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: Welcome back to Indie Comics Showcase, Patrick. For readers who might be new to it, how would you describe The Book of Enoch as a comic?
Patrick Thomas Parnell: The Book of Enoch is our attempt to bring one of the most mysterious and talked-about ancient texts connected to biblical history to life as a cinematic graphic novel experience. The story explores the fall of the Watchers, the rise of the Nephilim, spiritual warfare, prophecy, and the battle between mankind and fallen angels through a dark fantasy/biblical lens.
What makes this project especially exciting is that legendary artist Sergio Cariello (The Action Bible, Batman, Lone Ranger) is illustrating the world while I’m writing and helping visually develop the universe alongside him. We’re approaching it with a lot of respect for the source material, but also trying to make it feel epic, emotional, mysterious, and accessible for both longtime comic readers and people discovering Enoch for the first time.
CB: Sergio is great. This is a pretty unique source to adap. What drew you to The Book of Enoch, and why tackle it through self-publishing?
PTP: Honestly, the idea came from a lifelong fascination with the Book of Enoch itself. It’s one of those ancient texts that people hear whispers about for years—the Watchers, the Nephilim, fallen angels teaching forbidden knowledge to mankind—and once you start digging into it, it feels incredibly cinematic and visually powerful.
As both a comic creator and a person of faith, I kept coming back to the idea that this story deserved to be explored through sequential art in a serious and respectful way. There’s mystery, horror, spirituality, warfare, prophecy, and larger-than-life imagery all wrapped into one narrative. It almost feels like the blueprint for an epic fantasy universe, except people have been debating and discussing it for thousands of years.
As for self-publishing, Riot Press has always been built around creator ownership and taking risks on projects we genuinely believe in. Over the years we’ve produced our own comics, toys, and collectibles, so bringing The Book of Enoch to life through Riot Press felt like the natural path. It gave us the freedom to approach the material the way we felt it deserved—big, cinematic, emotional, and uncompromising.
CB: It sounds like it sits at the crossroads of a lot of genres. Who do you see this book really resonating with?
PTP: While The Book of Enoch absolutely has biblical roots, we’re not approaching this project like a dry history lesson or something aimed only at church audiences. At its core, this is a fantasy epic told through the language of comic books. If you love comics filled with ancient mysteries, angels, monsters, supernatural warfare, giant world-building, and cinematic storytelling, this book is for you.
We lean heavily into the dark fantasy and mythological side of Enoch—the Watchers descending from Heaven, the rise of the Nephilim, forbidden knowledge being given to mankind, spiritual corruption, and the massive cosmic consequences that follow. In many ways, it has the scope and energy of a huge fantasy universe, except these ideas have existed for thousands of years. So while readers of faith will definitely connect with the material, this project is also aimed at comic book fans, fantasy readers, horror fans, mythology lovers, and people who simply enjoy large-scale visual storytelling. Sergio Cariello’s artwork especially gives the whole project this epic cinematic feeling that we think comic fans are really going to connect with, regardless of background.
CB: What has the creative process been like day to day working with Sergio Cariello?
PTP: Working with Sergio has honestly been one of the highlights of my career so far. I grew up loving comics, fantasy art, and cinematic storytelling, so getting the chance to jam creatively with someone whose work on The Action Bible reached millions of readers has been surreal in the best possible way. What’s been really exciting is how naturally our styles complement each other. Sergio brings this incredible sense of realism, emotion, and classical storytelling to the page, while I tend to lean heavily into atmosphere, world-building, fantasy energy, and cinematic visuals. A lot of our process has been bouncing ideas back and forth—discussing character designs, visual tone, creatures, environments, armor, symbolism, and how far we can push the scale and spectacle of Enoch’s world while still respecting the source material.
Our workflow is very collaborative. I handle the writing, world-building, layouts, visual development, and overall direction of the project, while Sergio brings the pages to life with his incredible storytelling, emotion, and cinematic artwork. Sometimes I’ll send Sergio rough concepts, mood pieces, or visual notes, and other times he’ll come back with something that completely elevates the scene beyond what I originally imagined. That creative back-and-forth has honestly been one of the best parts of the project.
My own style developed from a mix of things I’ve loved my whole life: comics, toys, animation, fantasy films, Japanese mecha, old pulp illustration, heavy metal album covers, and classic comic storytelling. I’ve always approached comics visually almost like directing scenes from a movie. Even when I’m writing, I’m thinking in terms of camera angles, lighting, pacing, reveals, and emotional impact. That’s really what The Book of Enoch has become for us—a giant creative jam session between two artists trying to make this ancient story feel alive, emotional, mysterious, and visually unforgettable for comic fans.
