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Ine is a typical, young adult, feathered lizard attending college in Provo, Utah. Despite living in the "Mormon Bubble," as he gets to know his new roommates he learns how unique their individual stories are. Because fur, scales, fins, or feathers, everyone has a story.
Aww, Feathers! is a family friendly, anthropomorphic, slice-of-life webcomic that I began in May, 2014. Now I'm excited for the chance to release the first year of comic pages in print form! I've already got a proof made, and it looks awesome! All it needs now is your support.
Funding Goals
Since this is my first rodeo, I've kept the initial funding goal small. Luckily, the print service I'm using (Ka-blam) will print as many or as few copies as I need, so even if we don't reach that goal, I'll still be able to send a copy to all the backers who paid for one. However, if we do reach our funding goal or any of the stretch goals, there are a few extras that can be added as well!
REACHED! $500 - Dil's Prank
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That's right! Dil's got an embarrassing photo of Ine (currently in a safe place where Ine will never find it!) and if this initial funding goal is reached, he'll paste it in the back of each copy of the book! (Don't worry, it's nothing inappropriate. All in good fun!)
REACHED! $600 - Backers Q&A Page
For this first stretch goal, all backers will get the chance to submit their questions to the characters in the comic, who will pick and answer them on an exclusive Backers Q&A Page that will be added to the book! This will be similar to the recent character Q&A pages on the website (like this one) but we'll arrange them so more can fit on the page.
$750 - 1 Page Bonus Story
At this funding level, an extra story will be added to the book! In addition, all backers will get the opportunity to vote on which character this bonus story will focus on. Want to see more of a main character like Ine, Dil, June, or Mally? Or maybe you'd like to learn more about one of the secondary characters, like Bishop Reyes or Ine's brother, Mark? Or even a sneak peek at a new character who's planned for a future chapter but hasn't appeared in the webcomic yet! Whoever the backers choose, an exclusive one page story about them will be added to the book. Want more than one page? Well...
$1,000 - 3 Page Bonus Story
...at this next level the bonus story that was unlocked will be expanded to three pages! Still not enough? Hmm...
$1,500 - 5 Page Bonus Story
Then how about five pages! The character chosen by the backers will get an entire chapter of new material! Phew... that's going to be about as much as I can handle before sending the final version of the book off to be printed. But what if we surpass even this lofty goal?
$3,000 - Holiday Bonus
Now we're getting real ambitious! If we reach this stretch goal, then during the month of December 2015, the webcomic will update twice a week instead of just once! And I don't mean one main page and one teensy bonus comic. I mean two full pages of the main story!
$5,000 - Extended Holiday!
Hey, you gotta dream big, am I right? A month of double updates is great, but what about two months!! If this level is reached, the webcomic will update twice a week during December 2015 and January 2016!
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Perks
To thank you for supporting Aww, Feathers!, backers will receive the following rewards based on their pledge amount:
$1 - Thank You!
Thank you for your support! All backers who pledge at least $1 will have their name added to the website's Thank You page (if they choose).
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$5 - Character Sketch
On a budget? You can still score some original artwork! Choose a character (either from the comic or your own character), a pose, and a prop or two, and I'll send you a 5"x7" pencil sketch (both the original and a scanned version) styled after the comic. (See Details section below.)
$15 - Aww, Feathers! Book 1
Get your physical copy of the book! Includes all pages from the first year of the webcomic in full color, as well as any bonus pages unlocked by our stretch goals! Each copy will be signed and numbered by the author and include a complimentary sketch on the inside front cover of an Aww, Feathers! character of your choice.
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$20 - Book with Character Sketch
Get a copy of the book and a character sketch! See the Character Sketch section above for details.
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$25 - Book with Custom Icon
Get a copy of the book
and a custom digital icon! Want to see how your face would look in the
Aww, Feathers! universe? I'll create a colored 500x500 pixel icon according to your specifications, similar in style and quality to those pictured
here. (See Details section below.)
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$30 - Book with Digital Portrait
Get a copy of the book
and a custom digital portrait! Like the Character Sketch Perk, only inked, colored, and shaded digitally. You'll receive a 5"x7" physical print and a high resolution digital version, similar in style and quality to those on the
Aww, Feathers! cast page. (See Details section below.)
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$40 - Art Lovers Package
For those who really love collecting art, this package includes the book, the Character Sketch, Custom Icon, and Digital Portrait perks!
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$50 - Feathered Friends Package
In addition to everything in the Art Lovers Package, your name and portrait will appear on the book's "Feathered Friends" page to show off your stellar support for the comic! The portrait may be a photo or drawing, or even the digital icon you receive from the Art Lover Package.
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$75 - Cameo Appearance!
Submit a character of your own creation and he or she will appear as a background character in a future comic page on awwfeaters.com! Your character will appear in one panel of the comic, will be shown from at least the chest up, and will be at least 200 pixels tall, not just some tiny speck in a crowd! Also includes the Feathered Friends Package. (See Details section below.)
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$100 - Help Design a Character!
Future chapters of Aww, Feathers! are in need of secondary characters (like a classmate, co-worker, bully, teacher, etc.). These are characters with speaking roles that interact with the main characters. You'll work together with the author to pick his or her species, design, personality, etc. Also includes the Feathered Friends Package. (See Details section below.)
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$200 - Help Write a Chapter!
Have an idea for a future chapter of the webcomic? Choose the characters, the plot, and even some of the dialogue. Then, work together with the author to flesh out your idea into a full chapter of up to five pages to appear on awwfeathers.com! Also includes the Feathered Friends Package. (See Details section below.)
