
The fact that a well-known comic creator is using Kickstarter to fund a labor of love project is not a new concept. Kickstarter is the method of choice for independent creators of all kinds of media types right now, and for good reason--it allows creators to fund development costs by having interested fans preorder a product. There have already been some great success stories out there in terms of comics, like Jimmy Palmiotti’s Queen Crab, to name just one.
There are so many projects out there though, that it’s easy for them to get lost in the shuffle. One in particular that I don’t want to see get lost is Jamal Igle’s Molly Danger project, which is why I’m posting about it.
The concept of Molly Danger, a ten-year old superhero with a mysterious past who battles the forces of evil is cool enough in itself. And Jamal is one of the nicest guys in comics, so that’s another reason to want to see him succeed. But it’s his reason for doing Molly Danger that more than anything else makes me want to see this project come to fruition. Here’s what he said on his Kickstarter page:
"I find myself disturbed by the tone some things are taking place in the industry. Darkness where darkness didn't dwell, bitterness for the sake of "relevance". It seems that in certain corners, there's no room for magic, and light. It bothers me more than I can say. This not to say that superhero stories can't be serious, or adult. However you can achieve those things without making them dire, and unlikeable.
I need to be the one to make the changes I want to see. I can only say "I" because my tastes only end at the tip of my nose. There is room for fun, there is room for magic, there is room for genuine good in comics. I need to be the agent of change now. I've been moving towards it, now I need to step up that effort."
I want to see Molly Danger succeed because I agree with Jamal about the trends he sees in the industry. We need more magic in comics--we need more light. And we need more comics that parents can enjoy with their kids.
The Molly Danger Kickstarter just went over $11,000 pledged toward its $45,000 goal. There’s still a long way to go, and less than a month left to get there (24 days, in fact).
So, if you are so inclined, head over to the Molly Danger Kickstarter and see what Jamal’s trying to do. If it doesn’t click with you and you don’t want to donate, that’s cool. But maybe you can spread the word to someone who you think would really be into it, and bring some attention to the project.
You can watch the pitch in the player below.