BackerKit Surveys have been sent. Starting with a Smoke Test.
almost 3 years ago
– Sat, Jul 17, 2021 at 10:43:17 AM
Awesome news!
BackerKit has approved our project and the surveys are heading out this week.
This is my first time using BackerKit, so there was a slight learning curve setting everything up. But the surveys are out, starting with their Smoke Test.
A Smoke Test has been sent to a random 5% of backers across all pledge levels. Some of you will receive the email with a special link to your BackerKit survey, and the rest of you will get yours soon after. Remember to check your spam/junk folders if you don't see the email in your Inbox.
One quick note: You don’t need to create a BackerKit account to fill out your survey. When you receive the email with the survey, click the survey link to respond. Answer the questions about your reward preferences, provide shipping information, and purchase add-on items if you'd like. We just created some new BackerKit exclusive 5x7 signed Mini Prints. If you see a Pin up Illustration you like you can add it to your order.
Make sure to respond to the surveys as soon as possible so I can tackle this fulfillment process and get the books in your hands ASAP.
Progress on Issue #2
I just received the final 2 Cameo illustrations and they look amazing. I now have all the interior artwork I need from illustrator Ske Bozic. Once I format the book, sit down with my editor one last time to tweak, I can then lock this baby and send it to the printers - Woo Hoo.
Take care and keep an eye out for those surveys.
rob
BackerKit. Some rewards going out next month. Summer is here.
almost 3 years ago
– Fri, Jun 11, 2021 at 10:39:10 PM
Hey There.
It's a week later, and the dust has settled for our Turner Family Terrors 1-2 Kickstarter campaign. Just a fantastic month. We ended up with 6.7K in funding, 220% of our initial funding goal, with 149 amazing backers! - doubling our audience from issue #1. Just so you know, every dollar we raise goes right back into the comic, getting us closer to the dream of a 4 issue Volume One. And after this Kickstarter we can officially say 'we're over halfway there.' We also surpassed 7 stretch goals last month, unlocking a bunch of bonus goodies for everyone. Thanks again. Your support and enthusiasm made it all happen.
I've got a quick update before we all start our much needed summer break.
BackerKit
I have decided to sign up for BackerKit. It is a Third-party service that will help streamline the fulfillment process. I was a little unsure I wanted to go this route, but so many of my fellow creators swear by them, so I'm diving in. There is a little bit of a learning curve, but once it is set up, hopefully shipping the rewards will be easier. Plus BackerKit will setup an online shop, so anyone can grab an extra copy of the book, or if someone missed the Kickstarter altogether, they'll be able to get in on the fun. I'll keep you posted on how all this plays out, but you should be seeing BackerKit surveys later this month.
Some rewards are going out next month.
Once the surveys are complete we'll have a bunch of digital rewards that will be ready to go. Plus if you ordered just the physical copy of issue #1, those will be shipped out as well. So it looks like July will be a busy month around here, followed later by an even busier month of September when the mother load of Issue #2 will be printed and shipped.
Finally. Have a kick-ass summer. We all deserve one.
Rob and the TFT Team
Thank you for making the Turner Family Terrors 1-2 Kickstarter such a success.
almost 3 years ago
– Thu, Jun 03, 2021 at 03:58:54 PM
We did it. 221% funded. 149 backers - more than doubling our audience from Issue #1. Wow.
We couldn't have done any of this without your support, enthusiasm and love. The entire TFT Team (Rob, Ske, Chris, Nicole, Easton, Joel, JP, Dylan & Jason) wanna give you a big 'Thanks!' (and a big hug). This month has been incredible and it's all because of you guys.
So what's next? The first thing is to fix 'errored' pledges.
Over the next week Kickstarter will process the funds. They will try and correct what they term 'Errored' pledges. It's basically where a backer's credit card has expired and we need to get those updated. This morning we had 2 backers fix their pledge (thanks for that) and we have 6 more to go. Kickstarter gives us just a few days to correct these pledges, so make sure to update those or you will not be able to receive your rewards. And where's the fun in that?
(Please message me if you have any issues correcting your pledge. I wanna make sure you get all your rewards.)
Our Fantastical Timeline.
At the end of this month the funds will have been processed. At the beginning of July we will finalize the guest Cameo Illustrations and our Special Thanks page. In July/Aug the pages will hit the printer. We hope to have the book in your hands by September (earlier than our original October date). We will keep you all posted.
One last thing...
THANKS AGAIN!
Honestly, whenever you launch a Kickstarter you never quite know what to expect. This campaign exceeded my wildest expectations. I can't wait to share TFT with you. It's a beautifully twisted book. You're gonna love it.
Much love,
rob
48 hours left. Happy Memorial Day. My Interview with Chris Brimmage. And more...
almost 3 years ago
– Mon, May 31, 2021 at 08:13:27 PM
Hey there-
48 hours to go.