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The Impact of your Pledge
Aww, Feathers! has been such a fun and even inspiring project for me, and I love hearing other people tell me when it's brought a smile to their face! My plan is to keep it available online for free for the foreseeable future, and to keep writing more as long as I have material for it. (And I've still got a bunch of stories I want to tell!) However, your financial support speaks volumes. By supporting Aww, Feathers!, you show your support for entertainment that is fun, family friendly, and that addresses topics in an honest and approachable way, even sometimes sensitive ones like trials, relationships, and religion.
After paying Indiegogo's fee, payment processing fees, and the cost of printing and shipping the books and other perks, anything leftover will go towards supporting the webcomic, including the cost of hosting, registration, supplies and equipment, etc.
Risks & Challenges
As I said before, this is my first rodeo, both when it comes to publishing a book and running a crowdfunding campaign! Luckily, I have the advantage of already having a printed proof that looks great and a printer that can print as many copies as I need. The worst case scenario I'm aware of is the printing and fulfillment of Perks getting pushed back due to unforeseen delays in creating bonus material, shipping, payment processing, etc. But even in that situation, I see no reason why I couldn't fulfill every order.
Other Ways You Can Help
You may not feel like you can do much, but even the smallest pledges (yes, even just a dollar) make a big difference. Even so, whether or not you're able to pledge, there are other ways you can support Aww, Feathers!
- Share this campaign with your friends and family! Seriously, a personal recommendation is one of the best ways to spread the word.
- If you haven't already, read the comic at awwfeathers.com! It updates every Tuesday (including during this campaign).
- Subscribe to the Aww, Feathers! Newsletter to get weekly updates about the webcomic, this crowdfunding campaign, and other news.
- Follow Aww, Feathers! on Facebook, twitter, or google+.
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Q & A
Q: What's the premise of the comic?
A: Aww, Feathers! is a slice-of-life comic, meaning it shares everyday experiences from the lives of the characters. It features a variety of characters, all based on animals, and follows their life through college and beyond. The tone is meant to be light-hearted and often humorous, but occasionally serious and thought-provoking.
Q: Is this comic family friendly?
A: Yes! While the intended audience is probably teen and up, my goal is for the entire comic series to be safe for anyone to enjoy. It's rated SFW (Safe For Work) or probably about a PG rating.
Q: Is this an LDS comic?
A: Not exclusively. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka "Mormon" or "LDS"), and frequent mention is made of the Church and Mormon culture. Several characters are members of the Church, and it is a very large part of their lives. However, not every story arc deals with LDS or even religious topics, and overall the comic is intended for a general audience. Mormon or not, religious or not, I think everyone can find something they can relate to.
Q: Why animal characters instead of humans?A: There are a few reasons. I like animals and they're fun to draw. And with a nearly endless variety to choose from, coming up with new and unique characters is also easier and lots of fun. But it's also somewhat of an analogy. Many of the characters are so different in species. Sometimes this causes tension or awkwardness, but often they learn to get along. Shouldn't we be the same?
Q: Are the stories based on real events?
A: Many of them are. In fact, quite a few of the story arcs are based on my own personal experiences. A lot of the details are different however and some of the events are entirely fictional or only loosely based on reality.
Q: What are the dimensions of the printed version?
A: The book measures 7" x 10.5" and is currently 68 pages. Depending on what stretch goals are met however, a few more pages may be added.
Q: Will any of the bonus material ever be posted online?
A: Maybe someday, but if so it won't be until at least a year after the book's release.
Details
All requested artwork, cameo appearances, and ideas for future characters and chapters are subject to my approval. See additional specifics below. If there is any question about what would be allowed, feel free to email me at awwfeathers@gmail.com.
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Icons, Sketches, and Digital Art Perks - All requested artwork must be family friendly and not include suggestive themes, graphic violence, profanity, drug references, racism, etc. You maintain the rights to any character(s) belonging to you, but I maintain the right to display and reproduce the resulting artwork, including for commercial or promotional purposes. Artwork will be completed in the order they are requested after payment has cleared. Depending on the number of art pieces waiting to be done, you will be given an estimate of when yours will be finished, but please allow (at most) up to one month after the the commission before yours is completed.
- Cameo Appearance - By choosing this option, you assert that you own the rights to the character making the appearance, and you maintain the rights to that character, but grant me permission to include the page he/she appears in both online and in any future printed versions. After the initial cameo appearance, your character will not be used in any other way without first obtaining your permission. In order to fit with the established world of the comic, minor adjustments may need to be made to the character (colors, relative size, or placement of wings or other appendages for example), but I will seek your input before making any such adjustments.
- Help Design a Character - While you may pick certain aspects of a character's appearance and personality, the resulting character will remain the intellectual property of Aww, Feathers!, meaning he/she may be used online and in print at my discretion. Therefore, by choosing this option you agree not to attempt to recreate any character belonging to you or someone else. Character ideas that appear similar to already existing characters may not be accepted. (If you really want to see your character appear in the comic, consider the Cameo Appearance option.)
- Help Write a Chapter - As always, all story ideas must be family friendly. In addition, to maintain the integrity of the story so far as well as future plans for the story, certain ideas may not be accepted. These may include, but are not limited to, major changes in a character's personality, interests, relationships, or general role in the story. However, if for any reason an idea is not suitable, I'll communicate with you about what can be changed until we have an idea that works.
