How Dan Ekis Built His Audience And Invested In Himself On The Way To A Five Figure Comics Kickstarter Launch
by Clay Adams
Dan Ekis was freaking out.
It was only a day before his Kickstarter launch, and he was having a serious case of the jitters.
Like many creators, Dan had doubts and fears about his upcoming campaign.
But unlike most of them, he knew exactly where to go for help.
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight you’ll learn:
- How to set yourself up for Kickstarter success
- Why you don’t have to multitask
- Plus: the best investment you can make
How Posting Your Comic for Free Can Help Build Your Audience
We’ll get back to that pre-launch freakout in a minute. But first, let’s take a look at Dan’s journey.
His comic ODYSSEY, INC started life on Webtoon, where’s he’s been posting for a year and a half, giving his readers value with the free episodes. Dan used that goodwill in a smart way:
“I post weekly on WEBTOON…. At the end of each episode I post a plug for my...
How Wes Hartman Overcame The "Sophomore Slump" And Funded His Second Kickstarter Campaign
By Clay Adams
Wes Hartman crunched the numbers, and what he saw worried him.
His first campaign for SAVAGE SASQUANAUT garnered a lot support from friends and family, some he hadn’t anticipated.
People he’d known for years—people who had no interest in comics—showed up to support in a big way. And for that, he was incredibly grateful.
As he launched his campaign for issue two, though, Wes expected that most of those backers would not return.
But without their support, Wes wondered…
Would he fund?
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn...
- The key to organic reach on social media
- How creatives can better manage their time
- Why cross promotion isn’t just for the “dead zone”
The Key to Organic Reach On Social Media
Wes reviewed his numbers, reexamined the goal, and determined that even without the financial support of his wider network, he could close the gap.
But it...
How Comics Creator Jason McNamara Consistently Raises $9,000 for Each Kickstarter Campaign
by Clay Adams
Jason McNamara is a man with a plan.
Three of his four Kickstarter campaigns have raised roughly $9,000 with an average of 300 backers. The one outlier?
His first campaign, which raised over $16,000 with almost 400 backers.
How does he achieve such consistently great results?
It's all in the planning.
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- How to choose the right artist for your comics Kickstarter project
- The advantage of finishing your book before launch
- Why Kickstarter is superior to other online stores
How to Choose the Right Artist for Your Comics Kickstarter Project
Jason begins each project with an eye on quality control.
“There is a limit to how much time and energy I have as a person and as a creator. I tend to be very selective in who I collaborate with and what I work on. I look for artists who have a distinct style and whose work will elevate my...
How Nathan Lueth Built His Audience On The Way To A $9,000 Comics Kickstarter Launch
by Clay Adams
Nathan Lueth was at a crossroads.
His webcomic Impure Blood was a finalist in DC Comics’ Zuda contest, but didn’t get the ultimate prize: a publishing contract.
Now he and his collaborators had a choice to make:
Keep making the comic anyway or move on to something else?
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight you’ll learn:
- The Value of Finishing
- When it’s OK to take your foot off the gas
- The difference between persistence and being stubborn
Is Comics Kickstarter Success Just a Popularity Contest?
Nathan began his long journey to Kickstarter way back in 2009, when he entered his comic Impure Blood into an online competition run by DC Comics. Readers voted on their favorite series, and winners were posted to DC’s webcomics imprint, Zuda.
“I look back and laugh at the mindset we had when we did Zuda. We were all like, 'It's all just a popularity contest! The best written/drawn comics aren't...
How John Schlim Jr Launched Two Comics Kickstarters Back-to-Back--And Had His Best Campaign Ever
by Clay Adams
John Schlim Jr felt nervous.
He’d just wrapped up a Kickstarter campaign the month before, and now he was about to hit “launch” on another project, the third issue in his long-running GOTH GHOST GIRL series.
With his previous campaign just finished—and still unfulfilled—John couldn't help but wonder:
Was his audience ready to back a new project?
In this edition of the ComixLaunch spotlight, you’ll learn:
- Why showing "range" is important
- The key to comics Kickstarter success
- Plus: How to keep control of your Kickstarter budget
Should Kickstarter Comics Creators Stick to One Genre?
Before we look at John’s second launch in two months, it’s a good question to ask why he would Kickstart multiple properties at the same time. His long-running GOTH GHOST GIRL series was a success. Shouldn't John just stick to that one title? Or, at the very least, something...
