Are Comic Book Anthologies Dead On Kickstarter?
Lifeline Comics dives into the benefits of doing a comic book anthology on Kickstarter in 2024!
Hello Lifeline Comics Subscribers!
With only a week left on Kickstarter for Transphoria, we’re discussing a long-standing hot topic in the Kickstarter community - are comic book anthologies dead?
We’ll also dive into what we’ve been doing during our busy June (a lot of Prides) and talk about some new releases like Inside Out 2 and The Boys Season 4.
Let’s dive in!
Are Comic Book Anthologies Dead on Kickstarter?
Kat: If you’ve been on Kickstarter long enough, you’ll see there are fads and trends that weave in and out of the platform. One of the most popular types of comic book projects we saw a few years ago were anthologies. They felt like the surefire way to get your book funded, all while growing your audience.
But time has passed, ships have sailed, and there are many creators that have grown sour on creating comic book anthologies. But we’re here to report that anthologies are still a very valuable tool for building a brand on Kickstarter. And here’s the secret to success!
Being Specific & Knowing Your Audience
Kat: Just like any comic you put on Kickstarter, you have to know the hook to your pitch and have an understanding of your intended audience.
We love queer storytelling and have a queer audience. So it was a no brainer to do queer anthologies. But instead of creating an anthology encompassing all queerness, we picked facets within the queer community including: bisexuality, transness, and even queer WEBTOON Canvas titles.
But let’s use a different genre for example: let’s say you want to do a horror anthology - a straight up horror anthology will be a harder sell than let’s say an anthology all about final girls. It’s a niche within a niche, which is a key to grabbing people’s attention.
If you’re a creator that already has a fanbase, figure out what your audience gravitates towards and work on a concept that matches their interest in you.
An Army is Stronger Than an Individual
Kat: Why were anthologies popular in the first place? Well, an army is stronger than an individual. 20+ people promoting a title is going to be a lot stronger than 1 person promoting their book. It’s an opportunity for creators to meld audiences, and help readers discover their new favorite writers and artists.
We have to thank Bi Visibility for the long-term success of Lifeline Comics! It was our first queer title, so it helped grow our queer audience AND it was our first title to reach over 1K backers. We had so many wonderful queer creators attached, and their audiences found the book, all while new readers were attracted to the bisexual subject.
Hardships of Gaining Capital and Organizing the Book
Phil: Maybe one of the reasons that anthologies have gotten a bad rap as of late is because they’re pretty difficult to pull together.
It’s very difficult to coordinate creators - especially when you’re dealing with thirty plus contributors to a given book. And it can be frustrating when something inevitably falls behind schedule.
And even more so than most creator-owned projects, anthologies are costly. More contributors mean more page rates. And even our smallest anthologies (the 44-page Bi Visibility and the 48-page Rainbow Canvas) have required a much larger capital investment than our creator-owned projects of similar length.
We suspect the negative reputation Kickstarter anthologies have garnered is in large part a result of these costly and difficult to organize elements - which can be especially trying when an anthology doesn’t overperform.
Hairology - Was it a success?
Phil: To really illustrate all of these points, let’s take a moment to look at our lowest-performing anthology: Hairology. This campaign raised $19,787 - hitting it’s $18,000 goal the day before the campaign ended. From the outside looking in, this might look like a failure (or at least, not a huge success compared to our other projects). But we certainly don’t see it that way.
We have certain defined goals for every anthology. We want to work with creators of all different backgrounds and experience levels. We want to tell a collection of unique and diverse stories. And we want to get a comic in the hands of a new audience. And Hairology did all of this and more!
We got to work with giants like Gail Simone, Jamila Rowser, Sterling Gates, and so many more on Hairology, as well as become acquainted with several writers and artists who we’ve gone on to work with on so many more projects.
We genuinely could not be more proud of the final product of Hairology - which has so many incredibly creative and innovative stories and is consistently praised as one of our fans’ favorite anthologies they’ve read from us.
And we reached so many new fans via the Hairology Kickstarter. This particular anthology wasn’t as easy of a sell to our existing audience, which meant we had to work extra hard to get the word out and hit that funding goal. But all of that effort was so worth it because we got so many new backers and fans who checked out Hairology only to become fans of our other properties.
Anybody who approaches doing an anthology should do so out of love for the topic. We really wanted to tell unique stories about hair. And even if it took a little longer to hit our goal than usual, Hairology paid off in spades by hitting its goal and giving us so many new connections (creators and fans) we never would have made if we always created the exact same types of books.
