New Comics Creators Are Struggling on Kickstarter: What's New in Kickstarter Comics for June 13, 2025
First-glance analysis of the Kickstarter comics market, all summarized in one place!
The mission of The Comic$ Crowd is to curate the crowdfunding campaigns in the Kickstarter Comics category in order to identify and spotlight those projects most likely to yield actual comics and to yield the most high quality comics in terms of story, design, and cover/interior artwork.
To visit the Kickstarter page for any of the projects below, simply click on its title.
By the Numbers
Total # Live Comics Projects on Kickstarter: 280
Total # Comics Launches for These Dates: 10
The View from the Gutter
I recently noticed a concerning trend in new Kickstarter Comics launches, and I mentioned it a few times in the past few weeks. New creators, I mean new to Kickstarter, are struggling to gather an audience for their comics. Friday’s drops were a particularly obvious sample of this phenomenon.
10 total projects launched in the Kickstarter Comics category on Friday. As of Sunday morning, 8 of those have 32 backers or fewer. While a slow start isn’t necessarily a definite death knell for a campaign (most of these have realistic funding goals), it’s discouraging to see SO many inspired and aspiring comics creators fighting uphill battles to get eyes on their work. What’s the problem(s)?
I think I can identify a few, based on my observations during daily reviews of each and every project launched in the Kickstarter Comics category:
Failure to build an audience prior to launching
Lack of experience/expertise related to some or all aspects of comic creation
Lack of marketing experience, talent and resources
Poor design of the Kickstarter page and/or rewards structure
Exorbitant funding goals
Invisibility in the Kickstarter search function due to high launch volume and outdated and irrelevant Comics subcategories
Distraction by the overwhelming prevalence of NSFW cover images and projects in Kickstarter search results
Inability to gain traction in the Kickstarter search function due to obvious cronyism and Kickstarter’s heavy focus on high-dollar campaigns and super-creators with regard to internal promotion (i.e., the Projects We Love label and staff newsletters, etc.)
I believe some mix of those listed factors is responsible for the growing inertia experienced by comics creators attempting to crowdfund their projects. Certainly, each creator’s project is unique and faces a fluid set of challenges, and both the creator and Kickstarter must focus on identifying those specific obstacles and implementing solutions.
Creators must educate themselves, now and on an ongoing basis, regarding how to actually make a professionally-presented comic, how to gather an audience for it prior to launching a crowdfunding campaign, and how to utilize the tools of crowdfunding to succeed in that arena.
Kickstarter must prioritize supporting new and rising comics talent just as they do long-time professionals, NSFW money factories, and corporate cash cows. And they must update antiquated comics categories and ineffectual search algorithms.
It takes effort and give-a-fucks on both sides to advance and craft a bigger, better Kickstarter Comics community.
Comics I Like
Earth is long gone, and six strangers each claim to know how it happened. Whose story will you believe?
A thrilling, chilling, 80-page comic anthology about how humanity lost its home planet. It contains six unique stories by different creators, each expressing their own voice, style and vision.
Nice, ensemble cover art & design
Terrific interior art, colors & composition across a variety of styles
Goal: $7000
End Date: July 13, 2025
Estimated Delivery: December, 2025
No. Pages: 80
Lowest Digital Tier Price: $5
Lowest Print Tier Price: $25
HYPERBOREA - An Original Manga - Volume 1 by E.M. Ƶolotor
An epic scifi fantasy manga about Soul Wielder siblings stranded in a desert storm. From writer E.M. Zolotor and artist Rodrigo Rizo.
In the desolate desert of the North American Sector, the government harvests the Soul Energy of siblings Eos and Maxima in secret. When their powers attract the attention of a dangerous criminal organization, their routine lives are shattered. Eos and Maxima must search for the truth about their past as hostile forces close in.
Solid, eye-catching cover art & design
Awesome, manga-inspired, grayscale interior art & composition
Goal: $1000
End Date: July 13, 2025
Estimated Delivery: August, 2026
No. Pages: 120+
Lowest Digital Tier Price: $7
Lowest Print Tier Price: $16
Dach Comics Presents DUMB REMINDERS, a tale of love lost, loneliness and hardship after a tragic accident.
The story of Steven González, a 39 year old disabled man who after ten years post injury reflects on his life. What was his life before the accident like? How did he end up disabled and what happened after? The trauma of acquiring a severe disability puts individuals in arduous stretches of physical healing, rehabilitation and stresses that often blindsides survivors and loved ones.
Clever, thought-provoking cover art & design
Stylized, vivid interior art, colors & composition
Goal: $4000
End Date: July 13, 2025
Estimated Delivery: January, 2026
No. Pages: 24
Lowest Digital Tier Price: $8
Lowest Print Tier Price: $10
I’ve been wanting to do an analysis of the success rate of first time Kickstarter project launchers in comics. Because comics has the most repeat creators, and past success is the best predictor of future success on Kickstarter, it may skew the numbers. Curious what that first timer success rate number actually is right now.
Kevin, are you seeing a better day to launch in your data?