The 5 Most Successful Kickstarter Comic Campaigns
- Eve Andrews
- Apr 11, 2022
- 3 min read
For many of us in the comic book world, Kickstarter can be a good first step. Whether you're a writer, editor, artist or producer, it can be a great way to get your foot in the door if you've got a project in mind. Of course, as with everything, it’s hit and miss as to whether your project will blow up or not, but for your encouragement, here’s a handful that went through the roof!
To many comic book fans, this title might sound eerily familiar, especially to those who have been loyal to the art form since before the days of Kickstarter. Lady Death was a big name in the comic industry way back in the 90s, originally published by Chaos! Comics. Unlike the others on our list, Lady Death was not only pre-established but already in print. Over the years, though, despite its sizable following, Lady Death slowly fell out of public favour and faded away into obscurity. However, in 2021, the original creator, Brian Pulido (alongside Coffin Comics), sought to revive the character via Kickstarter. In a sweep of nostalgic excitement for the new fresh take on this veteran series, old and new fans came flocking to offer funds. With 3,306 backers and various reward systems, the promise of Lady Death’s all-new era raked in a grand total of $426,241, over double its original goal of $200,000. Talk about rags to riches rebounding.
A vividly colourful sci-fi fantasy webcomic, Ava’s Demon, by Michelle Czajkowski, first went public in 2012. In its early years, the Ava’s Demon series had several smaller successes on Kickstarter, gathering together a loyal cult following. However, no one could have foreseen the sudden explosion of Ava’s Demon Reborn, which came to Kickstarter in 2021. A remastered version of Czajkowski’s earlier work, fans of the series, both old and new, were eager to back the project and brought a host of curious newcomers along with them. This led to a healthy backing of 6,650 with a total fund of $530,310, absolutely smashing its original and far more modest goal of $25,000.
With its one of a kind mix of sci-fi and fantasy, it’s no surprise that Dresden Codak, by Aaron Diaz, flourished after first hitting the world wide web in 2005. However, by 2013, Diaz had his sights set on bigger things. Wanting to bring the comic into the printed world, Diaz launched a Kickstarter campaign that excelled in its initial goal in record time. The campaign surpassed its originally intended $30,000 within 24 hours yet continued to skyrocket in the time that followed. By the end of the campaign, Tomorrow Girl: Dresden Codak was backed by 7,565 eager fans, garnering a grand total of $534,994.
Originally aimed at video gamers, Tim Buckley’s Ctrl+Alt+Del already had a tech-savvy following when it hit the web in 2002. A charmingly understated tale depicting the day-to-day life of the average video gaming fanatic, it soon gathered a sizable audience of fellow gamer folks. However, in 2015, Buckley took to Kickstarter as a way to expand his audience and bring the hit webcomic into print. This project took the form of a three-volume hardcover box set. It was an ambitious move, with the project needing a solid $150,000 for it to go ahead. No need to worry, though, because boy, did Buckley’s fans deliver! With 5,553 backers, the original goal was hit just hours after the campaign became active and climbed to the shocking total of $665,725 in the time that followed.
If you’ve ever been on the internet, you’re probably familiar with these particular stylised little stickmen. But have you ever wondered where they originated? This adorable internet sensation sprung from the mind of Rich Burlew, manifesting in the webcomic titled Order Of Stick, which first hit the web back in 2003. In 2012, Burlew sought to revive his earlier self-published work via reprints. To fund this project, he looked to Kickstarter. The campaign was quick to smash expectations. With an initial goal of $57,750, the 14,952 backers raised a jaw-dropping $1,254,120, making it one of few on Kickstarter to surpass the million mark at the time.
Did you back any of these? What are the latest Kickstarter campaigns that you’re most excited about? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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