This whirlwind of a Kickstarter campaign has two days remaining. Thanks to you we've supersized our comic, unlocked free swag, a coloring book, an indie bonus bundle of comics, and a free movie - bonuses that are all headed your way! And if we hit $6K ($80 away) we'll be offering up a 4 page preview of issue #3. Yes, Issue #3 is happening thanks to you! You are amazing!
Keep spreading the word on Social Media. It's working! Here's our link: https://bit.ly/TurnerFamilyTerrors
Happy Memorial Day.
I want to take some time and give thanks to all those who have served their country and especially those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. I for one am thinking of my Dad and his tour of duty as a 22 year old kid sent to Vietnam. He never talked about it much. He was too busy raising a family and taking us to baseball games.
16 years ago we hit a Cardinals game and saw Albert Pujols jack a towing home run. It was the last baseball game I went to with my Dad before he passed. Yesterday I took my family to our first Dodgers game in 2 years. Once again I saw Albert Pujols hit another towering shot. Just a wonderful moment to share with my kids, and I know my Dad was looking down with a big smile on his face.
My Chat with Chris Brimmage
I recently interviewed my buddy Cris Brimmage who is also live right now on Kickstarter with his love letter to hardboiled detective stories and 80s/90s cartoons - MANDRILL, P.I. #1 – A noir detective tale for cartoon lovers.
What inspires you to create?
I guess if I had any sort of overarching philosophy in life, it’s that there’s always something to laugh about when you look hard enough. Even in the most terrible situations, after the tears, the next emotion that helps us adjust to moving on is humor.
A lot of my inspiration comes from poking until I find the underlying humor in things. For example, nearly half of my second novel, The Endless War That Never Ends, takes place in Dante’s version of hell and finds something to laugh about in the over-the-top punishments occurring there.
How did you come up with MANDRILL, P.I.
The initial idea for MANDRILL, P.I. came to me as a love letter to some of my childhood passions: Looney Tunes and detective stories. But over the course of developing the character, I realized he was a perfect character with which to explore my grief over the deaths of my mom and dad.
He lives in a cartoon world and investigates crimes, both normal and paranormal. His world is filled with chaos (and in a real way is the perfect analog for our world, where so much is chaotic and crazy when you really think about it). But his wife dies of something mundane (for his world): lung cancer. This causes his downward spiral, and he becomes our “outsider” lens into his cartoon society. Him coming to terms with life after loss drives much of his storyline over the course of the upcoming comics and novels.
But his emotional arc is built on a solid foundation of humor that keeps it all relatable.
What’s your process like for creating each volume?
I begin with the spark of a mystery, and a beginning and endpoint in mind for Manny Mandrill’s emotional arc.
And then I begin with a broad outline of the story. The overall beats I want to hit and the parts of the story that seem like they will make the most sense for carrying emotional heft for character development.
And then I create a detailed outline, and for comics (rather than novels), break out what I want to happen on each page.
Then I script out the pages, including panel descriptions and dialogue.
Then I take a break, stepping away from the project for a few days or weeks until I forget the details of what I wrote. And I return to the piece, brutally cutting pieces that don’t work until I feel like I have something ready to go to art.
And I revise the dialogue again after receiving the final art before sending it off for lettering.
What's some advice for when a project gets hard.
Take a break. Exercise.
I’ve actually had most of my best ideas or solutions hit in the shower. So I’ll do that after taking a break.
Besides MANDRILL, P.I., what’s another book (comics or otherwise) that people should definitely check out?
So many. This answer changes depending on the time of day or what mood I’m in. Right now, I love Saga and Paper Girls. BPRD/Hellboy, Black Science, Hawaiian Dick, and Action Philosophers are great. Gorilla My Dreams by Tim Stiles is awesome. I’m a huge Big Trouble in Little China fan, so the first few volumes of the comic from Boom!
The MANDRILL, P.I. #1 campaign runs until June 2 at 11:59PM PT. You can check it out here: http://mandrillpi.cbrimmage.com/
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A few other Fantastic projects on Kickstarter:
Don't forget to back "Buddy #1". Backers of both Turner Family Terrors and Buddy campaigns will receive this limited edition original print!
BUDDY #1 - "Milo & Otis meets The Exorcist"
Buddy must summon the courage to protect his clueless humans from a sudden onslaught of devilish beasts Hellbent on World domination!
Make sure to check out:
The second trade paperback collection of Crucifix Executioner - It's Dexter meets Sons of Anarchy in a bloody story of vengeance...
Also there's:
Sexy cheerleaders infected by parasitic space worms, turning them into evil flesh-eating monsters. An adult horror comic.
And finally:
ZOMBIES, GHOSTS, and POWERS! Superheroes meet the Supernatural in this 44-page epic CROSSOVER!
I've backed all these creators. Definitely give these insanely creative projects a look.
Thats it. Enjoy the rest of your Memorial Day. 48 hours to go. Woo Hoo!
Rob and the TFT Team
