Things To Avoid Doing on Your Next Comic Book Kickstarter
DON'T DO THESE SIX THINGS ON YOUR NEXT CAMPAIGN! Lifeline Comics discusses how you can improve your Kickstarter game!
Hi Lifeline Comics Readers!
If you know us, then you know we run a lot of Kickstarters. Kat was a member of Kickstarter’s official Advisory Council last year, and she does Kickstarter Consulting as freelance work. So suffice to say, we know a fair bit about Kickstarter. So this week, we wanted to run though some common pitfalls to avoid when launching your own comic book Kickstarter campaign!
We’ll also talk about our recent trip to Disney World and Universal, and our thoughts on Squid Game Season 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and the Abbott Elementary/Always Sunny Crossover!
Let’s dive in!
“Slice of Life” & “The Little Mermaid”!
Phil: Before we dive into our main topic, a quick refresher on our current campaigns!
Slice of Life #6: The Cheerleader Gets the Girl
“Cheerleader Lucy has been crushing on anime character brought-to-life Yuriko for a while now. And in this exciting new issue, she finally confesses feelings at the school’s big football game!”
We’re already fully-funded and on the way to unlocking our first Stretch Goal for this campaign! Support the campaign today to help us unlock as many bonus rewards as possible!
The Little Mermaid & The Pirate Queen #1
“Princess Aria of Atlantis had her happily ever after and still finds herself wanting…more. See her return to the sea in chase of Captain Mikayla, and mysterious Pirate who can change between Human and Mermaid forms!”
“Features Rafi de Sousa interior art and Terry Moore cover art!”
One Lucky Backer can grab Terry Moore’s Original Art for his cover on this project! Don’t miss your chance — follow the Pre-launch Page to be notified when we go live next week!
We’re approaching 1,000 Followers! Can you help us hit the milestone before we go live?
Trading Card Discord
Kat: A big thank you to our reader, Alex Dell, for creating a discord for the Lifeline Comics’ trading cards. If you have a card missing in your collection and are looking to trade, then go check out this Fan Discord!
Things to Avoid on your Kickstarter
Phil: Let’s get into our main topic! While there is no one “right way’ to run a Kickstarter campaign, there are definitely a lot of common mistakes you can avoid when putting your project together to give your campaign its best chance at success.
1. Same Thumbnail Across Multiple Projects
Phil: If you only take one piece of advice from this list, let it be this: DON’T USE THE SAME EXACT THUMBNAIL ACROSS MULTIPLE CAMPAIGNS!
Even if you have the absolute best thumbnail art on the planet, you should not use it again. Why not? Many reasons.
Firstly, every Kickstarter campaign is meant to be treated as an event — whether it’s a new or a returning series. When you recycle the same thumbnail across different campaigns, you’re effectively telling your backers that this new issue is not an event, it’s just more of the same. It would be like a comic publisher using the same exact cover for Issue 1 and Issue 2 of a series they publish.
Secondly, reusing thumbnails is confusing for backers. You don’t want a potential backer to see your new project and think it’s something they’ve already supported in the past. Keeping returning backers engaged and excited about your new issues is maybe the most critical piece of creating a successful long-running comic series.
And finally, using the same thumbnail means you won’t attract many new backers who weren’t grabbed by your thumbnail the first time you used it. The thumbnail is the identity of a Kickstarter campaign, and your key to attracting new readers who may have skipped your project last issue. Which brings us to the next thing you should avoid…
2. Failing to Reinvent Your Long Running Series
Phil: Every new issue of your comic presents an opportunity to reinvent the series by pitching it in a different way.
Taking “Slice of Life” for example — which has had over seven campaigns — we try to use different buzzwords and presentations for each issue in order to pitch the series in a different light. Every campaign description is accurate to the identity of the series, but highlights a different facet that is the focal point of this specific issue.
