A Comic, A Passion, and a Dream to Make it Happen
Hello! It’s very nice to meet you! My name is Casey Knoll, and I’m an indie comic book creator, who’s working to try and go professional. Ever since I could pick up a pencil, I’ve been drawing pictures and writing stories, in the hopes that someday, I could publish one of my very own. Comic books became the perfect outlet for both of my passions, and today, I’m working to make my dream come true. I was always bullied at school, and found it hard to make friends; people thought I was weird for getting lost in my imagination. But comics, and the superheroes and adventures within them greatly comforted me, teaching me lessons of friendship and to see the good in people. So I now hope that my own comics can help others the same way they helped me.
You can see my artwork portfolio here--> http://kartoon12.deviantart.com/
And “Jamie Jupiter” is currently a webcomic here--> http://jamiejupiter.thecomicseries.com/
And be sure to check out the gallery HERE, for plenty of preview images and videos!
So what is “Jamie Jupiter” about? Well, without spoiling too much, it's basically about an alien space cop disguised as a human high school student. Only two of the students know her true identity, and now the trio must defend the Earth from alien invaders. A good portion of it was inspired by Star Trek, magical girl anime, and “high school drama mixed with sci-fi” series like Smallville. Batman: The Animated Series and The Powerpuff Girls were the two shows that inspired me to become an artist, so if any of these genres interest you, I think this book will be a nice treat.
(This comic is rated/suggested for audiences 10 years and up for mild swearing and violence.)
As of right now, I'm doing EVERYTHING. The writing, character development, drawing, coloring; it's all me. I've got five major story arcs planned for this series, and I think, no matter what, I'm going to see this story through to the very end. I'd love for it to do very well, and I'm working to get it published, in any and all forms. So every night, I pray and thank all the higher powers that be that I've gotten as far as I have, and pray to continue to help me in the future. And of course, I've got to thank all the fans, their critiques and support, and the lovely fan art I've gotten. A book is nothing without the fans.
So really, what I’d like to achieve is to eventually have the entire series printed, and be able to sell the book at conventions. But that’s a BIG goal. So for now, I just work on tiny goals like this. Just being able to see the first issue at a convention table, and selling it to fans would be a dream come true. And it can only happen with YOUR help!
The Nitty Gritty
Okay, so on to the question you’re asking: where’s the money going?
This campaign is to help fund the short print run of the first trade paperback of “Jamie Jupiter”. Contained within 70, full color pages, are issues one and two, which serve as the two part “pilot episode” of the series.
I initially only had a small goal of $200, but IndieGoGo has a minimum of $500 to start a campaign, so really, if I could at least reach $200, that’d be great, and I would be forever thankful. And every single penny goes strictly for the printing and convention table costs. I was hoping to get at least 10 copies printed, but that might change depending on how well this campaign goes.
As for perks, you can see all of them listed right on the right hand side of your screen. From sketches to wearable buttons/pins, I’ll draw/create anything you request of me, in the cartoony style many people have come to know me for. And plus, what’s better than reading a good comic or book in your hands, in a comfy chair, rather than a glaring computer screen?
Also, thanks to critiques and suggestions from my comic’s watchers, I went back and fixed a lot of the old artwork, so the print version you’ll be seeing will have much more updated artwork compared to the original version on the website. And when the next episodes go to print, you can have a chance to have your name included in the credits, as a big thank you for supporting me!
As for possible stretch goals, it’s hard to say for right now. But you can be assured that the more funds that are collected, the more bonus artwork and perks I can provide in future campaigns.
And even if the $500 goal isn’t reached, that’s okay. Every little bit is still going to help this book come to convention circuits.
The Impact
So what difference does this all make?
Well, this whole comic-making business has been nothing but one big learning experience, and I've met so many funny and kind people that I never would have met otherwise. And other people have been coming to me for advice, saying they have their own stories they want to publish, and asking what should they do. I’m still very much in a beginner’s shoes, but it makes me so happy that my own dream is aspiring others to achieve theirs too.
I know I'm not writing Shakespeare, but I try my hardest to make a decent story with entertaining characters. If the readers come out of an episode liking/loving the characters, or learned some kind of lesson, or are just excited to want to know what happens next, then I've succeeded. More than anything, I just want the audience to get enjoyment out of reading an adventure. If I can make even one person happy, then I'm happy.
I think if you dig deeper, "JJ" has an underlying theme of discovering your true self, doing things you never thought you could before, and just trying to be a decent person. Pretty much all the characters have issues with either bullies, or their own self esteem, or both, but the trio of main characters eventually find companionship in one another. If there's one thing I want the readers to take away from all this, it's to never let bullies and mean words get to you, and to never give up on your dreams. If you just be a good person, and more importantly, just BE YOURSELF, you'll find people who are just like you, and are going through the same hardships as you. Don't be afraid to let the light inside you shine!
Other Ways You Can Help
Can’t donate? That’s perfectly okay. If you can, you can still be a big help by simply spreading the word! Tell your friends! Your family! Have pages on Facebook? DeviantArt? YouTube? Tumblr? Tell everyone there too! The more people who know, the better! And do you have a page here on IndieGoGo? Be sure to use the share tools too!
And most of all, thanks everyone!!! I can’t wait to bring “Jamie Jupiter” to all of you! Join the adventure, and meet the girl who's out of this world, literally!
You can also find me here:
TUMBLR: http://kartoon12.tumblr.com/
YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/user/ToonGal12?feature=mhee
Look up “KarToonComics” on Facebook!