Kickstarter

WHO ARE YOU?

My name is Paul LaPorte, head writer for VA Comics. I have years and years of writing experience doing things you most certainly have never heard of, and I’m trying to change that. This is my first major public project, and I am very excited about it. Drawing the pretty pictures is Steve Wameling, an illustrator whose art work and murals have been showcased all over the state of New York.

Kickstarter is a neat little place where you can go to help some very creative things get off the ground. You can pledge money for a specific project, and in turn you get a reward for your early devotion to the project. This usually comes in some sort of tangible form (more on that later). All pledges are done through Amazon, so if you've ever bought anything there (who hasn't? ) then donating through Kickstarter is a snap. Oh, and the best part? Your donation doesn't get taken unless the goal is met for the project! So you can give your pledge with the peace of mind in knowing that you won’t have to pony up the bucks unless enough money is raised to actually fund the project you’re donating to! Isn't that wild?

Today’s Hero is a twisted look at the world of super-heroes, government, the media, reality television, and the celebrity-crazed world we live in. After the death of America’s greatest hero: General Freedom, the United States government is desperate to find a replacement to step up and fill the void left by his death. Since no one is exactly jumping at the opportunity to risk their lives in the name of “Liberty”, the Department of Defense decides to sweeten the pot by turning the recruiting process into a reality television show. Using the lure of fame and great rewards (along with other means…) to draw in the most powerful super-humans that they can find to their cause.

I was inspired to write Today’s Hero from a number of sources. My love of comics, and graphic novels being one, but also from watching and studying the manipulative practices used in reality television, along with the recent political campaigns. All of these things, along with others, have compelled me to want to tell this story.

WHO IS THIS SCRUFFY MAN?

Meet Jake: Jake is twenty seven, from Hermosa Beach, CA, has spent nearly all of his life diligently avoiding work whenever possible, and is currently getting paid to sit on his ass and collect life time disability due to a “horrific work-related injury”. Issue one follows a particularly important day in the life of Jake as he gets a surprise call from an investigator checking up on how he’s doing after the “accident” that ended his so-called career.

A mercenary, eh? I respect that. I really tried to include something for everyone at all levels that are willing to donate. The various rewards for each specific contribution level are listed in the sidebar. It is worth noting that this comic is going to be released to the public in digital form only, either on the web page, or in PDF form. However, to anyone who pledges at the $15.00 level and higher, they will receive a print version of issue 1. This print version is not going to be available to ANYONE else but our Kickstarter contributors, and is a special thank you to all of those who decided to support us at the ground level.

Since we aren’t running any prints of the comic other than to the contributors, if you people are completely awesome and you over-fund the project, the money will be used to provide more content that is not related to Today’s Hero. I have a number of short stories and one-shots sitting in the pipe, and some artists I would love to work with. Of course, you lovely Kickstarter contributors would be getting some sweet exclusive material just for you if you were to make all of my dreams come true and over-fund the project.

WHY SHOULD I GIVE YOU MY MONEY?

Why should you give me your money? Well, if you’re into comics and graphic novels, if you’re a fan of the super hero genre, if you’re into dark humor and fantastic artwork, or if you’re a friend or family member of mine. These are all wonderful reasons to contribute. But most importantly you should contribute to this Kickstarter campaign if you want to get first dibs on a reading experience unlike any other you have had before.

I’M BROKE

Don’t have any money to contribute but still want to help out? Well, aren’t you a peach? Spreading the word about VA Comics and our Kickstarter project is going to help us out almost as much as donating, so be sure to share the link for our Kickstarter with all your friends, like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Tumblr, and be sure to visit our web page, and be sure to spread the word to everyone you know! The more people that know about Today’s Hero, the more likely it is that it will be made.

I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS.

Really? Well, feel free to ask them, and they will be addressed in the FAQ section.