An anthology of supernatural and modern fantasy comics!
Going live with the Concrete Arcanum crew in 15 minutes to explain ourselves on Explain Yourself!
You coming?
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFfgOCBCi7CuGu9Cz2ojk-A
Woo Hoo!
Concrete Arcanum has officially crossed the 50% funded mark!
Alas while we must bid adieu to the 50% Funded bonus bundle, we still have the 75% bundle to look forward to!
So by now, some of you may be wondering, why are you even doing an anthology? Why not just focus in on The Canon of Vangel?
That's great question, straw man. There are several reasons.
Firstly, in the past couple of years of my journey into crowdfunding and indie publishing, I've made the acquaintance of quite a few awesome people who are doing awesome things. People whom I not only like, but also admire. By doing an anthology I not only get to put their tremendous collective talents to work for me, I get to share them with you.
Secondly, I love finding exciting new stories and creators. The people who are working in the indie-publishing space are doing the most unique stuff in the industry and, by pulling them all together into one book, I get to present to you a sampler platter of some of the most interesting stuff that's out there. Backing anthologies on Kickstarter is how I found some of my favorite creators that I'm still following.
Lastly, it's how I got my start. My first Kickstarter ever was notImpure Blood, it was Cthulhu is Hard to Spell, a Lovecraft themed comic anthology featuring the gods and monsters of the Cthulhu mythos. By being a part of Cthulhu, I was able to observe how a big crowdfunding campaign was run and I also got my name as a newbie appearing next to big time industry pros who had worked for Marvel, DC, Disney and more. It was a great learning opportunity and, now that I'm in a position to do so, one I wanted to provide to others.
Take this young man.
Seth Tamarkin's story, Date Night, with art by Swapnil Lambe has me convinced that Seth is someone to watch. I don't often laugh aloud when I read, I did when I read Seth's script. He's also makes great use of the premise of Concrete Arcanum by highlighting the effect monsters and magic might have on modern dating.This story alone is worth the price of admission!
And for more anthology awesomeness, be sure to check out Purple Eyes by Phillip Maira
What if 73 minutes before you die, your eyes turn a vibrant purple? There is no action to reverse this ocular ticking clock toward death. With less than an hour and a half left to live, what would you do? The top creators in indie comics bring you 120+ pages of humor, heartache, & humility. The tales within this unique anthology are loosely linked and filled with numerous Easter eggs. This mesmerizing world has so many secrets and beauty to share. CLICK HERE to discover them!
As for the Concrete Arcanum crew, a contingent of us we will be on and upcoming episode of the Explain Yourself podcast! You could wait for that episode to drop like a chump, OR you could join us when we go live THIS FRIDAY at 11 PM EST, 10 PM CST, 8PM PST and you can actually interact with us and ask questions and stuff!
Just CLICK HERE when the time is right to go to the Youtube page and see all of our shining faces! Hope to see you there!
And in the meantime, I have a special something in the works for everyone who has backed thus far! I hope you like it!
Till then, be good!
But not too good 😉
- Nathan
Holy crap!
After some strong weekend progress, Concrete Arcanum is just 2% away from crossing the 50% threshold!
Which means that there's only another day or two to back the Kickstarter before the 50% Bonus Bundle goes poof!
So how do you feel about splitting up the bonus bundles this way? ei. Having them go away after crossing a funding goal as opposed to a specific time like the end of week 1, etc? I think it's kinda fun because not even I know when the time limit is going to be. But I want to know what you think. Comment below and let me know!
But before you go, I want to give you a heads up about this other cool project I found:
Lycan: Solomon's Odyssey by Dennis Robinson
Make no mistake, this book is for the mature readers. But since it's the time of year for the spookiness, I think it would be a great book to back. The series follows Solomon, the world's first werewolf as he walks the world, finds himself involved in different folktales and mythologies, and searches for the cure to his condition. Definitely worth checking out for anyone who likes horror, adventure and dark fantasy.
CLICK HERE to give it a gander!
Two weeks in and the 50% milestone is just spitting distance away. This campaign has officially reached maturity. Now it's time to bring it home!
More soon!
Till next time, be good!
But not too good 😉
- Nathan
One of the fun things about the premise of all mythologies being real and coming out to the mundane world is when different tropes collide or sometimes get inverted. Take orcs for instance, usually we see them as a giant horde of mindless monsters for the heroes to mow down. Rarely do we see the life of an average orc at home and the mundane issues that they have to deal with. Like, needing an excorsist for instance.
We've all been there.
