The Struggle of the Kickstarter Comics Superhero: What's New in Kickstarter Comics for June 18-19, 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: 288
Total # Comics Launches for These Dates: 13
The View from the Gutter
Over months of daily dives into the Kickstarter Comics launches and data analysis of funding trends by genre, it’s obvious that Superhero comics are the stepchild of the Big 5 genres in the category, the others being NSFW, Fantasy, Horror & Sci-Fi. Outside of an anomalous February, when there were more Superhero launches than any other genre, capes drops are typically fewer in number, with less funding and fewer backers per project. Even in February, Superhero comics only surpassed one (Sci-Fi) of the Big 5 in funding, despite trailing only NSFW in backer volume.
Of course, comics as an industry are built on capes and tights, so why doesn’t the Superhero niche dominate funding on Kickstarter? There are plenty of layman theories and conventional wisdom revolving about this topic, mostly postulating the role of a flooded marketplace and the idea that all the good superhero stories have been told. I’m not sure I agree with either of these hypotheses.
I think the crux of the Superhero lag on Kickstarter lies with the types of projects produced for crowdfunding and how they’re marketed to potential backers. A few Superhero titles launched this week, all to middling or poor results, and I’ll draw from their examples to make a few points in an effort to illustrate some of the sources of their funding struggles on the platform.
Origin stories. The how-it-began tale is a common trope in Superhero comics, but it’s played out and difficult to differentiate from the now cliched classic origins of abandoned alien saviors, rich and vengeful orphans, arrogant but well-meaning tech tycoons, etc. A lot of Kickstarter capes tales tend to start with the origin story, but that strategy lags behind the storytelling innovation of other genres on the platform. Let the origin be sifted from a dynamic and compelling conflict instead of predictable exposition.
Brand new universes. While it’s a grand and enticing pursuit, too many indie Superhero scribes envision crafting their own massive panoply of gripping characters on the scale of the Marvel and DC universes. Kickstarter campaigns centered around this notion are often less-developed and more derivative than others, likely because there’s a lack of focus on a few solid characters and a reflex to craft analogs of the DC and Marvel prototype characters. Contract that universe down to a set of new and genuinely interesting characters and tell new stories.
Lack of internal conflict. The vast majority of Superhero comics on Kickstarter are the typical (boring) good cape versus bad cape to stop a crime or an invasion or a revenge attack, etc. As long-time comics nerds, Kickstarter backers have seen these same stories a million times. Where people really connect to Superheroes is with their relatable flaws, small or large. Like any good story, let’s craft from the inside of the characters outward and make these tights-wearing weirdos compelling.
Posed covers. A derivative costume posed with arms akimbo or crossed or wielding a gun and/or a sword just isn’t attracting Kickstarter backers away from the amazing and innovative covers being produced by creators in the Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi and (yes) NSFW categories. Even the coolest costume to make Rob Liefeld jealous is boring and lazy in today’s marketplace. Take that costume and dress it in a cover scene that tells a little story of its own, one that compels backers to want to know what happens next.
Stereotypical art. No swipes at anyone, but Superhero comics on Kickstarter typically look like they’re all drawn by the same guy. It’s a style that’s very homogenized and blah. Work into a style that fits and elevates your story concept and that sets your comic apart from the others in the category.
I could go on, but those are the most obvious culprits when it comes to the struggles of Superhero comics on Kickstarter. Let’s make it better.
Comics I Like
Crypt-O-Livia Meets The Mothman by Michael K. Easton
Olivia Crew belongs to a family of globetrotting cryptozoologists who travel far and wide in search of mysterious creatures.
The latest all-ages book from So Pro Comics is about a plucky kid named Olivia, growing up in a family of kooky cryptozoologists on the hunt for creatures science isn’t sure even exist! Heartfelt and hilarious!
Fun, attention-grabbing cover art & design
Stylized, expressive interior art, colors & composition
Goal: $750
End Date: July 18, 2025
Estimated Delivery: September, 2025
No. Pages: Not specified
Lowest Digital Tier Price: $5
Lowest Print Tier Price: $6
PaKuma Books 1,2, 3 (FREE), and the variant editions by wolly
PaKuma is a 3 issue reconstructed telling of the classic Romeo & Juliet tale, blended with turf wars, martial arts, scifi, & a bear.
PaKuma was once human and the eventual heir to his families empire. His love interest Ah-Kirah is one of two children of the opposing empire, her brother being "Other Kuma", who was also once human, who is was the heir to his families legacy and antagonist to our hero .
Sharp, frenetic composed cover art & design
Stylized, dynamic interior art & composition
Goal: $1200
End Date: July 13, 2025
Estimated Delivery: December, 2025
No. Pages: 32, 32, 44
Lowest Digital Tier Price: N/A
Lowest Print Tier Price: $20
Fear Nothing: The Heroic Life of Father Al Comic Book by Philip Kosloski
Let's make a comic book about Fr. Aloysius Schwartz, a fearless missionary whose heroic life needs to be known!
Father Al Schwartz was a heroic man who feared nothing and didn't let any bully dissuade him from following God's call in his life. Born in 1930 in Washington D.C., Father Al was inspired to lead a heroic life after reading the adventures of DC Comics' Boy Commandos comic book series as a kid.
Nicely illustrated and composed cover art & design
Pro-level, expressive interior art, color & composition
Goal: $40,000
End Date: July 22, 2025
Estimated Delivery: December, 2025
No. Pages: Not specified
Lowest Digital Tier Price: $10
Lowest Print Tier Price: $25
Bo Hampton's 3 Devils #7 new issue + more! by Bo Hampton
Get the all-new issue 7, deluxe edition 48 page hardcover, continuing the supernatural Western adventure--
A brand-new storyline unfolds, focusing on Oliver, the young Wolf-boy, as his journey to find his place in the world. But putting his harrowing past behind him takes some new twists and turns!
Retro-style, classic cover art & design
Awesome, throwback black-and-white interior art & composition
Goal: $6200
End Date: July 19, 2025
Estimated Delivery: October, 2025
No. Pages: 48
Lowest Digital Tier Price: $6
Lowest Print Tier Price: $16
HAMMER, ACT 1: John Henry vs The Robot Apocalypse by Greg Anderson-Elysee
Machines & A.I. rule over humans while the legendary John Henry is reborn by Mother Earth Asase to save mankind from their suffering.
Hundreds of years have passed and the Machines and Artificial Intelligence have taken over, now ruling a post apocalyptic world. Human beings are fuel, entertainment, and labor to help advance the supremacy of the Machines.
Epic, ominous cover art & design
Coolly stylized grayscale interior art & composition
Goal: $13,000
End Date: July 19, 2025
Estimated Delivery: December, 2025
No. Pages: 150
Lowest Digital Tier Price: $13
Lowest Print Tier Price: $25