Can You Spare A Follow?
Another friendly reminder that the Pre-Launch page for the GunEngine Zero Kickstarter campaign is up and running. If this campaign sputters out of the gate, it’ll most likely fail so go to the pre-launch page HERE and click on the “notify me” button. Thanks!
Here’s an updated mock-up of the cover with new trade dress. I’ve been trying to figure out a universal design for the Rainy Road logo that incorporates the issue number without obscuring the art too much and I think this one might work.
Although, I may further modify this cover to stack the names next to the issue number. As it is now, the names cut through Gunny’s legs and I don’t think I like that.
Working The Campaign Trail
Speaking of the campaign, I’ve agonized over what to offer and how to offer it for the past month now before finally coming to a strategy that I think might work best.
What I like to do is offer a basic tier with just the book, offer individual items that people can add-on a la carte style and then have a “superfan” tier which offers everything in a discounted bundle. I think this keeps things clean and simple both for backers and for me.
Also, the “superfan” reward can help to push the average pledge higher. Since the standard version of the book will only be $4 and since I haven’t been able to gather a lot of backers in the past, I need to maximize each pledge to reach the minimum financial goal. And having a “superfan” reward is what really helped me reach the goal in previous campaigns.
The problem with this strategy is that I also wanted to have stretch goals. Most campaigns have them and it seems like it’s something that helps engender excitement in backers. But how can I offer a superfan reward that includes “everything” if some of those things might not get funded and produced?
After trying to figure out a reasonable way to juggle these contradictory things, I decided that having the “superfan” option is more important, and might be more beneficial to the campaign, than having stretch goals.
I mean, I might still be able to come up with something that can serve as a stretch goal item depending on how well the campaign does but there won’t be any at the start of the campaign. Every item will be available. But some things will be very limited.
HERE is a link to a preview version of the campaign. Check it out and feel free to send me any feedback you care to share. I’m open to all suggestions/comments.
Russxplode Studios Interview
I did an interview with Russell Allen recently. He’s the one who introduced me to the ComicBooks 4 Kids charity and has given me tips and advice on a number of things. You can check it out HERE.
Oh, The Horror!
Here’s another teaser image from the adult horror anthology that I want to crowdfund with six:eight Chapter Two later this year. This art is by Ricardo Alves and is from the first part of a two-part story that will be published like this, with greytones. The book will be a mix of color and black and white. This story revolves around a character that lives in a Warcraft-like world being corrupted and exploited by the newly-discovered knowledge of dark magic. He represents an older, simpler way of life more connected to the natural world and stands in defiance to this new wave of greed, gluttony and hubris.
Random Thought
I posted this on Instagram a few days ago and I thought I’d share it here, too. And I don’t know why this suddenly and randomly popped into my head. Below is the iconic cover to Action Comics #1. Look carefully at this image and think about what you’re seeing. I would assume that it’s probably meant to depict the actions of a righteous hero. But does it really? It actually looks like a villain committing random destruction. For all we know, these 3 guys were just carpooling to work when some random psychopath decided to ruin their day! Maybe this image is what inspired The Boys!
In the next newsletter I’ll go into more detail about the GEZ campaign because there are some things that will be very limited or only available on day one, so you won’t want to miss it.
~Michael T Gonzalez