Like in M.J. Massey's story, Even Orcs Have Ghost Problems!
Kami used to be the weird one who could see ghosts. But in a world now populated with elves, dragons and goblins, Kami's stuck navigating being a third rate ghost exterminator and finding where she fits in. When Worthag the orc hires her to tackle his haunted apartment, it's up to Kami and her animal-loving ghost sidekick Ben to kick the offending specter to the afterlife!
I highly recommend her series, The Alchemist of Aurillia which just so happens to have a campaign going right now!
CLICK HERE to check it out!
Set in a time and place that is under-utilized in modern fantasy fiction Alchemist is a whimsical ride through a world of vengeful witches, powerful djinn, and lost history with an Ottoman-Turkish twist! I really enjoyed Massey's first issue and I can't wait to see what she does next!
Also, with Halloween right around the corner, I've got more awesome scary stuff for you to enjoy! My buds over at Inverse Press are at it again with the latest installment of Vicious Circus 2022 Halloween Special: Killer Clown Horror.
When a suspected serial child murderer escapes police by hiding in a defunct Halloween haunted house attraction, he finds himself terrified by more than just the rusted animatronics and old-fashioned jump scares, for the midway madhouse he ducked into is infested...with the vengeful clowns of the Vicious Circus.
CLICK HERE to check it out!
I would also be remiss if I didn't shout out my dude Jack Holder, who's on going series, Legends of the Realm, is in it's final days.
Legends of the Realm is everything you have ever wanted in epic fantasy. The sprawling kingdom of Dannisfire has existed for centuries but is just now experiencing turmoil. This story dives deep into the idea that what matters in legends is not just what is being said but who is saying it. Does a person's legacy change, depending upon who tells the tale? CLICK HERE to find out!
I've gotten a sneak peak at some of the interior pages and, let me tell you, if epic wizard fights are your jam, you really gotta check this out.
As for Concrete Arcanum, the stickers are finally gone, but there's still 5% to go before the 50% funded bonus bundle is off the table! There are bundles at 75% and %100 percent bundles on the way, but backing before we cross the 50% threshold is the best way to max out your reward potential!
And that's assuming that I don't unveil any other bonus rewards along the way and, let's be honest, what are the odds of that really?
CLICK HERE to go to the Concrete Arcanum Kickstarter page for MAXIMUM REWARDAGE!
And don't forget, be good!
But not too good 😉
- Nathan
Do you like hard boiled private detectives who are maybe a little on the furry side (Magnum P.I., I'm looking at you)? Cause I really have to tell you about my next Concrete Arcanum contributor.
Christopher Brimmage delivers to us a little tale called Closure Inc., about a ghost who runs a business "exterminating" other ghosts by helping them finish their unfinished business (whether they want to or not...).
I'm a sucker for painterly styles and @CoreLoArt does not disappoint. I love what a huckster the main character is, even when he finds himself in over his head. I also remember this was the story that, as all the contributors started to turn in their stories, first made me realize that I really had something quality with Concrete Arcanum.
Chris also has a Kickstarter running right now for his main book, Mandrill, P.I.
The story of a hardboiled, hard-drinking private detective in a cartoon city who must solve the murder of its foremost celebrity, it's True Detective meets Looney Tunes with a dash of Hellboy in this noir tale set in a cartoon metropolis!
You really ought to CLICK HERE to check it out because Chris has a special offer for anyone who backs both Mandrill P.I. and Concrete Arcanum. Together, we're offering this exclusive print by Carlos Trigo depicting MANDRILL P.I. investigating an occult mystery alongside Barnaby MacGregor, the protagonist of Closure Inc. If you’re terrified of clown demons, then look away now!
Physical tier backers of both campaigns will receive a physical copy of the print, and digital backers will receive a hi-res digital version.
All you have to do to secure your print is:
1) Headon over to the MANDRILL P.I. page
2) Pledge at the level you prefer
3) Return to the CONCRETE ARCANUM Page
4) Leave a comment saying what you love about the CONCRETE ARCANUM campaign, using the hashtag #ConcreteMandrill at the end of your comment
And I still have 4 stickers left for physical reward backers! So if you're quick about it, you could get that Crossover Print, one of these sassy magic circle stickers...
and this sweet bonus bundle of digital comics!
That's a pretty sweet pot right there! I must say adding on bonuses and giving away freebies is one of my favorite thing about doing Kickstarters.
It just gives me a good feeling.
More soon!
Till next then, be good!
But not too good 😉
- Nathan