I have been on record many times over the years saying that I am not a big fan of publishers, especially bigger ones, taking the Kickstarter with their products. I feel that these publishers take advantage of the market while leaving small independent creators with less of a customer base for their products. This take is specific to publishers that have big name IP, or Keanu Reeves attached to the product. I say this because I think that smaller publishing houses can, and should, use crowdfunding to bring unique and less mainstream ideas to the market. That is the case with Clover Press and this graphic novel Gamemasters.
As someone who is obviously a lover of comics, and also enjoys some free time with friends playing Dungeons & Dragons this project was an obvious pick for me. Unlike comics I enjoy table top and board gaming as strictly a hobby that I rarely dive into the history or industry. It is one of those things that gets me away from real life for a night enjoying laughs with friends while we struggle to explore a dungeon and pig out on snacks. I still have fond memories that pop in my head about sessions around a table trying to figure out puzzles or wishing my dice would roll a good number for once. When I saw that Gamemasters was coming from Clover Press weeks ago in a PR email I knew that it was something to keep my eye on. Honestly for weeks now I have been revisiting the preview page to see if it went live to bring up on this SubStack.
In this graphic novel Fred Van Lente, Tom Fowler, and Bill Crabtree are teaming up to share with us the history of the world of table top roleplaying. Fred Van Lente being someone that got his start writing for some of these games in the past has an obvious love and passion for it. So to see him take on this project bring a certain amount of authenticity. And when you visit the Kickstarter page you will see that art teams amazing work inside the book. I really love that the pages they show not only showcase the wonderful art in the comic but also the unique panel layouts they are using to tell the story.
For those that end up pledging to this campaign the tiers are simple yet unique and fitting to what the book is about. They of course have a digital tier for those of you out there that enjoy their comics digitally. For those that like physical comics there is only one cover by Tom Fowler but you can get plenty of great add-ons to go with your copy of the book. You can get an awesome slipcase for your copy with art by Tom Fowler, as well as a unique Dungeon Master screen with his work as well. There is also a t-shirt with the cover art on it, and a great print including that cover art as well. The most expensive but awesome add-on is original art from the book. You could own a page from this title done by Tom Fowler himself. All around some great goodies to choose from.
I am a big fan of Clover Press and the stuff they put out. I have been lucky enough to interview some of their creators over the years and have fallen in love with a bunch of their titles, including a novel the publisher. I was even lucky enough to be used as a pull quote for the graphic novel Project MK-Ultra. I can promise you one thing from this campaign, their hardcovers are of the best quality that are packed with tons of love. I hope you all take a second to check out the campaign and decide to pledge your support to it.
If you want to support this SubStack please take a second to like this post, comment if you decided to pledge, and share it on social media. If you aren’t already subscribed also take a second to hit that button so you don’t miss a single post. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you all here next time!
Share this post
Crowdfunding Spotlight: Gamemasters: The Comic Book History of Roleplaying Games
Share this post
Writer-Fred Van Lente
Artist-Tom Fowler
Colorist-Bill Crabtree
I have been on record many times over the years saying that I am not a big fan of publishers, especially bigger ones, taking the Kickstarter with their products. I feel that these publishers take advantage of the market while leaving small independent creators with less of a customer base for their products. This take is specific to publishers that have big name IP, or Keanu Reeves attached to the product. I say this because I think that smaller publishing houses can, and should, use crowdfunding to bring unique and less mainstream ideas to the market. That is the case with Clover Press and this graphic novel Gamemasters.
As someone who is obviously a lover of comics, and also enjoys some free time with friends playing Dungeons & Dragons this project was an obvious pick for me. Unlike comics I enjoy table top and board gaming as strictly a hobby that I rarely dive into the history or industry. It is one of those things that gets me away from real life for a night enjoying laughs with friends while we struggle to explore a dungeon and pig out on snacks. I still have fond memories that pop in my head about sessions around a table trying to figure out puzzles or wishing my dice would roll a good number for once. When I saw that Gamemasters was coming from Clover Press weeks ago in a PR email I knew that it was something to keep my eye on. Honestly for weeks now I have been revisiting the preview page to see if it went live to bring up on this SubStack.
In this graphic novel Fred Van Lente, Tom Fowler, and Bill Crabtree are teaming up to share with us the history of the world of table top roleplaying. Fred Van Lente being someone that got his start writing for some of these games in the past has an obvious love and passion for it. So to see him take on this project bring a certain amount of authenticity. And when you visit the Kickstarter page you will see that art teams amazing work inside the book. I really love that the pages they show not only showcase the wonderful art in the comic but also the unique panel layouts they are using to tell the story.
For those that end up pledging to this campaign the tiers are simple yet unique and fitting to what the book is about. They of course have a digital tier for those of you out there that enjoy their comics digitally. For those that like physical comics there is only one cover by Tom Fowler but you can get plenty of great add-ons to go with your copy of the book. You can get an awesome slipcase for your copy with art by Tom Fowler, as well as a unique Dungeon Master screen with his work as well. There is also a t-shirt with the cover art on it, and a great print including that cover art as well. The most expensive but awesome add-on is original art from the book. You could own a page from this title done by Tom Fowler himself. All around some great goodies to choose from.
I am a big fan of Clover Press and the stuff they put out. I have been lucky enough to interview some of their creators over the years and have fallen in love with a bunch of their titles, including a novel the publisher. I was even lucky enough to be used as a pull quote for the graphic novel Project MK-Ultra. I can promise you one thing from this campaign, their hardcovers are of the best quality that are packed with tons of love. I hope you all take a second to check out the campaign and decide to pledge your support to it.
If you want to support this SubStack please take a second to like this post, comment if you decided to pledge, and share it on social media. If you aren’t already subscribed also take a second to hit that button so you don’t miss a single post. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you all here next time!
Gamemasters Kickstarter
Leave a comment
Share
Follow Chris!