CB: You’ve got a lot of experience in this business. What have you worked on before readers may have enjoyed?
PTP: I created Riot Press Productions and I’m the writer/co-creator behind projects such as Johnny Phantasm, Last of the Seekers, and AMNX. In addition to creator-owned comics and toy lines, I’ve worked professionally on properties including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man, and Dungeons & Dragons, blending comics, collectibles, world-building, and cinematic storytelling into my work.
CB: Where are things currently at in production, and how far along is the project?
PTP: We’re currently hammering away on Chapter One, and honestly, both Sergio and I are so passionate about this project that it rarely even feels like work. A lot of the process has been us creatively jamming together—bouncing visual ideas back and forth, discussing tone, symbolism, environments, creature designs, and how to make the world of Enoch feel massive, ancient, mysterious, and cinematic.
As far as progress goes, the book is actively deep in development. We have story structure, designs, and major sequences mapped out, and Sergio has already been producing stunning finished artwork for the project. Right now our main focus is making sure Chapter One lands exactly the way it should because we want readers to immediately feel the scale, mystery, and emotional weight of this universe from page one onward.
CB: Beyond this first chapter, how are you thinking about the future of the project and getting it into readers’ hands?
PTP: One thing Sergio and I have both learned over the years is that creating the work is only half the battle. Crowdfunding and self-publishing also become about timing, momentum, trust, and understanding what readers are comfortable investing in, especially in a difficult economy. Right now, people are understandably more cautious. A lot of readers and collectors don’t necessarily want to back something and wait a year or longer before seeing the final product. That’s honestly one of the biggest lessons we’ve been taking to heart through this process.
The good news is that both Sergio and I have been through this world before. We know how these campaigns ebb and flow, and we also know that sometimes a project simply needs to evolve its approach. If needed, the plan is to complete Chapter One first, then relaunch the project in a more traditional single-issue format before eventually collecting the full story into an omnibus edition later on. At the end of the day, the important thing is the work itself. We believe in this story very deeply, and whether it’s through crowdfunding, single issues, or collected editions, we’re committed to bringing The Book of Enoch to readers the right way.
CB: For collectors and fans, what kind of editions or extras are you planning for this release?
PTP: Absolutely. One of the things we really wanted with The Book of Enoch was for it to feel like a true collector piece, not just another comic sitting on a shelf. The project is planned to be available in multiple formats, including a softcover edition featuring cover art by Patrick Thomas Parnell and a premium hardcover edition with stunning cover artwork by Sergio Cariello. We wanted both versions to feel unique and collectible in their own way.
We’re also producing a set of oversized collector cards illustrated by Patrick Thomas Parnell. These cards lean heavily into the fantasy and mythological side of Enoch, featuring characters like the Watchers, fallen angels, Nephilim, and other key figures from the story. Many of the cards are designed with foil accents and premium presentation in mind because we wanted them to capture the same excitement that classic trading cards and collectible inserts gave us growing up.
More than anything, we’re trying to create an experience that feels exciting for comic readers, collectors, fantasy fans, and people who simply love holding something special in their hands.
CB: Any final thoughts for readers who are curious about diving into this world?
PTP: I’d just say this: whether you approach The Book of Enoch from a place of faith, curiosity, love of mythology, or simply as a comic fan looking for an epic story, we truly believe there’s something powerful and fascinating here for readers to discover. For generations, Enoch has been one of those books people whisper about—the “missing pieces,” the Watchers, the Nephilim, forbidden knowledge, spiritual warfare, and the cosmic events surrounding mankind’s earliest days. In many ways, it feels like the book THEY didn’t want you to read because it raises so many questions and connects dots that readers have debated for centuries.
But at the same time, we’re not approaching this as a lecture. We’re approaching it as storytellers and comic creators who want to make this world feel massive, emotional, mysterious, terrifying, beautiful, and cinematic.
CB: Any final words for our readers?
PTP: Sergio and I are just two creators who are deeply passionate about the material and trying to make something unforgettable for comic fans, fantasy readers, collectors, and anyone drawn to ancient mysteries.We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported the project and helped spread the word so far. This is only the beginning.
Check out the campaign here!
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Check out the project here!
Chris Braly: Give us the quick pitch—what can readers expect from Patient?
Jerrod Brito: When a deadly virus confines a depressed, anxiety-ridden stoner and sardonic receptionist to a clinic full of zombies—with no communication to the outside world—the unlikely team must work through their issues with themselves and each other to find the will and means to survive.”PATIENT” is a series of full-color, 22-page comics with a focus on depression, anxiety, and zombies!
