My name is Shawn Hainsworth, and I am the proud owner of SHP Comics, an independent publisher.  I launched SHP Comics three years ago with the goal of delivering daring, intelligent and genre-bending comics for comic enthusiasts everywhere.  With our first two titles (The Killing Machine and Woodstake) hitting the shelves in August, we are thrilled to announce our first all-ages title, The Adventures of Baby Zicky.

Meet Zicky, a pint-sized dreamer with an imagination that packs a wallop! When night falls, he's not just tucked in bed—he's a stealthy ninja, clashing with hordes of rascally rat-men. His family dismisses his heroics as mere child's play. But little do they know, Zicky's dreamland duels are as real as it gets—a second life in a world brimming with danger. And now, with the Rat King's claws reaching for our reality, it's up to Zicky to leap into action, defend his family, and become the savior of not one, but TWO worlds! Just don't call him baby.

Zicky's fantasy world is drawn in a manga style by the extraordinary Zeno Decrux.  The real world is brought to life by the equally talented Jorge Gabotto.  The pages which are the most fun are where these two styles come together, as in this page of Zicky's return from his nightly adventures.

Zicky, the youngest of three, often finds himself being teased for believing his stories are real. But things are about to get too real when the Rat King's army invades our world.

Zicky is a practical joker with cheeky sense of humor. Whether he is commenting on the action or insulting his enemies, Zicky will delight readers of all ages.

While this is a story for all ages, The Adventures of Baby Zicky encompasses a rich narrative filled with vibrant characters, imagination and thematic depth. Good and evil are not presented as black and white, and Zicky will need all of his persistence, humor and ninja skills to reach the end of his journey.

Zicky, trapped in the land of fantasy, must traverse the in-between worlds to get home. Inspired by the art of the spirit worlds portrayed in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Zicky's adventure will take the reader on an incredible journey through the imagination.  

Zicky must find his way home before his world, our world, is overwhelmed by destructive forces.

Will Zicky be able to escape from the evil clutches of the Rat King? Will the Rat King succeed in invading our world? Find out next week.  Same Zicky time...  Same Zicky channel...

Don't miss your chance to get The Adventures of Baby Zicky!

Whether you want to get the omnibus edition, individual comics, PDFs, or a variant cover by the extraordinary Odunze WhytManga Oguguo, we've got you covered.

You can get the 148-page softcover edition or the 160-page hardcover edition which includes 12 extra pages of process and behind the scenes information. Every printed edition comes with the PDF version.

We have two limited edition enamel pins. The first "Zicky Ninja" pin is available to ALL EARLY BIRD BACKERS FREE.  Just get a shipped reward in the first 48 hours and we will send you this pin.  You can also get this pin in several reward tiers or as an add-on.

Limited Edition Rat King Pin
We also have a very special Rat King pin available only to backers of both Comictopia campaigns. Back BOTH The Adventures of Baby Zicky and the Unfamiliars to unlock special rewards.

SHP Comics Bundles
The Killing Machine and Woodstake Omnibus Editions
Exclusively during this campaign, you can get the omnibus editions of SHP Comics other smash series: The Killing Machine and Woodstake.

Embark on a cosmic odyssey with The Killing Machine, which poses a provocative question: what if the origin of life on Earth ignited an interstellar conflict with an alien race? More than just another science fiction comic, The Killing Machine is an exploration of the nature of life, the moral consequences of war, and the dark side of human nature. The fate of worlds hangs in the balance.

Get the softcover or PDF edition (156 pages) of The Killing Machine in a special omnibus edition with a variant cover by Tokio Aoyama.

Timed to release on the 55th anniversary of the Woodstock music festival, Woodstake is a brilliant horror/comedy about three days of peace, music, and blood! In the summer of 1969, an old and deadly vampire awakens as the flower children unknowingly gather for the historic Woodstock Festival. Amidst the backdrop of peace signs and protest anthems, festival-goers are hunted in a chilling but hilarious adventure filled with music, mayhem, and vampires tripping hard on bohemian blood. Woodstake masterfully blends the iconic psychedelic imagery of the 60s with vampire mythology and biting humor into something truly special. 

Get the softcover or PDF edition (156 pages) of Woodstake with an original cover by Felipe Kroll.

During this campaign only, the two artists are offering commissions of custom artwork for you and your family.

A manga-style digital avatar for use on social media, drawn especially for you by artist Zeno Decrux.

The Adventures of Baby Zicky is based on my family, and I was thrilled to see how Jorge drew each of my family members. For this commission, Jorge will draw your family especially for you. Includes up to 6 people / family pets.

A comic book size print of the special Comictopia page. This print will only be available during this campaign.

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-on additional physical copies of the game to your order, your shipping cost may increase.

Estimated shipping costs, subject to weight.

$10 USA
$30-40 Everywhere Else

The first issue is complete.  The omnibus (all five issues) should be read to go to the printer by the end of January 2025.

Shipments of all rewards, except individual issues will take place in April / May of 2025.

Individual issues will ship in Fall, 2025.

Shawn Hainsworth AKA Darin S. Cape
Publisher of SHP Comics and Writer / Series Editor of The Adventures of Baby Zicky. This is a personal story for me.  When my kids were little, I would pretend to be Baby Zicky and tell them a story about the adventures I went on while they were asleep.  As my kids grew older, they had a lot of fun making fun of "Baby Zicky" and his stories.  It has been such a pleasure to see this story come to life.  I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Zeno Decrux
Zeno Decrux is an experienced illustrator and comic artist with over nine years of active participation in the international independent market. He has contributed to numerous comics and manga titles, consistently striving to deliver his best work.

Hiorsh Gabotto
My name is Jorge Luis Gabotto, or Hiorsh, I am an Argentine cartoonist and writer. I was born in Mar del Plata, a tourist city on the Atlantic coast. I am a Visual arts teacher, puppeteer and musician, I have always liked to narrate, and I did it whenever I had the opportunity, from telling a movie, singing a song or just telling a joke. The comic, for me, is the concretion of many arts together, a stylistic summit that combines several languages for narration. The comic and the illustration are: drawing, plastic expression evocative of techniques such as perspective, color management, the human figure, etc. And the comic is literature, narrative, climates, tensions and beauty in words. I look for each image to trigger situations in the mind of the viewer. Comic is cinema, it is movement, they are lights and cameras that play roles from the reader-spectator complicity. It is many things I approach you with the intention of presenting something of my world, because when making stories it is impossible to get rid of ourselves. Just what I want to show you refers to the world, love and time, the perceptions and illusions that build us.

SHP Comics
SHP Comics was launched in 2021 as an independent publisher focused on delivering genre-bending storytelling combining horror, sci-fi, and adventure into daring and intelligent stories. SHP stories ditch the capes and tights in favor of dark, gritty, and fun storytelling, going where other publishers won’t. Explore our edgy, imaginative worlds that will thrill and scare you, and might just blow your mind! We’re comics on the edge.

💥 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 ✨