Cthulhu vs. Uncle Sam: The Battle for America begins!
Created by Scott Harris-King
When cultists attempt to summon Cthulhu at the height of World War II to sway the balance of power, it's up to Uncle Sam and his friends to save America!
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Welcome to the MAIN EVENT! Plus: Pioneers: Blood & Stars, and more!
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Nov 24, 2022 at 06:16:58 PM
Hello, fellow cultists!
With 10 days left, we're now at 91% funded, just $253 away from hitting the funding goal! Thank you all for the support, I really appreciate it, and I'm optimistic that we can hit that goal and make this comic a reality!
I wanted today to just briefly shine a light on the origin of Cthulhu vs. Uncle Sam. Oddly enough, it started as a print. I had the basic idea pop into my head, but I wasn't in a place yet where I felt able to really do it justice as a comic. So instead, I drew up the idea as a vintage wrestling poster and had a handful of prints made.
The original poster!
To my surprise, everyone seemed to really love the print! The reaction convinced me that I needed to find a way to get this made into a comic! Luckily, I was able to hire Jay Piscopo to bring the vision to life, and the rest is (ongoing) history.
It seemed fitting to use this poster as a variant cover for issue #1, so we did, but I decided to limit it to just 50 copies printed. There are still a few copies available as add-ons for $25, or if you want it as a print, you can get it in 7x10 as part of a set of 5 min-prints for $5, or a full-size 11x17 print for $10 plus shipping.
It also inspired me to do more poster covers, and there's no doubt the "Cthulhu Wants You!" cover/print from issue #1 is the most popular of them!
This one was limited to 100 copies printed, and can be added on for $20, or you can get it as part of a set with the "Keep Calm and Cthulhu Fhtagn" poster variant cover from issue #2.
If we fund at a high enough level to make issue #3 viable, I have some more fun vintage propaganda poster variant covers in mind as well! 😁 I do love doing these -- especially since the comic never would have been made without the success of that initial print.
Thanks again everyone!
Kickstarter Spotlight
The hits just keep on coming! The worst thing about this campaign ending is that I won't have as much opportunity to tell you about all the cool new comics on Kickstarter. So let's make use of the time we have by checking out three more swell projects: Pioneers: Blood & Stars, Home Free, and Killtopia!
Usually, I try to spend some time explaining exactly what the concept is of the comics I'm sharing with you. But with Pioneers: Blood & Stars, the pitch is really simple: vampires in space.
Oh, there's more details, of course. Creator Peter Taylor says this, for instance: "Pioneers: Blood & Stars #1—the first of a five-part series—is a beautiful, high-quality, full-color 28-page story full of Sci-Fi action, Unlikely Friendships and BIG TEETH as we set a hungry vampire loose on the claustrophobic subterranean streets of a tough mining colony on Saturn's ice-moon Enceladus!"
I love being able to give a signal boost, however small, to creators with a real vision, so I'm excited to tell you about the suspense grindhouse comic Home Free by John Kratky and Michelle Lodge.
This is a standalone series that is also a spinoff sequel to a 300 page graphic novel that the two previously published online over a five year period. And now they are expanding their universe to new venues to let new readers like us discover their worlds.
Lodge says, "“What I love about the genre of dramatic crime fiction is that it’s believable. The dark world of the stories pull you in with realistic characters and situations that I can imagine happening in real life. The people are complex and flawed, and the world is gritty and unpredictable.”
Speaking of high concepts, check out this description of Killtopia: "Cyberpunk Tokyo becomes a high tech battleground as Japan's deadliest bounty hunters fight to claim the world's first sentient Mecha."
I don't know about you, but that ticks off a lot of my boxes! And since this is the last issue of a five issue storyline, you can get the complete saga in its entirety now, so no waiting to find out what happens!
Interview with Mike Shea! Plus: The Sensational 7 and more!
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Nov 24, 2022 at 06:16:40 PM
Hello, fellow cultists!
Today I'm excited to bring to you a brand new sit-down one-on-one interview with Miskatonic High writer and co-creator Mike Shea!
I really had a fun time talking to Mike and digging into the process of making Miskatonic High. In this hour+ discussion, we also talk about the origin of Cthulhu vs. Uncle Sam, our cross-promotion print by Miskatonic High artist Ryan Shea, and our creative journeys, as well as my series The Crimebusters and much more.
I hope you enjoy!!
A quick reminder
Today's update is all about making comics, so it seemed like a good time to remind you that the Kickstarter for We Suck at Comics ends tomorrow! I've talked about this project before, but in case you missed it, We Suck at Comics is an anthology that's all about rejection -- how people deal with it, and how it can make you stronger. It's also by a slew of up and coming comics talent, so check it out before it's too late!
