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!
Oi! Bardic Fury
by Daniel de Sosa
Oi! TALES OF BARDIC FURY is a fantasy comic about a bard named Bryan who gets sent to Oi, a tiny village on the beach that never heard music before. Oi is a fantasy comic featuring hippy cult leader druids, Vandal fire giants, selkie sirens, trippy mushrooms, and all the bardic fury you can ask for.
Check out the campaign here!
Chris Braly: Tell our readers your elevator pitch for Oi! Bardic Fury. Briefly catch our readers up on this series.
Daniel de Sosa: Oi is a fantasy comic set in Iron age Ireland about Bryan, a bard in training who gets sent to a tiny village in the north called Oi that never heard music before. The town is ran by Starseal, a mushroom loving hippy cult leader druid, and his younger daughters Rhiannon the selkie and Aideen the hurling captain. Bryan introduces the town to music, and they are never the same. The series follows the adventures of Bryan and the band he forms in Volume 1.
The Banshee Vale Horror Show is the fourth book in the series. The story is about a battle of the bards between Oi and rival village Banshee Vale gone awry that devolves in to a psychedelic celtic horror show. There will be druids, selkies, skeleton girls, Vandal fire giants and plenty of rock and roll and black magic.
I have been publishing Oi since 2014 on and off as a webcomic and as self published zines and books that I sell at comic conventions and art festivals. It is a project of passion and I’m grateful that crowdfunding and my small but passionate fan base supports the comic and allows me to continue making it.
CB: This isn’t your first adventure in crowdfunding. How did you first get into this and how did it lead to this?
DdS: I launched Oi! Volume 1 as a kickstarter campaign in 2014, and have been running crowdfunding campaigns to fund comic projects ever since then. I started out publishing Oi chapters as handmade zines and selling them at local cons and zine fairs. When demand got too great for me to keep up with production, I started researching ways to fund small print runs, and crowdfunding provided the answer. The first Oi campaign did very well and allowed me to publish the first five chapters of Oi in a tankobon sized volume, printed with a risograph printer. I still have a few first edition riso printed copies of Oi volume 1 that are available as one of the perks in the campaign. I am grateful to crowdfunding for allowing me to produce the stories I want to tell.
CB: Where did the idea for Oi! Bardic Fury originate?
DdS: I wanted to make a story about bards, that showed how amazing bards were in real life. Back when I was a kid and played DnD with my friends, no one ever wanted to be a bard and my friends considered them a joke class. But in real life bards were awesome. They were the celebrity stars of their time, they were the only source of music, and their satires and poems had the power to topple kings. The comic is set in a fictionalized fantasy version of Ireland because the ancient Irish gaels revered bards in their society for the magic power of their songs. I started making Oi because I wanted to create a story that depicted bards as great as they historically were.
CB: What kind of comic fans do you expect this comic will entertain the most?
DdS: I think fans of Love and Rockets, Asterix and Obelisk, Scott Pilgrim and Shonen manga will like Oi. It’s a fun and sincere fantasy comic recommended for ages 14 and up. If you are a fan of fantasy, role playing games and history, Oi is the comic for you. You can read it for free as a webcomic and have nothing to lose. Oi Tales of Bardic Fury has something for everyone!
CB: Tell us a bit about your creative team / other creators that have contributed to this?
DdS: I am the writer and artist, and also do the lettering and prepare the book file for print. I crowdsource editing to my friends who tell me if they think my ideas are interesting or dumb, and who also help me fix grammar mistakes. In the back of my books I include fanart of my characters drawn by some of my fellow webcomic artists, as well as links to their comics.
My friend Cisco Barahona from the band Grawlix made the original music on the indiegogo promo video and my friend Kelsey Rogers, also in Grawlix, edited the video. Also my girlfriend has provided a lot of emotional support and also understanding when I stay up long nights drawing pages. Thank you Oi team!
CB: What else are you learning from crowdfunding and creating through this process?
DdS: Marketing is hard. I already know how to produce comics on time that people want to read and I know how to ship them out quickly. I mainly sold and promoted my books at conventions before they all shut down so now I am working to improve my online marketing and distribution. I still am not sure how to get more reach but I’m determined to figure it out. Even though I have been running crowdfunder campaigns since 2014, I am eager to improve.
CB: Are the previous installments required to get the most out of this issue? Are those available on the campaign page?
DdS: I would say that this issue works on it’s own as a self contained story, but to get the most out of it you should be caught up with the previous comics. The entire printed series is available as a perk in one of my campaign, which is 300 pages of bardic comic content for only $80+shipping. If you only want to read THE BANSHEE VALE HORROR SHOW, the entire series is on webtoons and tapas, so you can catch up for free. If you want to invest and support the campaign, back it on indiegogo and share the link on your social media page.
CB: Thanks for chatting with us! Good luck and we are rooting for you!
DdS: Thanks Chris, and thanks BleedingFool editorial team for supporting independent comics and honest comics journalism. Stay tuned for more Oi!
Check out the campaign here!
