While the big two of comics, Marvel and DC, have let us down again and again, we truly are living in the Iron Age of independent comics and media. Eschewing traditional publishing, creators are striking out to forge their own path.

If you have been following comics over the past few years, then you’ve probably heard of the successes like Cyberfrog,  Jawbreakers, and the massive hit, Isom, but what about those smaller indie comics that came out during the same run?

There were many creators who debuted during that time, often interviewed by Chris Braly doing the Lord’s work with indie comics, that deserve a revisit after fulfillment to see how they turned out, and others that require more attention.

These suggestions will be exclusively from Indiegogo campaigns, since I’m not as quick as others to forgive and forget Kickstarter’s censorship. While Indiegogo seems to be going down the same route, it is the one place to find comics from indie creators who are just starting out, and big two creators who have been blacklisted from the industry.

 For now, anyways.

I abhor spoilers, so the list will just be an overview of the stories, and not deep reviews, so you can enjoy them for yourself. With that being said, let’s get started!

Orgasm Girl

Orgasm Girl is a quirky, funny comic created by comic writer, and youtuber, Dannphan. It follows female boxer Amari, who has a secret weapon; she can make men orgasm with a snap of her fingers. Using this power like an early Peter Parker, Amari has no problem cheating to win. It isn’t until criminals want to use her power for evil that Amari learns to be a hero.

Dannphan knows she has created a sexy, humorous hero and completely leans into the bit, but the story is quite savvy, and does not suffer from those poor transitions you see with some indie creators. Also, the art style is a mix of classic comics and manga, that adds a polished look to the action sequences. If I had one criticism, it is that the first book is slightly better than the second, but is still a fitting end to the current storyline.

While the campaigns for Orgasm Girl are closed, you can find the floppies, and other Dannphan comics, on her website Burningstar Comics.

And seriously, go to Dannphan’s YouTube channel, and watch as she hilariously reads some terrible YA graphic novels.

She suffers, so you don’t have to.

Star Circuit

I have never been a big fan of cyberpunk, but Joe Catapano’s Star Circuit might change my mind, with this gritty, futuristic atmosphere that draws you in. Catapano’s Atlys is a funny, relatable protagonist, dealing with a family tragedy, on a quest to gather the last remnants of his hero Sanosuke’s last burner. Plus, the computerized ARC system that accompanies Atlys on his journey adds just the right amount of levity to the story. The artwork is stylistic and fantastic, with action sequences that are surprisingly easy to follow at all the speed the artist portrays.

Star Circuit can be a bit wordy near the end, but I’ve been told I tend to over describe sometimes in my book, so this must be a problem with great writers.  If you’re a fan of Ghost in the Shell or Akira, I’d give Star Circuit a try.

You can find an interview with the creator here.

Star Circuit can still be purchased on Joe’s site, veraviastudios.

The Cryptidnals

I have to admit, I must have been living under a rock. While I have heard of these creatures before, I never knew they were all considered Cryptids, so I thank 656 Comics for introducing me to this genre.

Cryptidnals is a Lovecraftian type story about a secret war between the good Cryptids, who have been shunned by society, and an otherworldly evil that is growing an army of evil Cryptids to attack our reality. This comic will introduce you to the Cryptid heroes Wraydron, Man-Dog, and Kid Cthulhu, but none stood out more than La Llorona, who was a blast to follow throughout this story. Yes, pun intended.

It’ll make sense after you read the comic.

The interior is drawn in gorgeous black and white, and the art speaks for itself.

You can find an interview with the creator here.

If you missed this campaign, you can find instructions on how to pre-order Cryptidnals from your local comic shop here.

Congrats to 656 Comics for pulling that off.

Arachna

You can tell X35 Studios’ Arachna was influenced by the classic Spider-Man runs of Tom DeFalco and J. M. DeMatteis, and that’s a good thing. Arachna is a smart, action-packed, and unapologetically sexy comic, with a classic art style by Carlos Granda.

While the main protagonist, Jennie Janus, is a timid, shrinking violet by day, her alter ego Arachna knows she is attractive, and does not hide it. Trust me, wait till after your son has finished puberty before letting him read it if you want to keep this comic pristine.

Buy two copies just to be safe.

If that take has led you to believe Arachna is just another beautiful Mary-sue who can do no wrong, you would be mistaken. The alter-ego of Arachna is very cocky, and takes the lumps you would expect a brash, new super-hero to endure against super-villains who are capable, smart, and organized. Throughout both books, Arachna must learn humility, heroism, and her powers on the fly just like classic heroes used to before they came perfectly out of the box like modern comics.

You can find an interview with the creator here.

You can still find hard copies of issues #1 and #2 at arachnacomic.

Shadow Sentry

If you are a fan of the 90’s X-men, X-Force or Youngblood, you will be thrilled with Eric Ninaltowski Shadow Sentry. The story follows the battle between the heavenly High Born and the soldier of evil in the Hell Born. The stakes are raised when they both battle over the first crossbreed hybrid who will either save the world or lead the army of Hell against it.

The sheer magnitude of characters Eric introduces can sometimes be hard to follow. You may have to read the comics several times to keep them all in order. Eric seems to realize this, since his next launch will be Shadow Sentry Origins which features the popular Hopscotch and Commander Noble. Sign up for the mailing list here for a chance to win a hand drawn sketchcard.

If I win, I will be selling it at an extreme markup later, so don’t let me win. 

You can find an interview with the creator here.

You can still get copies of issues #1 and #2 at ericninaltowskiart. 

Brand

If someone were to tell me Brand came out during the big two’s heyday, I would believe them. If that sounds like hyperbole on my part, don’t take my word for it. Creator Antonio Brice will allow you to read the first 21 pages for free here.

You have to admire the confidence.

The story of supernatural hunters Dawn and David Craven is a tight, compelling story arc that is as much about the love between the two protagonists than their battle against the Covenant, who seek to obtain the Judas Crown to remake the world in their own image. Santana is a third chaos agent who seeks the crown for his own sinister purposes and has become the face of the franchise.

There is a myriad of storylines and characters introduced in this first issue as if you were reading a Grant Morrison story, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on your taste. Hopefully, issue #2 has a synopsis at the beginning, because I can see those who missed Issue #1 one being lost otherwise.

But there is hope! If you missed the first campaign, you can grab both issue #1 and the upcoming Brand: The Way of the Gun, here.

So far, I believe indie comic creators have made compelling, action-packed, and character-driven comics that return to the storytelling of old. Not all are homeruns, and some are very late, but I write novels, a team of one, and it still took me far longer than I expected to get my first book out.

I can’t imagine the logistics it takes to reign in letterers, inkers, artists, and writers together across different time zones, and sometimes from different continents, to make an indie comic today. If your favorite creator is late, but gives updates on their progress, I ask that you remain patient to get the best work that they can produce in the end.

I mean, they could be these.

If you feel I missed your indie comic, just send me a free copy and I’ll recommend it next time with high praise. Just kidding. This is not that other site with Bleeding in the title. Just comment on your favorite indie comic down below, and we’ll take a gander.

And stay tuned to Indie Comic Showcase so you don’t miss out on the future big indie hits.

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Check out my own superhero novel, not graphic novel, Fiasco of Adventures here or here.