Spooky Season is the Time for Halloween Horror Comics Drops!
Spooky Season is the Time for Halloween Horror Comics Drops!
October is the season of the Vicious Circus here at Flatline Comics
Even the best-laid plans of self-publishing mice and men go astray…or something like that. At the outset of 2024, my partner and artist extraordinaire Amanda Rachels, and I planned to publish multiple volumes of our flagship title, Vicious Circus, dispersed throughout the year. Life and obligation imposed other ideas, but our delays are your gains. All of the killer clown comics we envisioned are happening in 2024, but they’re all happening in the last 3 months of the year, and 3 of them can be had either now or within the next 3-4 weeks.
First, a little background on Vicious Circus, a property we began work on in 2010. Vicious Circus is a revenge fantasy horror in which killer clowns run amok, hunting - not children - but evil adults who victimize the innocent and the helpless. In this world, the little ones saved from those predators are sheltered in the circus and transformed to be its denizens, their damage and strengths turned to fit the needs of the show. In the Vicious Circus, every carnie - every performer - is a survivor and a piece in the spectacle that roams the land and frees kids from those who would harm them.
Vicious Circus: Big House Big Top 1
As of today, we have completely fulfilled the Kickstarter for Vicious Circus: Big House Big Top 1, the first episode of a massive new arc written by me and illustrated by co-creator Amanda, with colors by Alivón Ortiz. Now, both cover variants and the metal cover version (only 4 copies available) are available for direct order in our web store! These ship next week for any purchases today or this weekend.
The Story: In our very first Vicious Circus story, an otherwise docile birthday clown found herself in the position of protecting a child from an abuser, and she did so with ultimate vigor, killing the man and saving a little girl. Now, that birthday clown - Berniece to her friends - finds herself serving a long sentence in prison on a conviction of manslaughter, but the magical vigilante clowns of the Vicious Circus have plans for her, nonetheless.
Vicious Circus: Dot
We’re also finishing up another Vicious Circus project with art by Amanda and Alivón, this one co-written by me and our 10-year-old daughter, Graceland. Subtitled simply Dot, this 12-page short story is exclusive to our Patreon supporters, who will receive a gorgeous holofoil version of the comic, autographed by me, Amanda & Graceland and custom-sketched inside by Amanda. This one arrives in our 2024 Patreon YearBox, also exclusive to our Patrons.
The Story: Featuring a brand new clown from the very moment of his inception as a part of the circus, Dot follows this tragic little one from bizarre transformation to ultimate realization of his mystical abilities as a member of the Vicious Circus troupe.
The YearBoxes arrive to us from the printer today and automatically ship to our Freakshow-level Patrons as soon as the Dot comics are received (in 2-3 weeks). All you have to do is join, and we’ll take care of the rest. In addition, you’ll receive seasonal Vicious Circus postcards from us and frequent behind-the-scenes art and story updates. Plus, digital (PDF) editions of all new Vicious Circus comics are included with your Patreon subscription.
Vicious Circus: The 2024 Halloween Special & Halloween Horror Box
And, in just 9 short days, we launch the next of our annual Vicious Circus Halloween Specials on Kickstarter! Each of these comics is written by me and illustrated by Oscar Pinto (Heavy Metal, Joker: The World), with colors by Vito Potenza, and each features a different flavor of killer clown Halloween horror. Collect ALL FOUR full-length (24 pages each), stand-alone killer clown comics featuring our supernatural, vigilante anti-heroes on the prowl for those who would harm the vulnerable and the innocent on All Hallow's Eve. And it all comes inside a custom 10.75" x 8" x 1.625" Halloween-themed collector box!
The Story: Each of the four Vicious Circus Halloween comics manifests its own particular flavor of killer clown horror, from trick-or-treat mayhem to a defunct but definitely haunted thrill ride to a teenage seance gone awry to a decadent high-society masquerade ball with a most disturbing entry fee.
These Halloween must-haves are available in PDF format, as well as physical editions and upgraded deluxe variants that include creator autographs and an internal sketch by Amanda. At this point, my plan is for the Kickstarter campaign to run from Sunday, October 20, through Wednesday, October 30, so that I can deliver the PDF editions of the comics to all backers on Halloween proper!
As you can imagine, we’re extremely proud of our work on Vicious Circus, a real passion project that has iterated across its lifespan and comes in a variety of killer clown flavors and styles. We appreciate any and all support. We couldn’t make these or any other comics without you at our side.
Have an amazing weekend!
Kevin