Why Do We Still Do Anthologies?
Kat: Why do we still do anthologies? HONESTLY, we just love the process. Phil and I enjoy curating books from script to finished page. WE LOVE giving opportunities to up and coming creators (opportunities that were scarce when we were getting into the game). And to our surprise, we’ve even had opportunities to work with some of our idols through the process. It’s a pleasure to work with creators on all different levels to make the best books we can possibly make on subjects that are important to us and other people.
How Anthologies Can Affect Your Future Projects
Phil: We talked earlier about how anthologies are one of the best ways to form relationships with other creators. In fact, we’ve found some of our most frequent collaborators via our anthologies.
To name a few artists who we met on Hairology and continued to collaborate with thereafter: Dorilys Giacchetto who we now work with on The Beast & Snow and Yonson Carbonell who we’ve worked with on Slice of Life: Anime Adventure and now Transphoria.
We also talked about anthologies attracting new potential readers who may in turn continue to check out your other (non-anthology) comic projects. That’s why it’s of paramount importance to treat an anthology with the same care that you would any other project. Produce a product of such high quality that backers will be interested in seeing more of your work. Fulfill in a timely and communicative fashion. And, above all else, tell interesting stories! It’s all instrumental to creating a trustworthy brand!
In Conclusion
Phil: Platitudes are rarely correct. For every “NSFW is a guaranteed success on Kickstarter”, there are three NSFW projects that have failed. And for every “Anthologies are dead on Kickstarter”, there are three huge successes.
Anthologies are some of our favorite projects to put together each year. From our perspective, the pros far outweigh the cons of creating these collections. And anyone who writes them off as “dead” need not look far to see all of the hugely successful anthologies.
We hope you’ll check out our current anthology campaign before it ends next Thursday! We had high hopes for Transphoria going in and it is consistently exceeding our lofty expectations. We truly believe there’s something in this book for everyone and that it’s worth checking out - regardless of whether you identify as trans/nonbinary!
COMING SOON: Slice of Life: A Coming Out Story
We’re excited to bring “Slice of Life” back to Kickstarter in just a week and a half with Slice of Life #5: A Coming Out Story!
This next issue (which collects Chapters 27-35 of the series) is the perfect one to end Pride Month as it’s all about closeted cheerleader Lucy finally learning to accept her sexuality and her romantic feelings for Yuriko!
As always, we have a really exciting Bonus Chapter that will be added to the Kickstarter version of the comic, and some truly amazing Variant Covers for the issue. Follow the Pre-launch Page below to be notified when we go live!
What have we been up to?
Let’s talk about some of the stuff that’s kept us busy since our last post!
Good Mythical Morning Tour!
Kat: I’ve been watching Good Mythical Morning every day for YEARS! It’s truly my comfort show and has become part of my routine like many other Mythical Beasts.
The stars aligned when Rhett and Link would be in Washington D.C. a day before we were vending for their pride. I grabbed the tickets, and we were off to the races.
The mythical crew put on a wonderful show that was filled with inside jokes, which tapped into every aspect of the show with a theater bend to it. It was not only a treat to see Rhett and Link’s dynamic, but some of the fan favorites from the Good Mythical Crew. The crew’s inclusion is truly one of my favorite elements of GMM. So it was a pleasure to see Chase, Josh, Emily, and Stevie’s voice as part of the show.
Another element that makes GMM truly special is the one cut nature of the show. This structure makes it feel like you’re just hanging out with your friends, and this adapted perfectly to a live event like this. I can’t wait to see what Rhett, Link, Stevie, and the rest of the crew have in store for us mythical beasts in 2025!
Washington DC Pride
Phil: Washington DC Pride was one of our best events of 2023, so we were super excited to return in 2024.
And the event did not disappoint, outperforming our stellar sales record from last year.
We met some really amazing people - both new and returning customers. And even got some really cool HAUNTING fan art from a new fan!
We also saw more than one really cool shirt!
One thing we have a tendency to do is forget just how exhausting these travel events can be. We really should have planned a hotel stay overnight after the Pride. But instead, we powered through and arrived home after 3am in the morning. We definitely won’t be making that mistake again next year.
We’re very much looking forward to next year’s World Pride in DC!
Hot Ones at the Paley Center
Kat: It was a YouTube food show filled time as I also got to see Sean Evens and the other EPs of Hot Ones give a talk at the Paley Center for Media.