This gives each issue a unique identity AND a chance to appeal to new backers by using different buzz words. Whether it’s our “Big First Kiss” moment, our “Coming Out Special”, or our “Football Game Confession” issue, it’s still “Slice of Life”. But a new issue has the potential to appeal to someone who is particularly interested in one of the subtopics being emphasized.
We already did a whole newsletter post about this topic specifically, so we won’t belabor the point too much.
But suffice to say that something as simple as a different art style for your thumbnail and some different buzz words in your title/subheader can make a world of difference in terms of both engaging existing fans AND attracting new readers.
3. Reward Items that Will Cause Problems During the Packing Phase
Phil: Running a Kickstarter means A LOT of planning things in advance. This goes for budgeting AND preparing a fulfillment plan.
Many creators (present company included) don’t plan ahead enough for the inevitable big job that is fulfilling your Kickstarter. Simple mistakes — like failing to gather all necessary shipping material or not charging accurate prices for shipping — can lead to big problems down the line.
But one area we see a lot of newer creators struggle in is not planning the logistics of packing all of the items they’re offering. If your “primary” reward is a 6.625x10.25” comic book, then offering a 20x20” Poster as an Add-on presents a unique shipping challenge that you’ll have to deal with later.
Are the comic and poster shipping separately? If so, have you charged appropriate shipping for each item? Do you have Gemini or other comic-sized mailers for the comic? Do you have a protective tube for the poster?
It all contributes to a potential logistical nightmare. So before you offer the biggest, coolest reward item on your next campaign, make sure you’ve worked out your plan for how you’re going to ship it out.
4. Giving Misleading Fulfillment Timelines
Kat: Piggybacking off of Phil: Know your product!
One of the easier mistakes new creators can fall into is doing too much. The amount of big posters or t-shirts I’ve seen from first time projects, and the horror stories of shipping said big posters and the dozens of t-shirts still in their houses would shock you.
You should have tiers with products you know you can deliver. Get as close to wrapping the book as humanly possible, and if you have the capital, I recommend finishing the book to its completion before even launching your campaign. This will make your fulfillment timeline easier to figure out and manage.
5. Having A Confusing Page Presentation
Kat: There are times to be creative, and there are times to be straight forward.
Learn to walk before you run. With those first few campaigns you should focus on being more straight forward instead of using paragraphs to tell every detail of your story bible. If you were stuck in an elevator with a big-time movie producer, how would you pitch your book in those 2-3 minutes? Use that strategy to craft your descriptions for your Kickstarter page.
Tell us important details like page count, your creative team, and be sure to be distinct when describing your rewards. Pretend like no one has ever heard of your book, how would you pitch to those people? If you need to over-explain, then it’s probably too confusing for the average Kickstarter lurker.
BONUS: Treating Kickstarter as a Competition
Kat: In our last newsletter we talked about having a nice lunch meeting with Pat Shand from Space Between and Fabrice Sapolsky from Fair Square Graphics.
Comics can sometimes feel like an empty vortex. You work from home a lot, and it can be a bit isolating. It was such a pleasure connecting with other creators who know exactly how you are feeling. We used this time to come up with new ways to heighten crowdfunding and the comic book industry as a whole.
Comic books are NOT A COMPETITION. This is probably a whole different newsletter, but that big publisher’s campaign or that other superhero book isn’t “killing” Kickstarter. That big publisher is bringing new eyes to the platform, that other superhero book could be a great series to collaborate with to spread the word to each other’s audiences.
Here at Lifeline Comics, one of our favorite parts about working in comics is the community! We love spreading the word about other comic book campaigns either through this newsletter, on social media, and I even do a Top 10 comic book Kickstarter video every month on my YouTube channel to help spread the word.
We enjoy giving opportunities to creators new and old through our comic book anthologies. It truly brings us joy to see others succeed! Helping your fellow creators creates a healthy comic book ecosystem for you and everyone involved.
What Have We Been Up To?
Let’s talk about how we’ve kept busy these last few weeks!
