Comics Express for Joplin, Missouri -- Indiegogo

UPDATE, 6/23/11:

We've reached our goal! Thank you, donors! Any money collected after today will go to the Joplin Public Schools' Adopt-a-Classroom Fund to replace classroom supplies. Donors will still get the comic book(s) and other rewards promised for their level, and the money will still help the kids in Joplin.

Thank you!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why Make Comics for Kids in Joplin?

Last month, Joplin, Missouri, was hit by one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history. About 8,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed, or around 30% of the city. Thousands of families lost their homes and are living in shelters.

Relief agencies are taking care of immediate needs: food, clothing, and housing.

We decided to offer what we can: astronauts, an octopus with glasses, and talking hot dogs.

When we heard that kids in Joplin have been struggling to cope with the disaster, we decided to create Comics Express, a 24-page, FREE comic book just for them. It'll be packed with funny comics and stuff to do from some of the most creative, original, and well-known cartoonists.

The comic book will give young kids up to teens something more fun to think about than damaged neighborhoods and uprooted lives. The Joplin Public Library will coordinate with local groups to distribute the comic books to kids FREE in July.

All cartoonists, editors, and designers are donating their work. We need your help to pay for printing 5,000 copies and shipping them to the children of Joplin.

How Can You Help?

Please help us raise $6,000 to cover the costs of printing and shipping Comics Express to Joplin. Anything you donate will help us create something fun for kids there, many of whom lost everything.

Contributors who give $20 will get a copy of this amazing, limited-edition comic book. And if you're a comics fan, you're going to want one! Some pretty impressive artists are involved (see below).

A copy of Comics Express is also a great gift for kids in your life. Each $20 copy of Comics Express you buy pays for 16 copies for kids in Joplin.

If you can give more than $20, our famous cartoonists will share even cooler rewards with you: posters, comic book collections, graphic novels, t-shirts, and original art.

How Will the Money Be Used?

The $6,000 will go only towards printing and shipping the comic book, and to send rewards to donors.

We're already at work on Comics Express, so if you donate and we don't reach our goal, you're still guaranteed to get as many copies as your reward level promises.

Any money we receive over our goal will go to the Joplin Public Schools Adopt-a-Classroom fund.

Please join us in making this original collection of awesome comics to benefit the kids of Joplin!

Who Are We?

We're a group of cartoonists, editors, and designers who used to work at Nickelodeon Magazine. For 16 years, we kept millions of kids entertained on a monthly basis.

The award-winning comic artists in Comics Express include:

Bill Alger - Nickelodeon Magazine, Cartoon Network Presents, Homeboy

Corey Barba - Yam

Ana Benaroya - illustrator and hot sauce lover

David DeGrand - Heeby Jeeby Comix

Chris Duffy - Bizarro Comics

Ellen Forney - I Love Led Zeppelin; I Was Seven in '75

Felipe Galindo (Feggo) - Manhatitlan; cartoonist for The New Yorker

Amanda Geisinger - illustrator

Jennifer Holm - Babymouse, Squish

Matthew Holm - Babymouse, Squish

Caitlin Keegan - illustrator of Shakespeare's Love Sonnets

Robert Leighton - cartoonist for The New Yorker

Alec Longstreth - Phase 7

Mark Martin - Gnatrat

Dan Moynihan - Heeby Jeeby Comix

Travis Nichols - The Monster Doodle Book

Dave Roman - Astronaut Academy: Zero Gravity; Teen Boat

Johnny Ryan - Angry Youth Comix; Prison Pit

Karen Sneider - cartoonist for The New Yorker

Raina Telgemeier - Smile; The Baby-Sitters Club

The editors, writers, and designers putting Comics Express together are: Carmen Morais, Laura Galen, Chris Duffy, Dave Roman, Rachel Roswal Bozek, Andrew Brisman, Lori Crook, Tim Jones, Caitlin Keegan, Yael Lewin, Susan Mitchell, Steven Stern, Catherine Tutrone, Paul Tutrone, and Julie Winterbottom.

Other Ways You Can Help

Do you have friends who:

like comics?

like kids?

like Missouri?

hate tornadoes?

