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Update #5: This is it
Diamond 5 is now a reality. Hold it in your hands. Get your fingers dirty.
Imagine feeling connected to 9000 papers all over the city of Portland. How many of those will reach an audience that is entertained, confused, and inspired by the free comics newspaper. Anyone who grew up with a Sunday comics section feels entitled to this basic right of comics. Its ink is in your blood.
I'm already working on the next issue. I've decided I won't use Kickstarter to fund the next issue. I mean it was totally successful and a wonderful experience, but it seems redundant to ask for two kickstarters. So hopefully I can find sponsors and advertisers to fully fund the next issue. I'm going to continue sharing work from my favorite artists. I offer them this ubiquitous format - the comics newspaper.
Thank you everybody.
Update #4: We made it!
Super exciting. Last night we got a couple larger contributions that put us less than $100 away from the goal. I made an announcement that we were close, and the last contributions came in immediately. Special thanks to Sascha Krader who offered art commissions to supporters of Kickstarter, that helped with the final burst of contributions.
This has been a fun process, reaching out to friends and fans that have supported the store for years. It's truly heartwarming to successfully pull off a project like this. Now the really fun part - I've sent the Indesign files to the Mercury printers and Diamond #5 will be arriving next week! I'm gonna have some copies at the store on Wednesday if anyone wants to grab an early copy. Otherwise tell your friends to grab a Portland Mercury next Thursday for a special comic themed issue including the full color Diamond #5.
Thanks and love,
Jason
Update #3: 60% funded - 14 days to go
In love with you
http://www.youtube.com/watch...
Update #2: Halfway there!
Thanks to all of you we just passed passed the halfway mark! Over $1000 in less than 20 days. It'll be twice as exciting as we make it the rest of the way. Thanks so much for all your help spreading the word.
Some Diamond 5 contributors have new comics of their own that you might like to see:
Michael Deforge - LOSE #2
http://deforgeo.livejournal.com/
Derek Ballard - DRAG CITY
http://www.flickr.com/photos/derek-m-ballard/
Benjamin Marra - TCJ interview
http://www.tcj.com/alternative/jason-leivian-of-floating-world-comics-talks-to-benjamin-marra
Update #1: Getting started
Thanks so much to everyone who's contributed so far and helped spread the word online. It is truly awesome. I wrote about the experience of getting started with Kickstarter on this project at the Arthur Magazine blog:
61
Backers
$2,090
pledged of $2,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on April 22, 2010.
Pledge $10 or more
Receive a downloadable PDF of Diamond #5 including brain melting artwork by Derek Ballard, Michael Deforge, Stanley Lieber, Benjamin Marra, Cleon Peterson, Panayiotis Terzis, and Pete Toms!
Pledge $20 or more
Receive a free copy of the printed Diamond #5 comics newspaper! Full color artwork, broadsheet dimensions, suitable for framing!
Pledge $50 or more
Receive the Floating World Diamond Set. All five issues of Diamond Comics (including the rare out of print first issue) delivered to your door!
Pledge $100 or more
The Diamond Comics Signature Series - Receive a personalized thank you printed in the pages of Diamond #5 (deadline to have your name included - March 31st, 2010). You will also received the Floating World Diamond Set, all five issues of Diamond Comics (including the rare hard to find first issue).
Pledge $200 or more
Receive a limited edition archival print of Michael Deforge's stunning cover from Diamond #4. Only 10 copies exist in the whole world! View the full color image here: http://is.gd/ahvME
Pledge $500 or more
Receive a limited edition print of Al Columbia's incredible 'Toyland' image from Diamond #4. Printed on museum quality paper measuring 18″x24″; the artwork is 15″x20″. Each print is signed and numbered by the artist. View the image here: http://is.gd/ahwDb
Project By
Connected as Jason Leivian (891 friends)
“Floating World is the most innovative and art-conscious of (Portland’s comics shops).”
-Steve Duin
The Oregonian A&E, Oct. 9, 2008
Floating World Comics is the record store of comics stores. By that, I mean that there’s a different type of vibe here. We’re a bookstore that just happens to carry the coolest books of all - comics. But also art books, international art magazines, graphic design, illustration, animation, music and movie related items, anything that might serve as inspiration for creative folks looking for something new. We’re also a gallery with First Thursday art openings and we’ve just branched out into publishing. I’ve started publishing a quarterly art comics newspaper and just released my first comic, a reprint of Jeff Lint’s hyper-sane 70’s action book, THE CATERER. Dream projects.
I opened the store in 2006 because Portland is the greatest comics town in the country and we deserve a great comic store. From the start, my goal was to provide excellent subscription box service for the regular Wednesday customers, and also, to create new readers - expose them to the best that comics has to offer. I’m very proud of everything the store’s done so far. Our monthly art shows have brought some amazing cartoonists to visit: Al Columbia, Jim Woodring, Nicholas Gurewitch, Christophe Blain, Peter Bagge, the Spacenight Bill Mantlo benefit, artists from Serbia and many more. Each of our yearly animation fests has featured a retrospective on an important avant garde animator: Adam Beckett in 2007 and Bruce Bickford in 2008. My love and thanks to the Portland art community, the global comics community and you the customer. Continue giving love, the universe has an endless supply to give back.