Cheering Kat’s Brother on for the Disney Marathon
Kat: It’s always been Alex’s dream to run the Disney Marathon. He trained all year long to prepare for the 25+ mile run that encompassed all the Disney parks. I’m very proud that he finished the race (in about 4 hours, in what I don’t think I could do in a week.) It was really cool to hear how special Disney makes the runners feel with music and even special characters that only show up for the run.
While Alex recovered, we enjoyed the parks! This was the first time in a long time that Phil’s partner, Julius, had gone to Disney. And what a treat. I truly love seeing the people I care about experiencing Disney, and I’m so glad Julius got to be part of the Disney magic with us.
Phil and I went to Disney a few years ago together. But we never went to Universal together. A park I haven’t been to in a few years myself, so it was really cool to see the little things that have changed.
My absolute favorite ride of all time is shocker…The Spider-Man ride! I was a little kid at the candy store going back and getting to see Phil go on it for the first time. It’s a rarity to see a true comic book ride at these parks, which is why it’s so high up on my list and even passes Disneyland’s own Spider-Man attraction!
Phil: Kat’s family generously invited Julius and I to tag along on their Orlando Trip for Alex’s marathon. And I definitely wasn’t going to pass up a trip to Disney and Universal!
This was my first time going to Disney with Julius, and we had such a wonderful time hanging out with Kat’s family and cheering Alex on during the marathon. It was a really nice “bonus/unplanned” vacation. And while my feet are KILLING ME from doing all of the parks in three days, it was worth it for all of the fun we had.
Space Between’s Holiday Party
Kat: One of our favorite developments in 2024 was getting to hang out with Pat Shand from Space Between more often. We were invited to join his holiday party, and it was such a pleasure getting to know his team on a deeper level. Pat runs a tight ship, and we can all learn a thing or two about how he expertly navigates a comic book business.
Media
Let’s discuss some non-comics media!
Squid Game - Season 2
*Very Minor Spoilers*
Phil: It can be really difficult to tell a long-form “battle royale” style story. By their nature, a compelling battle royale story hinges upon quickly introducing likable/engaging characters who will be killed off in rapid succession — all while making sure that the mechanics of the fights/games that are eliminating characters remain fresh and exciting. It’s a difficult model (but not impossible) to sustain in the long term. And thankfully, Squid Game Season 2 makes a triumphant return in almost every regard.
Much like the (also very entertaining) Squid Game: The Challenge Reality Show from last year, this sophomore season knows exactly when to follow the model of the first season and when to veer off course to keep viewers on edge. The mechanic of players voting whether to continue the games after each challenge adds a whole new character-building piece to the show that really layers the new cast of characters — from the “likable” to the “villains”.
Speaking of the characters, the series continues the trend from its first season of managing to balance a score of really engaging players. Special shout-out to In-ho/the Front Man and Cho Hyun-ju (in some shockingly great Trans representation from a Korean Blockbuster hit show) for delivering some of the most interesting performances in the series to date.
My only complaint about this season — one shared by a lot of viewers — is its “ending”. Without giving too much away, Season 2 definitely ends in an awkward place — which it can afford to do since Season 3 was already greenlit and worked on concurrently. But the place that it ends off certainly leaves the viewer without much of a sense of closure or finality, especially compared to Season 1.
That complaint aside, Squid Game Season 2 was a really fun watch. I really enjoyed the first season and went into this follow-up doubting that it would be able to match the intensity of its predecessor. I’m very happy to have been proven wrong, and eagerly await the series’ return with its final season later this year.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Kat: Phil and I are getting back to the swing of things and using our AMC Stubs to go see movies in the theater again. Phil’s cousin is a huge Sonic fan and wanted to see the most recent movie. I had seen the first, and came along for the ride.
I’m not a Sonic super fan, but I can respect the love and lore that this movie franchise has grown into. The movie builds out it's cast, all while giving a spotlight to their original human characters. I will say the movie leans more “kiddie” than let’s say the Super Mario movie or Disney flick, but I do think Sonic has found a good groove for a fun popcorn flick for the family.