How Comic Writer Rob Multari Turned a Crowdfunding Failure into Kickstarter Success
by Clay Adams
Rob Multari didn’t have an audience.
His first crack at Kickstarter had just failed, and the realization was beginning to sink in: setting a $20,000 goal without a built-in fanbase might have been a little naive.
But Rob is a finisher. He picked himself up from that failed launch more determined than ever to get his work out into the world.
The question now was: how?
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- Why the right mindset can turn failure into success
- How to grow your audience ahead of a Kickstarter campaign
- Plus: Rob's tips for keeping up the momentum after launch
How to Turn Kickstarter Failure into Comic Convention Success
In the aftermath of the campaign, Rob made the tough call to keep paying his artists out of his own pocket. Once Night Wolf #1 was complete, he once again dug deep and funded a print run himself. This felt like a big victory… except for one glaring problem:
...
How Andrew Guilde Launched a 90-Page Graphic Novel on Kickstarter... And Got It Into Comic Shops
by Clay Adams
Andrew Guilde knew what he was getting into.
After one successful campaign to fund the first issue of "Man of Sin", now he was ready to launch a second Kickstarter to complete the four issue mini.
To do that, he’d need to pull in more backers--and money--than he did before.
The question now was:
How?
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- How to get high dollar pledges for your comics Kickstarter
- How to get your indie graphic novel into comic book shops
- Why you need an editor
Why Having a Community is "Essential" to Kickstarter Success
Andrew knew that in order to launch bigger, he needed to change his approach--and broaden his reach.
“I knew I’d have to do some things differently with the new campaign. What that exactly was I didn’t know. So, I enrolled in the ComixLaunch course and found my answers. I’m not sure I could have been...
How Simon Birks Launched a Gamebook and had his Best Campaign Ever
by Clay Adams
Simon Birks was ready to experiment.
He’d already had success over the last few years launching multiple comics Kickstarters, and like any good entrepreneur, he was looking for a new challenge—and a new market.
Simon did his research and learned that gamebook Kickstarters in the Tabletop Games category often did well. Now the question was:
Could Simon branch out?
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- The best—and easiest—way to conduct market research
- Why you should consider putting “skin in the game”
- How to market your Kickstarter campaign
How to do Market Research for Your Kickstarter
Simon didn’t jump into the new market cold.
He studied the games category on Kickstarter and noticed that those projects tended to do well. This gave Simon the confidence to approach his existing audience.
Simon had built up a reputation and a track record over the past several years launching...
How Colin Devonshire Raised More than $8,000 in His First Comics Kickstarter Campaign
by Clay Adams
Colin Devonshire was feeling dejected.
His pitch for BY THE TIME I GET TO DALLAS was going nowhere fast. The lack of response from publishers was taking a mental toll, and it would have been all too easy to throw in the towel.
But Colin knew he had a good book. And he was confident he could put together a professional product if given the chance.
So he decided to bet on himself and turn to the fastest-rising star in the comics publishing game:
Kickstarter.
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- Why prepping your audience before launch is key
- How to expand your audience after you launch
- What to post on social media during a campaign—and how often
What to do Before Launching on Kickstarter
Colin self-funded all of the art production for the book, putting a lot of skin in the game. Taking a “tortoise” approach, he worked hard until he felt his book was ready. Meanwhile, he joined the broader...
The Surprising Stretch Goal that Helped Abrian Curington Raise 4x Her First Comics Kickstarter
by Clay Adams
Abrian Curington saw an opportunity.
She had completely sold out of her first two books, and now her third was close to funding on Kickstarter.
As she watched her backer count and funding total rise, she carefully crunched the numbers and made a surprising discovery:
If Abrian did everything right, she might have a way to fund a reprint of her previous two books…
As stretch goals.
In this edition of the ComixLaunch Spotlight, you’ll learn:
- How thinking outside the box can help grow your audience
- What to consider when choosing the size of your print run
- Why stretch goals can help you reprint books... and pad the bottom line
How to Expand Your Fanbase Before and During a Kickstarter
Abrian’s first Kickstarter was a success, overfunding her modest goal by nearly 100%.
But for her second campaign, she knew she needed a bigger ask. That meant finding more backers--any way...