Every few weeks we sift through all the dozens of crowdfunding communications we receive here at BF every week to bring you a handful of the more intriguing, exciting, experimental and daring uses of the form that we spot, along with some interesting campaigns we’ve found ourselves. These are comics that both fit the Broken Frontier coverage ethos and that we think deserve your support and backing!
Usually we look to push a few worthwhile projects your way in this Crowdfunding Corner section but every so often we spot something so deserving of your time that we run a Crowdfunding Corner Extra edition. We haven’t run one of these for a few weeks but this is such an important Kickstarter that could really do with some help in its last few days that we’re squeezing in an extra push for it on our schedule this week.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/retrofitcomics/retrofit-comics-2018-12-new-graphic-novels
The who and what: The fifth Retrofit subscription crowdfunder features twelve graphic novels from international indie talent. Many of these artists have been featured on Broken Frontier over the years including Becca Tobin, Sara Lautman, Laura Lannes, Liam Cobb, Pat Aulisio and Warren Craghead III.
Here’s the full line-up:
- All the Sad Songs – Summer Pierre. “A moving meditation on music, memory, and identity.”
- Fashion Forecasts – Yumi Sakugawa. “Explores the possibilities of a not-so-distant future where fashion can be intergenerational, Asian American, divine feminine, environmentally conscious, community building, ancestor worshipping, and possibly bring you closer to enlightenment.”
- I Love You – Sara Lautman. A collection of Lautman’s strips from 2017.
- John, Dear – Laura Lannes. “A book about a bad relationship.”
- Our Wretched Town Hall – Eric Kostiuk Williams. “A new, full-color short story collection that will replenish your crops, singe your eyebrows, and lightly tickle the back of your knees.”
- The Prince – Liam Cobb. Cobb’s contemporary take on the Frog Prince fairytale.
- Survive 300 Million 1 – Pat Aulisio. “A father and son team, Axel and Blaze, traverse the post-man ruinscape of the future. They stumble upon an advance reptilian base in the dulce mountains and have to face the inhabitants within.”
- Survive 300 Million 2: Serpentine Captives – Pat Aulisio. “In the second book of Survive 300 Million, Axel and Blaze must reunite to escape their alien captors. And Blaze must learn how to reach his ultimate potential by teaming with an unexpected friend.”
- The Troublemakers – Baron Yoshimoto. “A collection of some of the best stories by Baron Yoshimoto, one of the seminal Japanese manga artists.”
- TRUMPTRUMP vol. 2: Modern Day Presidential – Warren Craghead III. “Every day, Warren Craghead draws and shares grotesque portraits of Donald Trump and his minions. TRUMPTRUMP Volume 2 collects the second six months of these daily drawings with context and commentary, from the day after Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2017, to the end of the first six months he was in office in July 2017.”
- Understanding – Becca Tobin. “A collection of short stories about going to parties, spending money on stuff, voyeurism and ritual.”
- The Winner – Karl Stevens. “Karl Stevens uses the graphic novel to dissect the line between the worlds of high and low art.”
What’s on offer: Outside of various permutations on the books themselves in both print and digital formats there are a number of higher reward tier options. These include rewards like a Summer Pierre mixtape, original Warren Craghead art of you and Donald Trump (!), and pen or watercolour original art by Karl Stevens.
Why you should back it: For the last three years Retrofit have been nominated as Best Publisher in our annual Broken Frontier Awards. That’s hardly surprising from a BF perspective because their books combine some of the most exciting talents in indie and alt comics with diverse material that consistently pushes the boundaries of the form. In short, they embody everything in comics that Broken Frontier exists to champion. Publishers like Retrofit, alongside Koyama Press, Avery Hill Publishing, Breakdown Press, 2dcloud and others also provide an important platform for newer creative voices.
These twelve books highlight another eclectic range of approaches, genres and styles. If comics are to continue to evolve as a form they need publishers like Retrofit who are willing to bring experimental and challenging work to new audiences. That, in itself, is one huge reason to back this Kickstarter. That you’re getting a dozen excellent looking graphic novels as well seems almost a bonus in the circumstances…