Send them this link http://www.indiegogo.com/ComicsExpress and ask them to join you in creating Comics Express. For just 20 bucks, they can get their own copy, plus cover the cost of giving the comic to 16 more kids in Joplin.

Thank you!

[p.s. Cover image above by Alec Longstreth; lettering by Caitlin Keegan.]

Team on This Campaign:

1.25333 Complete

$7,520

Raised of $6,000 Goal

0 time left

Flexible Funding campaign

This campaign received all of the funds contributed on Thu Jun 30.

Perks

for your contribution

$10 Our Sincere Appreciation

You�ll receive our undying gratitude, plus the good karma points and happy feeling of knowing you�re doing something good to help kids affected by the tornado.
$20 1 Comic Book

We�ll send you 1 copy of the comic book.
$40 2 Comic Books + Thank You

We�ll send you 2 copies of the comic book, and list your name in the Thank Yous on the inside front cover (if you donate by July 6) and on our website.
$60 BFF Level

3 COMIC BOOKS + BFF-LEVEL THANK YOU + POSTER
We�ll send you 3 copies of the comic book, and list your name as our BFF (best friend forever) on the inside front cover of the comic book (if you donate by July 6) and on our website. We�ll also send you a poster of the cover.
$75 Nobel Prize Level

3 *SIGNED* COMIC BOOKS + NOBEL PRIZE THANK YOU + POSTER
We�ll send you 3 copies of the comic book SIGNED by some of the artists. We�ll also list your name as Someone We Nominate for a Nobel Prize on the inside front cover of the comic book (if you donate by July 6) and on our website, plus send you a poster of the cover.
$100 William Shakespeare Level

5 SIGNED COMIC BOOKS + THANK YOU PERSONALLY IN A POEM INSIDE THE COMIC BOOK + POSTER
We�ll send you 5 copies of the comic book signed by some of the artists, and include your name in an original thank you poem on the inside front cover (if you donate by July 6) and on our website. We�ll also send you a poster of the cover.
$100 William Shakespeare Surprise

3 SIGNED COMIC BOOKS + THANK YOU PERSONALLY IN A POEM INSIDE THE COMIC BOOK + POSTER + PACK OF 20 SURPRISE COMIC BOOKS
We�ll send you 3 copies of the comic book signed by some of the artists, and include your name in an original thank you poem on the inside front cover (if you donate by July 6) and on our website. We�ll also send you a poster of the cover and a surprise pack of 20 comic books (including at least one pre-1970 comic!).
SOLD OUT! - 5 Claimed
$250 Signature Level, T-shirt

5 SIGNED COMIC BOOKS + THANK YOU PERSONALLY IN A POEM INSIDE THE COMIC BOOK + *SIGNED* POSTER + T-SHIRT
We�ll send you 5 copies of the comic book signed by some of the artists, and include your name in an original thank you poem on the inside front cover (if you donate by July 6) and on our website. We�ll also send you a poster of the cover SIGNED by the artist, and a T-shirt of the cover art.
$250 Signature Level, Graphic Novel

3 SIGNED COMIC BOOKS + THANK YOU PERSONALLY IN A POEM INSIDE THE COMIC BOOK + SIGNED POSTER + SIGNED GRAPHIC NOVEL
We�ll send you 3 copies of the comic book signed by some of the artists, and include your name in an original thank you poem on the inside front cover (if you donate by July 6) and on our website. We�ll also send you a poster of the cover signed by the artist, and a signed graphic novel from one of our contributors.
$500 Art Collector Level

5 SIGNED COMIC BOOKS + YOUR NAME AT THE TOP OF THE MASTHEAD + SIGNED POSTER + T-SHIRT + SIGNED GRAPHIC NOVEL + ORIGINAL PIECE OF ART
We�ll send you 5 signed copies of the comic book, and list your name at the top of the masthead on the inside front cover (if you donate by July 6) and on our website. We�ll also send a poster of the cover signed by the artist, a T-shirt of the cover art, a signed graphic novel from one of our artists, and an original piece of art from one of our artists.