The Paley Center is one of my favorite little hidden gems. They have some wonderful panels focusing on the different shapes of TV programming, and to my surprise now even YouTube. Hot Ones was an intimate chat moderated by Seth Meyers as he blended discussions of traditional TV with new media. This included the shows influences in their interviewing style blending Howard Stern, Charlie Rose, and British talk shows.
We had the pleasure of viewing an upcoming episode starring Heidi Klum. It was a great example of why this show works so well as it does. The black backdrop allows the “characters” to truly shine as it imitates black box theater. As the panel explains, every wing is a story arc, which helps audience members stay tuned to a 20+ minute YouTube video, but also allow short viral moments to trickle through.
At the end, we even got a goodie bag with one of the show’s famous hot sauces! I’ll be back I got to eat some wings.
Media
And let’s discuss some non-comics media!
Inside Out 2
Kat: Disney, especially Pixar, loves their adventure movies. Just look at the first Inside Out! But I enjoy their more character-driven narratives, and I’m happy to report that Inside Out 2 has a good mix of both styles of storytelling.
Joy and pals take a deeper dive into Riley’s head, all while Riley as a character plays a larger role as new emotions enter her psyche. Anxiety is a solid antagonist to Joy’s more developed character. I won’t say this movie made me a super fan of Inside Out (there’s still a few “adventure” elements that drag), BUT I will say the sequel is a vast improvement to an already pretty solid franchise.
Phil: Inside Out 2 is pretty much exactly what I had wanted the first film to be. A heartfelt emotional journey that is equal parts outside-world Riley and the emotions in her head grappling with her everyday struggles. But while the first Inside Out spent a little too much time on the “adventure within Riley’s head” story, this sequel does a much stronger job balancing both parts of the story.
I really enjoyed the use of the returning emotions in this movie - particularly Joy and Sadness, who really feel like they’ve retained all of their development from the first film. And while not all of the new emotions get much of a chance to shine, the star of the bunch, Anxiety, makes for a great antagonist who always remains relatable. We always understand why she does the things she does, even when she’s clearly making the wrong decisions for Riley.
Inside Out 2 is also very funny. Pretty much every Pixar movie does a solid job of balancing comedy and sincerity. But Inside Out 2 had me laughing out loud more than your average Pixar movie. A scene inside “the vault” where Riley’s repressed emotions and secrets are locked away in particular had me rolling.
If you’re one of the Pixar theorists hoping for Queer Riley, let me go ahead and spoil for you right away that we don’t get any of that. If anything, this sequel quashes evidence of that fan theory.
This is a sequel that outperforms the original on almost every front in my book. If you’re a fan of Inside Out, or if you really liked the concept of Inside Out but were unimpressed with the execution, I recommend checking out this sequel.
The Boys Season 4, Episodes 1-3
Phil: The Boys is back and pulling no punches. After last season’s shocking final moments, Season 4 is the bleakest yet. The Boys has always been political, but this season takes it to the next level with its comparisons to real world radical politicism. It’s well-executed and poignant, but honestly hard to watch sometimes.
The season premiere, in particular, stands out as an excellent hour of television. Pretty much every major character and relationship that you’re dying to see continue from last season gets a moment to shine in the premiere. It’s incredibly well-paced and just begs you to continue watching.
Three episodes in, I would say that the weakest link of the season so far is Hughie and Annie/Starlight. I’m not particularly invested in either of their plotlines - which is a damn shame for Starlight in particular who is usually one of the most engaging characters in the series. But her “I don’t want to be known as my superhero identity” plotline feels overdone and (so far at least) hasn’t done much to stand out from the million other times we’ve seen this superhero story.
That said, there’s still plenty of episodes left for things to turn around for Hughie and Annie. And in the meantime, I’m really enjoying pretty much every other aspect of these premiere episodes.
Am I Okay?
Kat: I’m a huge fan of Tig Notaro and Stephanie Allynne’s work. So when they premiered “Am I Okay?” at Sundance I got an online ticket and saw this movie two years ago. Two years later, it has finally found a wide release on HBO Max, and I appreciate it even more.
“Am I Okay?” is a quiet film about feeling stuck in your thirties. You’re not in the job you want, your friend group is changing, and, oh yeah, you just figured out that your gay. But this isn’t just a “coming out” film, it’s an empowering story about female friendship, and the little steps you can take towards finding yourself. It’s genuinely one of my favorite movies I’ve seen this year. Don’t miss out on this indie darling! It’s the year of getting weird with Dakota Johnson, and you should get weird with her.
(If you want an in depth look at the film, take a listen to our latest Legendary Ladies podcast!)
