Those of you who know me from DC Comics titles like Jonah Hex, Freedom Fighters, Powergirl, or maybe my work at Marvel, Image, IDW, and Darkhorse Comics or the combined 43 successful Kickstarter campaigns (including indie comic campaigns with Jimmy Palmiotti) going back to May of 2012 with the release of Retrovirus - holy cow, it has been 12 years of crowdfunding. My goal is always to deliver the best comics and novels on time. When I was asked to be a part of Comictopia, I saw it as an opportunity to expand my readership and learn about a new platform. This comic is 100% completed and will only need to be printed and shipped to backers.  

 

When a reformed convict is blackmailed into a lethal choice by his parole officer, he must navigate the criminal underworld he despises to secure his family’s future, risking the fragile new life he’s built on the outside. Banked offers high-quality art and storytelling that help create an immersive read, taking you back to the neo-pulp movement of the 90s. I also spent a lot of time helping design the look and feel of the lettering, which includes my use of closed captions and subtitles in conjunction with traditional sound effects.

"Banked" was written by me, and the amazing artwork was created by my good friend and frequent collaborator, Branko Jovanovic. It is a gripping crime comic told in six parts that follows Nathan Parrish, a man haunted by his criminal past, as he navigates a life teetering on the edge of moral collapse. Caught in a deadly predicament, Nathan must choose between a violent quick fix and striving for the normalcy of the American dream—all under the looming threat of returning to prison. Join Nathan in a story of redemption, deep personal conflict, and the relentless pursuit of a second chance.

Revenge and redemption are on the menu for this tragic tale of a runaway teen, her untimely death, and the blood-soaked bread crumbs that lead her grandfather back into a world he thought he had left a long time ago.

STANDSTILL! 12 issues @ 324 pages TOTAL. In 2016, I envisioned a story about a global pandemic that paralyzed the majority of the human population, leaving them to die a slow and agonizing death trapped inside their bodies. It began with Mason and Luna, a couple in love and engaged the night before this tragedy struck. The survivors faced a world that undid centuries of human progress, civilization, and technology, leaving behind a new frontier ripe with unimaginable danger. Disastrous weather, rabid animals, disease, and our failing power system gave me a unique opportunity to tell compelling stories about people and the fate of humanity facing an uncertain future. Then things got worse. These are the 12 issues of that story told in stark and visually stunning black and white by artist Branko Jovanovic. This comic is full of heart, complex characters, intense situations, and stunning art. Available as a digital Addon or as Two Trade Paperbacks. MATURE READERS.

💥 Welcome to Comictopia — a celebration of creativity and collaboration from a diverse group of writers and artists collectively running comic book crowdfunding projects from July 18th - August 8th.

🔥 Limited Cross-Collaboration Freebies — All 30+ Comictopia creators have paired up with a fellow participant to create two unique and limited freebies together. If BOTH projects reach their initial funding goal, backers who support BOTH will get the TWO [2] cross-collab freebies listed on their campaign page, one will ship from each creator. The more pairs of Comictopia creators you support, the more limited freebies you will earn ✨

If you're familiar with BackerKit, then you know  "*Shipping will be calculated and collected after the campaign through the Pledge Manager."

All shipping fees will be charged separately AFTER the campaign, during pledge management. The prices below are estimates. Actual shipping prices will be determined after production is finished, and we're gearing up to send out the books. Also, if you add additional physical copies to your order, your shipping cost may increase. This is one reason I am not offering many printed add-on items at this time.

Shipping outside the U.S. 
I recently began using different shipping options for international postage to lower the costs for those valuable backers.

Estimated shipping costs (for a single book):

Our expected delivery date for all rewards is October 2024.

I've run 40+ successful crowdfunding campaigns and printed many comics in various physical formats over the past few years.

I am ready to take on any risks and challenges that might arise. If we've all learned anything in the past ten years, it is that things don’t always go as planned.

The good news for you, the backer, is that the first issue of BANKED is done and only needs to be printed, packaged, and shipped once the campaign ends.

Printing: I have a strong, established relationship with my printers, which are small to medium-sized businesses. I've got them on tap, so we can print the books in whatever quantity we end up needing. However, printers can run into problems all the same: supply shortages, unexpected delays due to company holidays or industry events, shipping problems, printing errors, and so on. I’ve got the experience to stay atop those potential problems and the flexibility to pivot and address them promptly. I print these books in the USA for several reasons, both personal and professional.

Shipping: Packages get lost and sometimes damaged. It is unfortunate, but in my experience, those instances are rare. We'll send replacements. Shipping can take longer than expected, especially overseas. I have seen a package destined for Tennessee (from New York) rerouted through California. Don't ask me why. Also, the USPS is apparently now raising their rates twice a year. We just had a second rate increase on July 14th. 

I often run three to six crowdfunding projects per year. Each one is a carefully planned process based on 40+ successful campaigns in the past, both by myself and with creative partners. I pride myself on quickly fulfilling rewards, but different crowdfunding efforts can sometimes overlap. Please note that these comics are printed on demand, and I keep a very limited inventory. Having been crowdfunding for twelve years, I have occasionally run into situations where backers do not fill out a survey for months or even as much as a year and a half later. The physical rewards will be available for several months after the campaign, but it is entirely possible that if a survey comes in four months after the campaign successfully concludes, copies might not be available.