We’re taking it to the people in this week’s “So You Want To Read Comics”.  This is our weekly feature where we take a look at a single topic or genre and then give you two comic book recommendations, perfect for new readers, based on that topic or genre.  This week we’re taking a look at comic books that have been crowdfunded.

Crowdfunding is, well, basically what the name implies.  It’s when a project or product receives the funding it needs to be brought to life, not from a traditional source like a publisher or company, but from people who are interested in it.  There are some similarities between crowdfunding and investing, but the thing that differentiates the two is that someone who helps crowdfund something is getting something specific back as compensation for their support.  Sites like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and Zoop,  have become integral parts of the business plans of many self-publishing comics creators, as well as a way for established publishers to ease the financial risk of some projects or to bank on fan demand to supplement the development costs. This type of funding has been credited with helping democratize popular culture and narrowing the gap between creator and fan.

Here are a couple of comics crowdfunded by fans, perfect for new readers.

BRZRKR

Writer: Keanu Reeves & Matt Kindt
Artist: Ron Garney
Publisher:  BOOM! Studios

Brzrkr is the story of an immortal warrior who is cursed to forever live a life of violence and his trail of death through the ages. It’s a violent and bloody comic book,  but it’s still written with thought and isn’t simply a gorefest.  It also happens to be the comic book writing debut of Keanu Reeves.  It also happens to (as of the writing of this article) hold the record for the largest amount of funding received by a comic book project on a crowdfunding site, having taken in 1.4 million dollars in support.  Some people decried this book and its place on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter, due to its association with an established publisher.  Some said that its presence was pushing out truly independent projects, while others said that there was room for everyone.  As of right now, this is still an ongoing series, with the final issue scheduled to be released in 2023.  There have also been announcements of a live-action adaptation as well as an anime series based on it.

THE ARCANE COCKTAIL ENTHUSIAST

Writer: Jeff Rider
Artist: Davide Puppo
Publisher: Cloudwrangler Comics

One of the hallmarks of crowdfunding is the idea of stretch goals.  These are when creators offer new “rewards” for backers once a certain threshold of money is raised,  Another is tiers, where  different levels of support nets you different things once the project is funded.  It’s in these two areas where creators can do some fun things and expand their projects beyond the constraints of the original form.  Take for example The Arcane Cocktail Enthusiast, a series featuring Lark Laraar, the owner of a San Francisco bar called The Arcanist, who also happens to be a sorceress who infuses her drinks with actual magic and exotic ingredients. Looking at the Kickstarter page for this one, some of the things offered that went beyond just the comic were: bar t-shirts, drink coasters, art prints, shoutouts in thank you pages, and cocktail menu made specifically for the comic.  Right now there are three issues available both physically and digitally.

What are some of your favorite crowdfunded projects?  What did you think of these recommendations?  Let us know in the comments section below.

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