Comics
Let's discuss some comics we've enjoyed recently!
As always, we'll spotlight a Direct Market Indie Book, a DC or Marvel book, a Kickstarter book, and a Webcomic!
Indie Comic: Uncanny Valley (BOOM! Studios)
Kat: We’re in a renaissance for comic books based on Saturday Morning cartoons. I mean just look at the whole Energon Universe! Uncanny Valley does a beautiful job of standing apart from the crowd by tackling nostalgia in a whole new way.
The series follows a family that is half-cartoon and seemingly half-human. There’s an underlying mystery for how any of this is actually possible as our main character is thrusted into the action with rules that have already been set in your favorite classic cartoons. Uncanny Valley has quickly become a book I’m most excited to grab when it comes out. Tony Fleecs continues his hot streak!
DC Comics: Primer
Kat: There are comic books out there for everyone. All-ages comics in particular is a great genre to hit multiple crowds. As an adult, All-ages titles are just a great palate cleanser. It’s. quick read with tight storytelling, and that’s exactly why I’ve been having such a blast with Primer.
Primer is a classic superhero origin story as our main character adjusts to her new life with her foster parents. Along the way, she learns that her new Mom is working with some powerful people that might have given our lead an opportunity to become a superhero.
Primer was originally released as a YA graphic novel but feels almost built for a floppy release with perfect cliffhangers and pacing. If you’re looking for a fun title to add to your pull list, Primer is an easy recommendation.
WEBCOMIC: To Be Honest
“After losing everything and ending up in an orphanage, Leon wants nothing more than to get his normal life back. And when you're desperately trying to fit in, it wouldn't help to get involved with the most hated guy in the entire school. Unfortunately, that guy happens to be Leon's roommate.”
Phil: A slice of life drama webcomic with a strong ensemble cast is always a recipe for success in my book. Right from its first chapter, To Be Honest does a fantastic job with pacing. Information is revealed and teased at just the right pace to maintain intrigue and prompt you to read further - a skill that is not always present in webcomics.
I was pretty instantly taken with leads, Leon and Gilbert. Their relationship is engaging from the moment they meet and both characters clearly have a lot of depth and history. The comic literally begs you to keep reading to discover more about each of them. And as information trickles in about each of them, you learn just how much thought has been put into building these full-fleshed teens.
Creator Alissacolors takes their time revealing the histories of not just TBH’s two leads, but also the supporting cast. There are hints throughout, but it often takes dozens of chapters to get the “full” picture of the backstories of characters. And oftentimes, as one might expect in a comic about a group of orphans, it’s a moving and tragic reveal. Ida and Mio, in particular, have some really heartbreaking stories that are handled with all of the weight and care (and appropriate trigger warnings) required.
I also quite like the use of color in the webcomic - with the bright blues of the paint from artist Gilbert always standing out against the white and gray backgrounds. The team behind this comic clearly put a lot of thought and love into the composition of the book and it shows!
KICKSTARTER: Amongst the Stars - A Sci-fi Romance Anthology
“Immerse yourself in a collection of cosmic love tales spun by independent comic creators in this 90-page anthology.”
Phil: In a newsletter all about anthologies, how perfect is it that our Kickstarter comic spotlight this week is an awesome comic anthology?
From our friends over at Band of Bards (who always produce quality comics) combined two of our favorite genres - sci-fi and romance - in one 90-page anthology featuring fourteen different stories.
Several of the contributors to the anthology are folks we’ve worked with before and can vouch for as doing amazing work (including some Transphoria contributors)!
Check out Amongst the Stars here!
In Closing
Thanks for reading!
Be sure to check out our very-much-not-dead-on-Kickstarter anthology - Transphoria: A Trans/Nonbinary Comic Anthology - before it ends next week! And to follow the Pre-launch page for Slice of Life: A Coming Out Story!
Subscribe to our Substack Newsletter above to get immediate updates on our future projects!
Current Kickstarter: Transphoria: A Trans/Nonbinary Comic Anthology (Ends 6/27)
Next Kickstarters: Slice of Life: A Coming Out Story (Launches 7/01)
Next Cons/Events:
Princeton Pride (06/22)
Harlem Pride (06/29)
NYC Pride (06/30)
Last Substack Paid Post: [PAID] Slice of Life #5 Cover + Bonus Chapter Reveals!
I have had the privilege of being part of and organizing about a dozen anthologies and they can be the most rewarding and fun thing to do.
If you go in with that mindset, success will follow.