and this was always intended to be my second graphic novel. The reason I self-publish is the same as last time we spoke — I want more creative freedom and full rights over my creation.
CB: Who do you think will connect most with this story? What kind of reader is Speedster made for?
AK: This story is for people who like emotional and heart-touching stories with brutal, bloody action and thriller or sci-fi elements. The story is suitable for readers aged 16 and up.
CB: You’re balancing school and comic creation — that’s huge. Tell us a bit about your artistic influences and how you developed your style.
AK: My style is influenced by legendary artists like Rob Liefeld and Jack Kirby. I’m a self-taught 17-year-old, and I just keep practicing — that’s the only way to develop your own style. I work for about two hours a day since I’m also a student.
CB: Who else helped bring this project to life, or was it a solo production?
AK: I’m the only person who’s done the writing, illustration, editing, and everything else for the book.
CB: That’s an amazing feat for someone your age. How’s production going — is the book finished and available now?
AK: The book is finished and is available on Gumroad for just $5.
CB: Every indie creator has to wear a lot of hats. What have you been learning through self-publishing and promoting your work?
AK: I’ve learned — and am still learning — various marketing tactics. It’s a constant process.
CB: You seem to have big plans for your universe. What’s next after Speedster? Are there more stories coming?
AK: This will continue as a series. I already have over 50 stories planned, and four more books are coming out this year alone.
CB: That’s ambitious! Are there any special editions or features that fans should look out for?
AK: There are six variant covers of this book — all $5 each. Readers can choose their favorite cover editions, each featuring some eye-catching artwork.
CB: Before we wrap up, where can readers find Speedster and your earlier work?
AK: I’d like to share that my first book, Super Guardian, which is directly connected to Speedster, is completely free to download on Gumroad at graphicnovelist.gumroad.com/l/ekkak. You can find multiple cover editions of my first book for free from that link. It’s important because you’ll understand Speedster better if you read my first book first — both are connected. That’s why I made the first one free.
I’m working very hard on this series and just want some support — indie comics are becoming more prominent, and if people give this series a chance, it has the potential to be the next big thing and something truly meaningful. I’ll keep working hard — thank you.
CB: 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 so we can hopefully help you get more eyes on YOUR crowdfunding comic project. Until next time, support indie comics!
English (US) · 