Really cool post. I myself Kick-started two comics several years ago, each time barely making the goal and spending a lot of time shopping out the rewards. Now, I see these porn books and established creators making thousands and thousands of dollars on there and it definitely annoys me. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but the system needs to change. The whole concept of Kickstarter has gone out the window.
It's absolutely a frustrating environment right now, where actual self-publishers with actual chops are struggling to get campaigns back to pre-pandemic levels of success due to the shrinkage from the corporate descent onto KIckstarter and the transformation of the Comics category into a glorified version of the dirty magazine rack that used to live behind the register at convenience stores. There's room for it all, but, in the current configuration, it's working against creators who need funding to make legit comics. Thanks for the read and the comment!
Yeah, it really sucks. I actually pretty much gave up altogether. I have contemplated trying again but I feel like my book would get lost amid the porn and non-comics. Or I coould maybe just add some nudity to it and see if that helps.
I think we've all had that thought of going a little NSFW with our stuff to see how it draws. I actually did with a few parody nude covers on a project a few years back, and I don't think it helped substantially, simply because it's not been my "brand" on Kickstarter. My experience in the current market is that a core group of backers/fans/readers maintained by the creator through direct engagement is necessary for survival mode, since Kickstarter has allowed/enabled the platform to make us so much harder to find on the site through organic means. Easier said, than done, I know. We're seeing the attrition on our own projects, and it's been a mutha to reverse.
It would seem, that just like comic conventions - non-true comic book folks have come and mucked up the system. The key is finding new ways to re-game the system to work in your favor. I can see a few paths to victory ... but as you said these bogus campaigns are sucking too much money out of the room.
Of course there is the possibility that these bogus projects are actually appealing to the average buyer in that they just want NSFW pictures and don't want to be challenged by a real story.
Really cool post. I myself Kick-started two comics several years ago, each time barely making the goal and spending a lot of time shopping out the rewards. Now, I see these porn books and established creators making thousands and thousands of dollars on there and it definitely annoys me. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but the system needs to change. The whole concept of Kickstarter has gone out the window.
It's absolutely a frustrating environment right now, where actual self-publishers with actual chops are struggling to get campaigns back to pre-pandemic levels of success due to the shrinkage from the corporate descent onto KIckstarter and the transformation of the Comics category into a glorified version of the dirty magazine rack that used to live behind the register at convenience stores. There's room for it all, but, in the current configuration, it's working against creators who need funding to make legit comics. Thanks for the read and the comment!
Yeah, it really sucks. I actually pretty much gave up altogether. I have contemplated trying again but I feel like my book would get lost amid the porn and non-comics. Or I coould maybe just add some nudity to it and see if that helps.
I think we've all had that thought of going a little NSFW with our stuff to see how it draws. I actually did with a few parody nude covers on a project a few years back, and I don't think it helped substantially, simply because it's not been my "brand" on Kickstarter. My experience in the current market is that a core group of backers/fans/readers maintained by the creator through direct engagement is necessary for survival mode, since Kickstarter has allowed/enabled the platform to make us so much harder to find on the site through organic means. Easier said, than done, I know. We're seeing the attrition on our own projects, and it's been a mutha to reverse.
It would seem, that just like comic conventions - non-true comic book folks have come and mucked up the system. The key is finding new ways to re-game the system to work in your favor. I can see a few paths to victory ... but as you said these bogus campaigns are sucking too much money out of the room.
Of course there is the possibility that these bogus projects are actually appealing to the average buyer in that they just want NSFW pictures and don't want to be challenged by a real story.
#Thoughts