ComicScene Magazine is back and looking to support the comic industry on kickstarter.
When you pledge you will be listed in the magazine as a backer. If you are a comic creator you will be included in the Comic Industry Directory with 50 words for your latest news and contact details for work, submissions, workshops and talks. Pledge here ComicScene Magazine by ComicScene — Kickstarter
For each £300 extra the magazine receives on its original goal the magazine will add extra pages and be paying £200 per page for additional comic strip pages.
Publisher Tony Foster explains, “The covid pandemic led to ComicScene folding in newsagents and comic shops. Footfall was down. After producing 21 issues sales were down and we could no longer sustain the magazine at that level. We have worked on a few projects since then but we kept getting asked when will we bring back the magazine? People love the title. We’ve done some things online but, as you can imagine with comics. people also love it in print. So we thought now is the time to try and bring it back.”
“Our original investment goal was met in six days on kickstarter which was great. This time we want the magazine not only to be a good read for comic fans but to support the comic industry as well. So we are including a Comic Industry Directory so everyone is anyone will feature in each issue of the magazine. And everyone is anyone will tell you Covid had a big impact on comic creators and the industry and that people are being laid off from the job, lost their latest contract or not being paid enough for the work they do. It’s tough, paper costs and production of comic and comic magazines aren’t cheap. So this is an opportunity for comic creators, comic production, comic event planners, comic shops, comic laureates, comic academics and comic media to just pledge anything from a fiver, anywhere in the world and get their name out there in the Comic Industry Directory and invest in something tangible to support the magazine and each other.”
At the same time your investment means ComicScene will include original comic strips with creators being paid £200 a page. Tony goes on to explain, “You get back what you put in to the magazine. We already pay magazine designers and the writers for articles. I know creators do some comics for love, a share of the profits, a lower page rate or a free copy but I believe creators should get a decent page rate for what you do from the outset. To do that we are setting out the expectation that we can’t do that unless the investment and readership is there. So our stretch goals are extra pages and strips for you to enjoy as the kickstarter progresses – we are close to three pages with over three weeks to go and I hope for more.”
The project also includes the CS+ Digital Comics Library where creators can include their comics in the digital library and get some support from the kickstarter. There are over 6000 pages of comics in there at the moment, including all the previous volumes of ComicScene. Tony explains further, “Each year you will get a new password to access the Directory. There are comics from all over the world, kids comics, young adult comics, indie comics, crowdfunder comics, manga, diverse comics, health and well being comics, community comics, history comics. academic works, retro comics and all are welcome in the comic library. We hope to feature an eclectic amount of comics in the magazine.”
As an example of what can be achieved the kickstarter includes the Kirknewton Story as a reward which was a comic project which paid indie creators and artists from 2000AD, Viz, Commando, Beano, Dark Horse, DC and Marvel comics £200 a page to help bring together.
There is over three weeks to support ComicScene Magazine Issue 1, due out in November. Pledge here ComicScene Magazine by ComicScene — Kickstarter
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