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Spies of Salem
by R.R. Romkern
Spies of Salem follows the adventures of four female Witches who face off against the Forces of Evil across the Globe. Its an action-adventure comic filled with the thrills of a James Bond movie and the magic and mystery of a Harry Potter book. Its crass, hilarious, and sexy all rolled into a thrill-ride of an adventure story. This comic is meant to cast a spell on you!
Check out the campaign here!
Chris Braly: Tell our readers your elevator pitch for Spies of Salem. Briefly tell our readers what’s up.
RR Romkern: Spies of Salem is Harry Potter Meets James Bond with high-octane action and sexy adventure.
CB: How did you first get into this and how did it lead to this? (Is this your first comic book project? – if not, explain)
RR: This is the first comic book from Romkern Comics (I know, SUPER original name). I’ve always been a comic book reader and a hobby writer, I figured why not change my hobby into something more substantial?
CB: Where did the idea for Spies of Salem originate?
RR: I’ve always been a big fan of the 007 films and comic books like Danger Girl. Throw in a little anime influences like Bubblegum Crisis and that’s where the idea comes from. Butt-kicking women who don’t need a love interest or to be a sidekick. They steal the show!
CB: What kind of comic fans do you expect this comic will entertain the most? Who is it geared towards?
RR: It’s a comic book for anyone who is a fan of action and adventure. People who want every panel to explode! It’s very much a popcorn-fest that has a fun story but you don’t have to think about it too much.
CB: Tell us a bit about your creative team / other creators that have contributed to this?
RR: I’m the writer on the project with artwork and letters by RJ Silvers. I found him by way of instagram and his style instantly jumped out at me. It has the look and feel of a Saturday Morning Cartoon on Speed.
CB: What else are you learning from crowdfunding and creating through this process?
RR: Kickstarter is a curious place. You put something out to that world and you never know what to expect. It’s great to see who really digs into your idea and what other things they back as well. “Oh you only like sad manga comics about dogs who can’t bark, yet THIS appealed to you? Sure!”
CB: Thanks for chatting with us! Good luck and we are rooting for you!
RR: I really appreciate you giving us independent creators a place to show our work. It means a lot that we have someone on our side like Bleeding Fool.
Check out the campaign here!
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Thomas Morya: Wizard for Hire
by Stefani Rennee
Thomas Morya – Wizard for Hire is an urban fantasy limited series (with potential as an ongoing). Picture Punisher meets Constantine – Thomas Morya’s wife (Miriam) was kidnapped by one of the Nine Kings Of Hell. The reader will follow Thomas out for vengeance in a dark supernatural world against supernatural beings such as vampires, shapeshifters, fairies, witches, sorcerers, angels, and demons, and save his lover’s soul.
Check out the campaign here!
Chris Braly: Tell our readers your elevator pitch for Thomas Morya – Wizard for Hire. Briefly tell our readers what’s up.
Stefani Rennee: Two years ago, Thomas Morya’s wife (Miriam) was kidnapped by one of the Nine Kings Of Hell. He’s out for vengeance as he fights for his love’s very soul. Can he save her without starting a war with all of the dark supernatural world? Basically, Punisher meets Constantine!
CB: This isn’t your first work in comics. How did you first get into this profession and how did it lead to this?
SR: I’ve been working with comics since 2004, mainly as a color artist. My mother bought my first comic book when I was 14. (X-men) and it was love at first sight. I knew I wanted to work with Comics for the rest of my life. Ant from Arcana Studio was my first job. Then I started working for DC Comics, Marvel, and other publishers such as Dark Horse Comics, IDW, and AfterShock.
CB: Where did the idea for Thomas Morya – Wizard for Hire originate?
SR: Thomas Morya was born from my fascination by the supernatural. During my teenage years, I’ve read everything related to the topic, from H.P Lovecraft, Clive Barker, Anne Rice, Neil Gaiman to Stephen King’s books. These authors sparked off my interest in the genre and writing.
CB: What kind of comic fans do you expect this comic will entertain the most?
SR: I think everyone who loves a good supernatural/action theme will be entertained.
CB: Tell us a bit about your creative team / other creators that have contributed to this?
SR: Well, this is basically a “one man show”, so I am doing everything. I am the writer, penciler, inker, colorist, and letterer.
CB: Wow! What all are you learning from crowdfunding and creating through this process?
SR: Your first crowdfunding campaign is an exciting and daunting task. You must leave your “comfort zone” and be opened to learn new things. I had to learn how to do a mailing list, how to edit a trailer, and how to market your book. You are 100% responsible for your project.
CB: What kind of comic fans do you expect this comic will entertain the most?
SR: Thomas Morya: Wizard For Hire is the ultimate urban fantasy, featuring magical elements and set in the real world. Thomas will be going up against supernatural beings such as vampires, shapeshifters, fairies, witches, sorcerers, angels, and Demons! Everyone who loves a good supernatural/action theme will be entertained.
CB: Thanks for chatting with us Stefani! Good luck and we are rooting for you!
SR: Thank you very much for your support. I really appreciate it!
Check out the campaign here!
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That’s it for this installment! Support indie comics!!!
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