Phil: The Sonic the Hedgehog franchise continues to deliver pretty consistent quality it’s third film into its run. Very much matching the voice, humor, and heart of the previous two installments, Sonic 3 introduces the fan-favorite Shadow the Hedgehog with a pretty faithful adaptation of his origin story from Sonic Adventure 2 Battle (one of my favorite video games ever).
If you enjoyed the first two Sonic movies, then you will definitely have a good time with this one. It’s a well-paced adventure that manages to be enjoyable for both kid and adult viewers (even if it leans a little more heavily towards the younger viewers). There’s some really solid action, a few stand-out comedic moments, and even a few genuinely heartfelt human beats that ground the movie and make it more than your typical video game movie adaptation.
Here’s hoping that the Sonic franchise can continue their track record with the inevitable Sonic 4. Especially with the interesting promise made by this movie’s mid-credits scene.
Abbott Elementary/It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Crossover (Part 1)
Phil: I think we all collectively scratched our heads a little bit when this crossover event was first announced. Aside from both taking place in Philadelphia, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Abbott Elementary are two comedies that have very little in common. But as a fan of both series (for very different reasons), I was excited to see how the crossover would shake out — especially how Abbott’s more traditional sitcom format would blend with Sunny’s more farcical sensibilities.
I was very pleasantly surprised by the seamlessness of the crossover. The Paddy’s Pub Gang’s reason for volunteering at an Elementary School definitely tracks with those characters. And they easily blend into the Abbott Elementary format as quirky guest characters.
Make no mistake: this is first-and-foremost an episode of Abbott Elementary. It uses the typical episode format of that show — even giving Charlie, the most “kind-hearted”/”likely to grow/learn” member of the Sunny gang, a pretty wholesome arc in the episode. And the Sunny gang are certainly at their most palatable/”Prime Time-friendly” behavior (compared to some of the absolutely outlandish ways they can act on FX). But even so, the entire cast remains in-character and a lot of fun to watch. Special shout-out to the Dee and Janine storyline, which had me laughing out loud multiple times and was honestly the perfect mix of the humor from both series.
While there were elements of the crossover I didn’t care for — Dennis’ lack of screentime and most of the Frank/Mr. Johnson rivalry — this was overall a very successful crossover between two shows I enjoy that made for a memorable half hour of television. I look forward to seeing how the Abbott gang behave in the Always Sunny half of the crossover later this year. I especially can’t wait to see Ava “off camera” for the first time.
Kat: I’ve been a fan of Abbott since day 1, and have seen a handful of Always Sunny episodes because of Phil. And happy to report that the crossover does a great job at melding classic sitcom with absurd comedy.
The Always Sunny cast easily find their footing as volunteers for the elementary school where the Abbott teachers quickly learn that they may be more harmful than helpful. The “free work that isn’t exactly perfect” meshes well with your average Abbott plot line. It was really fun to see the fictional Philly expand its universe with the absolute worse people interacting with a group that’s just trying their best.
The crossover does its job to help build a bridge between the two franchises. This episode in particular expertly introduces the Sunny characters to a new audience. I’d be curious if Part 2 pitches the Abbott cast in the same way for Sunny fans (maybe they’ll even be allowed to be a bit cruder).
This is brilliant marketing! Now Abbott fans can clickthrough Hulu to start watching the FX show. Here’s hoping part 2 is as big of an event as part 1.
Comics
Let's discuss some comics we've enjoyed recently!
As always, we’ll spotlight an Indie Book, a DC/Marvel book, a Live Kickstarter book and a Webcomic!
INDIE: Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (IDW)
Kat: I truly love seeing unexpected indie comics get buzz in the direct market, and damn did this one get buzz.
Beneath the Trees is best explained as Dexter if they were animals. Get in the head of a calm and collected serial killer, who starts to see her version of a perfect world fall apart. Patrick Horvath’s storybook art style really sells the concept with every issue bringing enough twist and turns for readers to want more.
