Home » Posts tagged "Kickstarter projects"

Kickstarter for Soft Matter from The Dark North

We recently reviewed The Dark North– Volume 1 from international publisher The Dark North. They currently have a Kickstarter going for their second project, Soft Matter. If you are interested in more information, the press release is below.

A link to the Kickstarter is here.

NEW SCIENCE FICTION FROM THE DARK NORTH

 

SOFT MATTER

 

A Stunning Blend of Science Fact and Fiction

 

Following the successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter for the narrative art book The Dark North – Volume 1, the same team is dipping their toes in uncharted waters with science fiction novel Soft Matter, by Swedish debut writer Pär Karlsson.

 

It’s a chilling story about a Swedish family, where the son – a soldier – ends up in an irreversible coma, and the father – a respected neurosurgeon – loses everything but his mind. A top secret medical facility in the United States offers them a startling solution, and their decisions will end up affecting them for the rest of their lives.

 

In a stunning blend of science fact and fiction, psychology and existentialism, Soft Matter explores what it is to be human, even if your body isn’t your own.

 

2018 marks the 200 year anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein – the first science fiction novel – and we at the Dark North only saw it fitting to bring these eternal questions into new light. Pär’s tragic – but also inspiring – tale of a family in ruins makes something of a Frankenstein for the 21st century.

 

For Soft Matter, Pär did extensive research in the fields of neuroscience and psychology and put these scientific fields in the face of a terrifying opportunity. The result is a mesmerizing story, with a premise that may very well end up a reality in our near future.

 

The Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for Soft Matter will go live on April 11.

 

 

Scandinavian Talent is an International Matter

 

Based in Stockholm and Los Angeles, The Dark North is an international publisher with one, simple goal: to bring Scandinavian talent in the fields of science fiction, fantasy and horror (and everything in between) to the rest of the world.

 

Since the dawn of the Swedish gaming wonder at the turn of the century, Scandinavia is breeding ground to some of the finest artist and writers on the globe. We hunt for treasures in the desk drawers of concept artists. We search for unpublished, fantastic writers in the far corners of the North. And we truly and sincerely believe that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg.

 

With The Dark North – Volume 1, we started a journey that took a few of these artists over the Atlantic and straight into the publishing powerhouse of Dark Horse Comics in the USA. Volume 1 currently has an Amazon Vine rating of 4.5 out of 5 and has received stunning reviews worldwide.

 

One can only wonder where this will lead, with Soft Matter and beyond.

 

Reviewers and journalists, feel free to contact us for digital review copies of the novel and press photos.

 

Robert Henrysson, +46 (0) 73-343 91 90, E-mail: henrysson74@gmail.com

Kickstarter: kickstarter.com/projects/darknorth/343207490

Facebook: facebook.com/darknorthart/ Web: darknorthart.com

Posted on April 12, 2018 by , Reply

Kickstarter for Pinpricks: A Book of Tiny and Terrible Oddities by Jason Pell

I visited the Kickstarter page for this, and if the art and writing are as creepy as the audio introduction to the project, this will be something special. Seriously, this guy had me spooked.

The age range is 8 and older. The creator’s daughter helped with the project, and it will be interesting to see how it turns out.

From the press release:

DARK, STRANGE, and often HUMOROUS, Pinpricks is made up of 101 unique short stories and illustrations. 128 page Hardcover with some the most troubling tales.

From Jason Pell, the creator of Zombie Highway, Suicide 5, and Season’s End, comes his next acclaimed offering.

Recalling the horror-themed books from his youth and with the help of his daughter, Mallory, the author has created something unique and at the same time, disquietingly familiar. A book that will give both the young and the young at heart… a case of incurable heebie-jeebies.

To get backers excited, several of the rewards on Kickstarter will ONLY be available through the campaign and discontinued afterward. With already almost 1/3 funded within 24 hours, the need for dark tales is evident!

If you ever felt a little askew. A bit out-of-step with everyone around you 

Then PINPRICKS was written for you.

 

Posted on March 29, 2018 by , Reply

Kickstarter for “It’s All In Your Head” Art Book Illustrates Mental Health Disorders As Monsters

This sounds very cool. The Kickstarter is still going. You can learn more about it below.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

‘IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD’ BRINGS VISIBILITY TO INTERNAL STRUGGLES
Coss compiles viral illustrations into an in-depth exploration of the mind

AKRON, Ohio – From the creative mind behind Any Means Necessary Clothing and the haunting stories and illustrations of “Kindergarten” comes a new project focused on the dark recesses of the mind.

“It’s All In Your Head” is a compilation of 85 illustrations by Shawn Coss that explore mental health issues and phobias, made famous during the annual Inktober Initiative over the past two years. What began as a simple collection of themed artwork soon turned into a viral sensation.

In 2016, Coss chose mental health disorders as his theme for Inktober, a month-long challenge founded by Jake Parker where artists create an ink drawing each day of October. While many artists work off a set list of prompts, Coss wanted to use this as an opportunity to really study a topic in-depth.

“Given my interest in the human condition and the demand from my fans to tackle mental health, I wanted to take on the various disorders in my own style,” Coss said. “I was intrigued, not only as an artist who suffers from depression, but also a medical professional. I wanted to portray the behaviors and symptoms as monsters that plague us.”

By giving the disorders themselves humanoid form, Coss was able to bring structure to abstract feelings in a whole new way. The response from fans was instantaneous. The art was shared 15,000 times, with more than 600,000 views. It got the attention of many major outlets, such as Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, The Mighty, BoredPanda, The Quint, and Bento.

Creating this level of awareness is really at the heart of the intention of the artwork.

“It was never about capturing every symptom of each issue in one piece of art,” Coss explained. “No one person shares the same symptoms or severity, and it would’ve been foolish of me to attempt to do so. It was about raising awareness, starting a conversation, and letting people know that the way they felt inside was real and valid. People really responded to that.”

In 2017, Coss set his sights on phobias, unlocking a whole new realm of struggles and touching on real experiences of fans across the globe. His art grabbed the attention once again of major media outlets, such as The Quint and BoredPanda.

In a follow-up to the wildly popular Kickstarter campaign for his short story and illustration book “Kindergarten,” Coss is launching another Kickstarter to publish all of his mental health and phobia artwork into one volume. The 180-page book, titled “It’s All in Your Head” will also include the medical insight and personal reflections that inspired each piece of art.

“I’m excited to finally be able to open up about my own mental health battles and connect with those who struggle every day,” Coss said. “I’m blown away by all of the responses from people who have told me how my artwork has helped them. I hope this book will continue to help others and continue the conversation on mental health.”

The Kickstarter campaign is running Feb. 20 – March 22, 2018, with copies of the book, artwork, and other special incentives for donors. For more information or to donate, visit http://kck.st/2sD0rI6.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Shawn Coss is an Ohio based artist who’s been chasing his dream to being an “entreprenartist” for the past 9 years. He’s co-owner of Any Means Necessary clothing, creator of the Inktober Illness Series, and got his start into the craziness of professional art while working (and currently) with Cyanide and Happiness. He’s also achieved his dream gig of working with Stephen King on the movie Cell as a prop design artist, as well as create the album art for bands such as Seether, Cage, and Sadistik. He refuses to leave Ohio because he doesn’t know any better.

http://www.shawncossart.com
http://www.amnclothing.com
https://www.facebook.com/ShawnCossArtist/
https://instagram.com/ShawnCoss
http://www.explosm.net

***

Posted on March 8, 2018 by , Reply
12 » Last