*Flexible Funding means that regardless of whether we meet our goal, Indiegogo will still send us the amount we have raised and we will cover the rest of the costs. You will still receive rewards and they will still be sent out on time.*
About the Graphic Novel
Technologically primitive tribes steeped in tradition populate a world that is vicious and beautiful. They band together in territories in an attempt to survive against a populace of other animals that threaten to overwhelm their numbers. There is no top of the food chain in a constant power struggle against nature. However, the tribes still greatly respect the natural world and the creatures that inhabit it. Individuals show their deference through the creation of unique headdresses or masks crafted from hunts and through the worship of sacred animal spirits as gods.
In the Meadowlark Basin, Elder Grovvik recounts a tale of the Jun’tari tribe’s survival to three warriors. Without the combined efforts of their ancients, the Jun’tari would have fallen during the chaos of the Great Migration, when a demi-god spirit appeared and stirred the movement of an entire species. Learning lessons from the past is integral to survival, and these warriors must internalize the message before they can attain their place as members of the hunt, an ancient ritual that signifies the passing from childhood to adulthood.
Journey through the history of the Jun’tari, their outlandish practices, and struggle for survival in a world that is unforgiving to error. Discover the respect they hold for the past and dedication to the survival of future generations. Explore a foreign world where overlooking the intelligence of any creature can be detrimental to survival.
Behind the Idea
We are college students that met by chance during a year of college at UW-La Crosse. We traveled separate directions but kept in contact and have wanted to collaborate on a project that represents the skill sets we have developed. In building this concept from the ground-up, we have fed on the ideas of one another to propel the project further. Through the work on the graphic novel, we are striving to develop a piece that both of us can use for our career portfolios that encapsulates our potential as artists in different mediums while delivering something unique to readers. We need $600 so that we can do this project without going under due to taking off work and paying rent. The money will be used solely to get the project done while we pay for everything else out of pocket. The hope was to find help in order to finish a graphic novel by those that believe in young artists at a limited cost.
About the Creators
Donnie Stephens is a Junior Majoring in Illustration with a minor in Painting at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Medium of choice is mainly watercolor and ink with adaptations digitally. When Donnie isn’t sketching and painting he’s working, being a captain of the UIC men’s Ultimate Frisbee team, or trying not to spend money at the local comic book store.
Mitch Marty is a senior majoring in English Rhetoric & Writing (with a minor in Creative Writing) from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. He has written flash fiction, short stories, and campaign settings for d20-based tabletop games. When he isn’t writing, you may catch him hiking or rock climbing in the bluffs that overlook the marshes and the Mississippi.
You can view samples of his writing at http://mitchnmarty.wordpress.com/
Furthermore
We would like to extend our sincere thanks for taking the time to check out our project as well as for your support. If you can’t contribute financially, you can still help us by spreading the word. Please feel free to repost this to twitter, facebook, your blog, or anywhere else you can think of.
If you donate at the $50 mark, please email us with your choice of animal for the watercolor painting and poem. If you donate at the $100 mark, please email us with your choice of headdress or mask animal. Contact us at donnieandmitch@gmail.com.