Marvel: Uncanny X-Men
Kat: Gail Simone has returned to comics and has injected a fresh direction for the X-Men that both celebrates what has come before, while showcasing a morally gray world that the mutants must deal with while living amongst humans.
The new characters bring in the same energy that The New Mutants delivered for Claremont’s run. Simone does a great job at balancing intriguing stories for the newbies, all while expanding on fan favorites like Rogue and Gambit following their lives in Krakoa.
Dave Marquez is the perfect collaborator as one of the best artists in the game, especially when it comes to facial expressions and conveying emotions. Uncanny X-Men has an in-sync tag team, who have truly helped recalibrate the franchise.
KICKSTARTER: A Place Where Time Doesn't Exist #1
“Humanity is going extinct. A small crew must find the cure on a strange alien planet at any cost. Explores themes like the death of ego, humanities place in the universe and the purpose of life.”
Phil: A post-apocalyptic sci-fi comic that immediately jumps off the page as some of the more creative and fully-realized world building I’ve seen from Kickstarter. Without reading a single word, I was immediately immersed in the world of A Place Where Time Doesn’t Exist. Everything from the breathtaking landscapes to the unique alien creature design to the striking cool color palette of this comic draws you in and begs you to continue scrolling.
WEBCOMIC: Fathoms of Atonement
“Jinshuilang, a mer, tries to atone for his past mistakes that killed his best friend, Huoliu. After a century of searching, he finally finds the reincarnation of Huoliu, now a human named Wen Honglin. But the price of a second chance may be more than Jinshuilang can bear.”
Phil: A BL Mermaid romance with a past lives/reincarnation twist. Fathoms of Atonement follows a Mer reconnecting with the reincarnation of his best friend. The series opens pretty far along in Jinshuilang’s story, with his already having lost Huoliu and finally, after years of searching, just now stumbling across his reincarnation.
This is a refreshing set-up as there’s an immediate sense of weight and history from the beginning of the story. And creator Jayessart paces the trickling of information about the backstory of the characters at a delicate-but-not-slow pace that makes for an enjoyable read.
The art in the series is very unique and beautiful to look at. And despite the more serious/tragic premise of the comic, it is pretty comedic (as is common amongst webcomics). The comedy can sometimes feel a touch jarring with the tortured position Jinshuilang finds himself in, but for the most part the humor works and is a lot of fun. And the core relationship between our two leads is very sweet, offering all of the staples you expect from a strong BL webcomic.
In Closing
Thanks, as always, for reading!
We hope that you enjoyed our list of common mistakes to avoid on your Kickstarter. And feel free to list off your own “Things to Avoid” items in the comments below!
Be sure to check out our live campaign, Slice of Life #6: The Cheerleader Gets the Girl, and to follow the Pre-Launch page for our upcoming The Little Mermaid & The Pirate Queen #1 which launches early next week!
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Buy Lifeline Comics on our Website!
Current Kickstarters:
Slice of Life #6: The Cheerleader Gets the Girl (Ending 2/06)
The Little Mermaid & The Pirate Queen #1 (Launching 1/21)
Next Cons/Events: Emerald City Comic Con
Always appreciate how supportive to the indie community ya'll have been. Your names come up more often than not and it's for good reason! I appreciate where you've been able to boost my campaigns here or there too.
I've got two more points to add:
1. Don't expect to hit all-time highs right away. Cultivating a following on Kickstarter takes time. Your first launch won't make you a full-time creator overnight. It's going to take a few campaigns to really break through.
2. Don't wait for issue 1 to be fulfilled before planning issue 2 (if you're releasing a series). Keep the momentum up by having a roadmap for your backers. Even if it's going to take a while, give your backers confidence that they'll see the story completed and when.
Thank you for this advice, from a guy who wants to run his own Kickstarter but doesn't how and when to start...