Dracula 2168 cover.
Our latest Kickstarter roundup includes a comic book series from a Marvel veteran, a new edition of a Gaslamp fantasy novel, and YA steampunk fantasy trilogy slated for release this summer.
Marvel Vet Re-Imagines Dracula
Whaleden, a publisher in Prague, is on Kickstarter with Issue No. 1 of Dracula 2168: Shadows On The Future, a new comic book series from artist Marco Turini.
The series tells the story of vampire Vlad Dracula, who awakens in a dystopian steampunk future ruled by artificial intelligence. “A man of the past is trapped in the cold, mechanical steam of the future,” but “the vampire hunger remains. His instincts simmer beneath the surface. His quest? To find himself, protect the innocent… And fight the beast within. This is no redemption story. This is Dracula, magnificent, ruthless, and hungry as hell.”
Turini is a comic book artist who has worked with Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Image Comics. Other contributors include writer Claudio Chiaverotti, illustrator Giuseppe Cafaro, and colorist Francesca Carotenuto.
Pledges begin at US$8 for a digital version, slated for delivery in March, and $20 for a printed copy, set for delivery in June.
Embracing NFTs
Turini is also the co-founder and creative director of Whaleden, which is promoting the use of blockchain technology—specifically non-fungible tokens (NFTs)—as a benefit for comic book collectors.
Blockchain technology is best known as the technological backbone of cryptocurrency, but it has other applications as well. Whaleden advertises its technology, known as WHALE (Whaleden Hybrid Asset Limited Edition), as an inexpensive way to ensure the authenticity of its titles and eliminate the risk of counterfeiting.
WHALE is “essentially an NFT that can be redeemed for a physical item,” said Whaleden co-founder and CEO Jan Lochman. “For our comic books, it’s used for the first limited print run. We print 500 items, each with a unique ID, and issue 500 NFTs, with each NFT linked to a specific physical print via its unique ID as an attribute.”
The Dracula 2168 campaign includes three “VIP” tiers where rewards include these NFTs. The campaign refers to them as digital “collectibles.”
“For those purchasing the VIP Box, they automatically receive the physical item,” Lochman said. “However, we personally reach out to them to explain the model and give them the option to keep the NFT instead, allowing them to redeem it for the physical item whenever they choose.”
The campaign launched Feb. 20 and is well past its US$5,000 funding goal. It runs through March 22. See the Kickstarter page for more info.
New Edition of Gaslamp Fantasy Tale
Author Krystle Matar of Ottawa, Canada, launched a Kickstarter campaign for a deluxe edition of Legacy of the Brightwash, a dystopian Gaslamp fantasy novel originally published in 2021.
The novel, Book 1 in a series entitled Tainted Dominion, was a finalist for the SPFBO7, Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year, and Indie Ink Awards. The new edition features a foil cover design, blue cloth wrap, and new interior layout.
Pledges begin at CA$7 (US$5) for an e-book version and CA$90 (US$63) for the printed deluxe edition. Matar estimates delivery in July.
The campaign launched Feb. 25 and quickly met its CA$12,000 (US$8,357) funding goal. It runs through March 18. See the Kickstarter page for more info.
New Steampunk Fantasy Series
Dawnsbrook Press launched a Kickstarter campaign for Dragons of Londinium, a YA steampunk fantasy trilogy by Jonathon Mast.
Each book tells a story of a teenage girl in Londinium, an oppressive “City of Gears.” The city is populated by powerful dragons who feed on stories. “The stories shape the dragons in very different ways,” the author writes. “And their stories will shape the future of Londinium.”
The books are slated for release later this year, beginning with Dragons of the Ashfall in June, then Dragons of the Clockwork City in July and Dragons of the Iron Forest in August.
Pledges for digital editions begin at US$6 for the first book and $15 for all three. Pledges for paperback copies begin at $20 for the first book and $50 for all three.
The campaign launched Feb. 11 and reached its $500 goal within nine hours. It runs through March 4. See the Kickstarter page for more info.
