Graphic novels by Josh Bayer, Brother Malcolm, Brett Hamil, & Aeon Hand. Mini-comics by Lance Ward and Yiqun Zhou.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
April's comics rolling in!
about 4 years ago
– Wed, Mar 16, 2022 at 03:36:33 PM
Good morning!
Well, things are getting REAL at BBB HQ. Our favorite local printer (who we've been working with since 2009), Minuteman Press Brooklyn, just dropped off all of our April mini-comic releases. SK8 DAD SUMMER should be arriving in a couple weeks ahead of its debut at MoCCA Fest here in NYC.
Fresh comics smells up in here
There's still 23 hours left with $1,320 to raise to reach the funding goal, but I'm blown away by my comix community's support. Can't thank you all enough!
It's the final countdown!
about 4 years ago
– Mon, Mar 14, 2022 at 06:46:15 PM
Big Brothers are watching you
That's right, we're down to the last 60 hours of this Kickstarter with $4,257 to go to reach the funding goal. Kickstarter is all-or-nothing, which means that if the funding goal is not reached, nobody's credit cards are charged and we have to figure out a Plan B.
Above all, I'm thankful for each and every one of you. We've surpassed what we raised last year (and all previous years), so even if we don't make it, I do feel a sense of accomplishment and community support. But, to be honest, I'd feel a hell of a lot better if we DO make it, ha ha.
I've been emailing every indie-friendly comic shop in my database and every skate shop in my new database of skate shops in the hopes of getting some more wholesale orders. It took countless hours of internet sleuthing to put these databases together, so hopefully it's not in vain! That is to say, I'm not resting on my laurels but pounding that virtual pavement!
While running a Kickstarter you get inundated with offers to help with promotion, mostly in the form of paid advertising. In my experience, these don't work because they're not targeting my core audience of people who love weirdo indie comics (or heartfelt indie comics). But, sometimes I get offers from other comics publishers who want to cross-promote, and this makes much more sense since we have a shared audience. So, I present to you, KLLATU!
It is a comic anthology with an impressive roster of talent including Eisner Award Winner Ramón K Pérez (Marvel's Wolverine and the X-Men), Ho Che Anderson (Fantagraphic's award winning biography of Martin Luthor King), Scott Hepburn (Marvel's Spider-Man and Deadpool), Marcus To (DC's Batman), Derek Laufman (Star Wars Adventures) and many more.
FREE stuff for all backers! 72% funded, 3 days left.
about 4 years ago
– Sun, Mar 13, 2022 at 06:14:05 PM
Hey all, we're at 72% funded with three days left. Still need to raise around $6K to reach the finish line, so any help you can provide in signal boosting is greatly appreciated!
Speaking of appreciation, here's a few freebies every backer will receive to show ours:
2-color 8.5" x 11" risograph print of a stunning Aeon Hand interpretation of the BBB mascot
digital PDF of Desmond Reed's 28 page comic, APPLES
2-color 5.5" x 4.25" 12-page risograph zine DOGS DOGS DOGS by BBB alumni Sara Lautman
FREEEEEEE!
(Almost) halfway there!
over 4 years ago
– Tue, Mar 08, 2022 at 12:02:33 PM
I want to thank each and every one of you who has backed or helped spread the word. We're at 49% funded with 10 days to go.
I'll be honest, I'm worried that we won't reach the funding goal. Because the last eight campaigns have been successful and I have built up an arsenal of promotional know-how over the 14 years Birdcage Bottom Books has been in business, I wasn't too concerned when launching the campaign. I know that there's always a rush of backers at the beginning and at the end, but usually we're 50% funded within the first week.
I'm sort of at a cross-roads with BBB. I recently hired Daniel Whitfield, a fellow cartoonist, to take over shipping (although I'll still do the fulfillment of Kickstarter rewards). We have also recently partnered with Microcosm Publishing, and they'll be representing us in the book trade (we previously focused exclusively on comic book shops and individuals). As such, we have to ramp up production quite a bit, printing twice what we usually print in order to make sure we have enough on hand. This means much higher upfront printing cost, which is why our funding goal on this Kickstarter campaign is over twice what it's been in any previous campaigns.
We've always been a fairly small operation, which is why I'm able to lavish attention on all our customers. I love printing up comics and risograph prints specifically to give away free with orders to show our appreciation. I intend to keep that mentality, while sticking to the M.O. of getting lesser-known (but hugely talented) artists' work in front of more eyeballs.
I'm extremely excited about each and every book and comic we're (hopefully) publishing this year, but I feel like I may have hit a wall with getting the word out. I've even received a few messages or comments on social media recently of supporters who were unaware of the current campaign. If you have any suggestions or means of amplifying the Kickstarter, please do let me know.
I hope this doesn't come across as begging. I appreciate the comics community so much, and y'all have always been so supportive. I just want to be honest about my concerns in the hopes that together we can get these comics out into the world where they belong!
Lastly, here's a wonderful interview with Brother Malcolm, one of the artists we're publishing this year, conducted by one of our all-time favorite cartoonists, Noah Van Sciver. I think this interview may have been how I originally found Malcolm's work!
Thanks to all of ya!
J.T.
Free for all backers!
over 4 years ago
– Mon, Feb 21, 2022 at 10:09:06 AM
Thank you so much for getting us 1/3 funded in under a week! Traditionally, this is when funding slows down after the initial excitement, so we're doing our best to keep the enthusiasm dialed all the way up.
Art by Aeon Hand
To show our appreciation for all of you who have backed and are helping with signal boosts, we've printed up this jaw-dropping interpretation of the previously non-existent BBB mascot by Aeon Hand as a two-color risograph print (trim off that BBB logo on the side, and it's suitable for framing!). All backers will receive a print with their rewards (if we reach the funding goal, that is). We have more freebies in the works, so stay tuned!
If you have any suggestions for how to spread the word further, please let us know. I'm currently putting together press releases for each book, but to be honest I only know of a handful of indie-friendly reviewers. Let us know if there's an outlet you think would be receptive.
This is prooooobably a crass money-making scheme, but our campaign is supposedly #8 in the running to be featured in their newsletter going out to 40,000 subscribers (if we reach #3 or higher). Maybe take a second to vote for us if you feel like it?