On the surface, Patient is a mix of horror and comedy that plays out during a zombie outbreak. But deep down, it’s a story about depression, anxiety, coping skills (or lack thereof), and a commentary about how people do and/or don’t relate to each other in times of crisis.
CB: There’s a strong emotional core under the horror here—what sparked the idea, and how did it end up becoming a self-published project?
JB: I think there’s a lot to be said about anxiety, depression, isolation, and coping with physical ailments in the horror genre. I was able to use some personal issues for inspiration. And I see a lot of stories focus on the zombies and other people as their main antagonist, but what about the people who are their own worst enemies?
I didn’t necessarily decide to self-publish so much as I pitched to some publishers, they didn’t respond, and I didn’t accept that as the end of the line for “Patient.”
CB: Who do you see connecting most with this story, and what should readers know going in?
JB: Mature audiences who are fans of horror/sci-fi/zombies, those coping with anxiety and depression through art and literature, and fans of elevated horror films. I’ll be honest: “Patient” is not for everyone. This series contains explicit content such as violence, gore, drug abuse, self-harm, adult language, adult situations—oh! And sex. You’ll probably see a couple of [CENSORED]. Maybe part of a [CENSORED]. You definitely see a [CENSORED] a few times, so please, proceed with caution.
If you had a hard time getting through the pandemic or have difficulty talking to people in any situation ever, I can absolutely relate, and not only do I want to entertain you, I want this series to be comforting, too. I want it to give you a laugh and maybe a scream, but in the end, I hope it feels like a warm hug that says: “You’re not alone, not by a long shot.”
CB: You come from a screenwriting background—how did that influence the way you approached this comic?
JB: For “Patient,” I adapted my screenwriting skills to comic writing. I was unable to make it as a movie, but with my artist, I was able to sort of “direct” the movie I wanted to see. I took inspiration from writers like Brian Michael Bendis, who could write an exciting issue with nothing more than a couple of characters chatting in a diner. That’s what I was hoping to do with “Patient.”
CB: Tell us about the collaborators who helped bring this to life.
JB: Buğra Batuhan Berah, who was recommended to me by writer John Avina, did the art and lettering, and Martin Gimenez, who I met on Instagram, did a variant cover. If you haven’t seen Buğra’s work, he’s just brilliant. On his own, he can just create comic masterpieces seemingly out of thin air. But when he interpreted my script, he just got it—the tone, the mood, the color—he knocked it out of the park with what I was looking for. And Martin loves horror, and everyone I show his cover to has seemed to like it, too!
CB: Where are you in the process right now, and how is production shaping up across the full series?
JB: We’re currently looking over the first issue before calling it done. Buğra is working on the art and cover for Issue #2, and we’re having a lot of fun planning that out. We’ve worked hard to coordinate from across the world with each other, in between ailments, births, holidays, and other professional commitments, but all six issues are pretty much written and we’re excited to finish the series.
CB: What’s been the biggest lesson for you navigating the self-publishing and crowdfunding side of things?
JB: I’m a writer and love to write and move on to the next project, but, like with filmmaking, there’s so much more to do. It’s a business, and it’s so much about promotion and salesmanship, which are things I, as an introvert, don’t enjoy. I think a lot of artists feel that way, but it comes down to, “how badly do I want my art to exist, and what do I have to do to make it happen?” I was fortunate enough to have help from a friend, Micah Groenvelt, who just completed a successful crowdfunding campaign for his upcoming film, “Starfish,” and gave me many useful pointers.
CB: Looking ahead, what’s your plan for more stories in this world—or are you branching out beyond Patient?
JB: As far as “Patient,” I have ideas for a 4–5 issue spinoff, but it would be a much different story. Dogan’s story isn’t over, but his arc is. Some of his aftermath would unfold in this other series, but the spinoff would also be less horror and have a different tone to fit the arc of a different protagonist. Meanwhile, I’ll be writing more movies and would love to write horror comic anthology stories.
CB: Any final thoughts you’d like to leave with readers before we wrap up?
JB: The economy is in the toilet. I get it. And so many people around us need help for more than their art. People are running crowdfunding campaigns for their health, their pets’ health, to recover from deaths and tragedies, and raising money for other things they need to live and help them get back on their feet during a very challenging time.
In fact, please, put those campaigns first. Seriously, take care of your people. But if anyone likes my humor and storytelling and want to treat themselves to something fun, please donate and/or share. And if you’re someone who has tons of money and feels like supporting this funny, creepy, and awkwardly sexy graphic novel, please donate. And if you don’t have the money, that’s okay, too. (I honestly wish there was more I could do to support you.) But even sharing the campaign with people who might like it would be much appreciated. And regardless of your support, I hope good things are coming your way!
CB: Best of luck on your campaign!
Check out the project 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!
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