Kickstarter Spotlight
I also have three new projects to tell you about, and I just know you're going to be all over these like glaze on ham, because they are super rad: The Sensational 7,Holiday Spirits, and Gilgamesh!
Roy is building a whole alternate publishing reality that imagines what the comics industry might have been like if the Golden Age publishing company Standard Comics had continued making comics right alongside Marvel and DC through the Silver Age and beyond. I love it! And I know that a lot of you who are also fans of Public Domain Superheroes like I am will also be into his latest comic, The Sensational 7, which brings us back to the start of the Silver Age for a team that should have existed on the stands alongside The Justice League and The Avengers.
Roy isn't my only long-time comic pal with a new project! Another friend who has supported me along the way is Travis Gibb, who has another great new project out now: Holiday Spirits!
Now, even though I'm into the Cthulhu Mythos, I've mentioned before that horror is actually usually too scary for me! What can I saw, I'm a lightweight when it comes to scary things. So This one has me quaking in my boots, as it's a dark holiday-themed horror anthology.
Travis really knows how to get the spookiness going! So while this might be too scary for a scaredy-cat like me, I thought you might dig it. Check it out here!
Speaking of public domain characters, The Sensational 7 and Santa Claus are both following in the footsteps of the world's oldest fictional character: Gilgamesh!
Creator Cam Kerkau is bringing us a new comic book adaptation of the Epic of Gilgamesh. As Kerkau says, "The Epic of Gilgamesh is the world’s oldest story, dating back almost five millennia. But Gilgamesh’s dilemma is something that remains relevant to us all today, and always will. How can you live peacefully after you've been truly confronted by your own mortality?"
Two weeks to go! Plus: Winnie the Pooh: Demon Slayer, and more!
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Nov 24, 2022 at 06:16:31 PM
Hello, fellow cultists!
There are just two weeks left to go in the campaign, as we're going strong! As I write this we're currently at 85% funded, just $409 away from the goal!
Thank you all for the support! I'm very optimistic that together we can pull this off, and I appreciate everyone who has been sharing the projects with their friends and fellow fans. The support really means a lot to me. 🙂
To celebrate that support, I will be throwing a special livestream bash when the campaign ends! The campaign ends on the evening of Cyber Monday, November 28, and at 8 pm that evening, I will be hosting a livestream where I count down the last hour of the campaign and answer any questions you might have! So get your party hats ready and put it in the calendar!
Here's the video for it:
Thanks again for helping get this across the finish line!
Kickstarter Spotlight
I don't know about you, but I really enjoy variety in my stories. So here's a really varied batch of projects for you to sink your fangs into: Winnie the Pooh: Demon Hunter, H.P. Lovecraft's Dagon, and Mister Howl!
Considering I created Cthulhu vs. Uncle Sam, I think it's obvious that I enjoy genre mashups using public domain characters 😁
So I figured some of you might also be interested in Winnie the Pooh: Demon Hunter. Ever since Winnie the Pooh became public domain at the start of the year, creators have been letting those juices flow as they come up with cool new iterations of everyone's favorite bear.
Another thing I'm pretty sure many of you enjoy is the mythos of H. P. Lovecraft. Just a wild guess! 😄
In fact, the short story Dagon, which Lovecraft published in 1923, is the start of the Cthulhu mythos. So it's super cool that creator Chris Askham has adapted it into comic book form!
If you want your cultists to come straight from the tap, check out H.P. Lovecraft's Dagon now!
Finally, I wanted to spotlight something a little bit different: Mister Howl by T.W. Burgess.
Mister Howl isn't a comic book, strictly speaking. Instead, it's what Burgess describes as "A 100 (+) page, collectable, found footage ghost story in book form. Compiled from analogue recordings and photographs."
I love mixed media works, and the intersection of writing and art is the whole deal with comics. So people pushing the boundaries of the medium while telling a groovy, interactive story are always going to catch my eye.
Quick update! Plus: Neon: Cyber Uprising and more!
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Nov 24, 2022 at 06:16:09 PM
Hello, fellow cultists!
Just a quick update today. I had planned to dig into a couple of add-ons, but I want to do a video for that and I'm just waiting on something to arrive in the mail to show you.
But in the meantime! Things are cracking on, as they say. As I write this, we're just $516 away from hitting the goal, with 16 days left to go! I want to thank you all again for your support, it really means a lot to me. And if you happen to know someone who you think might enjoy this comic, please consider sharing it. 🙂
I also wanted to mention that I have been thinking about potential stretch goals, but I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, so I won't be announcing anything until and unless we hit the goal of $2900. But hopefully I'll be able to shower you all with fun bonus material! 😁
Hope you have a nice weekend, and I'll be back soon with another update!
And in the meantime...
Kickstarter Spotlight
There are so many cool comics on Kickstarter right now that I wish I could spotlight all of them. That's impossible, but I did want to give a shout out to three more interesting projects today: Lost Boy, Sex, Spies, & Rock 'n Roll, and Neon: Cyber Uprising!
