Artwork Unlocked: We reached our stretch goal of $5,000! We'll now be able to include illustrations by DC Comics artist, Christopher Jones and more!
Audiobook Unlocked: We reached our stretch goal of $4,000! The audiobook is now available as a new $18 reward! More details in the updates section!
WHAT IS THE BOOK?
Comedy of Doom will be the first book by me--comedian and writer Joseph Scrimshaw. It's a collection of essays, true stories, and parodies covering every major topic in geek culture. Including smart funny takes on Video Games, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Vampires, My Little Pony, perhaps My Little Vampire Pony. Learn to prepare on an emotional level for the inevitable zombie apocalypse! Discover the subtle sexual sub-text in Super Mario Brothers! Thrill to the true story of how I almost became the brooding super hero known as the Honey Bear! Perhaps stupidly, the book will even tackle that strange question, "What is a geek, anyway?"
Comedy of Doom will also include an introduction written by RiffTrax writer/performer Bill Corbett! The cover of the book will feature artwork by Geek-A-Week's Len Peralta! PLUS my Lovecraft inspired children's story "The Thing That Should Not Be...Under Your Bed" will be illustrated by Munchkin and Dork Tower artist John Kovalic!
WHO THE HELL IS JOSEPH SCRIMSHAW?
I was born a small, indecisive baby. Then I saw Star Wars and decided to become a Jedi. After pursuing that for a while--always wearing a hoodie, trying to move things with my mind, staring wistfully at the horizon, etc.--I decided to become a writer and a comedian.
I've been pretty successful in my hometown of Minneapolis. My shows at the Minnesota Fringe Festival are consistently among the top ten best-selling shows out of about 170. I've been a featured performer at our big local convention CONvergence. Critics in Minnesota have said a lot of nice things like "hilarious, inventive, the Cirque Du Soleil of Minneapolis Comedy."
In 2009, my wife and I formed a production company called Joking Envelope to produce my work (as well as other local writers) and handle royalties for my plays. Adventures in Mating, An Inconvenient Squirrel, The Worst Show in the Fringe, and My Monster (written with Bill Corbett) have been performed all over the world.
While I enjoy my career in Minneapolis immensely, over the last few years I've been making an effort to share my comedy on national and even international levels. I've started a podcast called OBSESSED (with Joseph Scrimshaw). I'm working on some screenplay projects. I've been doing some writing for public radio. I spend a not insignificant amount of time making jokes on Twitter.
I've also been doing a lot of hybrid storytelling/stand-up comedy shows. Comedy of Doom was originally performed at CONvergence, then at San Francisco SketchFest, and most recently on Jonathan Coulton's JoCoCruiseCrazy. The show has been going great and every time I do it people say, "We like you. Let us show you with money. Do you have anything we can buy?"
I decided to turn Comedy of Doom into a book because there are more topics, stories, and jokes than I could possibly do in an hour of stage time. Also, creating this book will give me something to sell at conventions and other live performances. Most importantly, it will help me in my goal to share my comedy with anyone who might enjoy it. No matter where they live. Even Canada.
THAT'S NICE, BUT WHERE WILL THE MONEY GO?
Funds will pay for a small initial print run. They will also pay for the design of the book (done by the extremely talented Matthew Foster) as well as the work of the awesome contributing artists.
We've tried to set the levels at a price where we can cover the shipping and other reward costs but still get the book to you at a reasonable price, no matter where you are!
IN CLOSING
By funding Comedy of Doom: The Book, you're creating and receiving an immediate, tangible product and helping me take a big step forward in my career. If this project is successful, I will always be able to say yes to that wonderful, wonderful question: "Can we give you money?"
Finally, if you would like to get a sense of the comedy in Comedy of Doom, here's a video of me at CONvergence making Star Wars jokes and on JoCoCruiseCrazyII making clever yet naughty Star Trek jokes with Wil Wheaton.
Reading the book will be just like that except, in most cases, I won't physically be there.
Thank you for your time!
Questions about this project? Check out the FAQ