This is one I've had my eye on for a while: Lost Boy by writer Bunnie A.D.
This has a great high concept: the origin of Peter Pan. It's set in the early 1700s and tells the story of how a common thief ended up becoming the legendary Peter Pan after he unwittingly steals a bag containing a live fairy.
It's also a collaboration between father and daughter - "Bunnie A.D." stands for Bunnie and Dad. So if that isn't enough to warm your cold heart, what is?!
I've been watching anime since the 1970s (yes, I am that old) so I always enjoy a good exo-suit. There's just nothing like it. Enter: Neon: Cyber Uprising! Here's a blurb from creator Steven Coburn:
"NEON CYBER UPRISING is a FOUR ISSUE mini-series that combines all the love of tokusatsu programs like Super Sentai, Kamen Rider, and Power Rangers along with superhero comic books and blends it together with the look and style of anime and cyberpunk for an exciting action-packed story about revenge and responsibility!"
Well, safe to say that this one has a little bit of everything: Sex, Spies, & Rock and Roll. So if you're a fan of, say, at least two out of those three, you may want to take a look at this one!
This is an ADULTS ONLY espionage romp filled with all the stuff you love in a James Bond movie, only more of that, plus rock & roll and in comic book form.
Milestones reached! More Ryan Mendoza! Plus: Journey to 'Ikuā!
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Nov 10, 2022 at 11:17:40 PM
Hello, fellow cultists!
I just wanted to give a big thank you! Everyone seems to really be digging the crossover print with Miskatonic High! Yesterday was one of the best days of the campaign, as we reached several milestones at the same time: we've passed 75% funded, crossed the $2000 mark, and hit 100 backers!
THANK YOU!
As I write this we now have less than $700 to go to hit our funding goal! And we still have 18 days left, so I'm very optimistic that we're going to pull this off. Thank you all!
I did also want to share a little bit more about the special bonus print, and artist Ryan Mendoza. For those of you who may have missed the announcement, I've teamed up with Ryan and Mike Shea at Miskatonic High for a special promotion where you will receive a unique bonus print by Ryan if you back both campaigns. Here's another look at the print, which features the characters from both comics:
And here's a fun bonus bit i wanted to share with you: Ryan recorded the who journey of making this print so you can follow along the creative journey and watch him draw it!
Here's the video:
It's super cool to see comic art being made!
And if you want to learn more about Ryan and Miskatonic High, I wanted ot also share with you this interview I did with Ryan last year when we were working on Cthulhu vs. Uncle Sam #1! In this we talk about the variant cover Ryan drew for me, but we also talk about his journey as a comic creator and how he and Mike created Miskatonic High. Check it out!
I hope you enjoy our discussion. And next week, I'm hoping to bring you an all-new interview with Miskatonic High writer and co-creator Mike Shea as well! Stay tuned!
Plus, I'll be back in a couple of days with a closer look at a couple of the (numerous) add-ons, so hopefully that will be fun too.
Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn! 👾
Kickstarter Spotlight
I've got three more really interesting and unique Kickstarter projects to tell you about, one of which ends tomorrow! Let's jump right in with a look at Journey to 'Ikuā, Sacrimony, and Monkeys Fighting Robots!
Since I've been on Kickstarter, I've seen creator Moana McAdams consistently put out some of the most interesting projects around. Drawing on her Hawiian heritage, she's created another winner here with stunning artwork: Journey to 'Ikuā is what she describes as a 32-page bi-lingual magical picture book about the myths and legends of the Pacific Rim.
This is the kind of project Kickstarter was made for, but right now, it needs some help to get funded before the deadline. So if it seems interesting to you, consider checking it out before it's too late!
One of the fun things about being on Kickstarter for a while now is that I've had the chance to watch other titles grow and expand and continue over the years.
Sacrimony is one of those books that I have mentioned in multiple previous campaigns, so I'm really chuffed to see creator M Sorcier back with a fifth issue of this ongoing fantasy series about a mother and daughter dealing with magical complications like, you know, resurrections and such.
There's even a free 20-page preview you can check out if you want. That's a win-win!
It's a comic about comics from a website about comics!
Monkeys Fighting Robots is one of the interweb's top sites about indie comics. And this time around, their print edition, which is also filled with comics as well as articles, is tackling comic conventions! Here's what they had to say about this issue:
"The magazine is a combination of comics and articles about comics from an experienced team of writers and artists. This issue we will tackle all things "comic book conventions." Our team has articles lined up on Steve Ditko, the drunk side of Comic Con, Dollar Bin Dives, Conventions in Comics, Spider-Man's anniversary, and more, as well as our Best of 2022 and plenty of actual comics from some of our favorite rising star creators."
