Story

Rosemari Susan Oppenheimer is the pilot of the Hermit Crab, a one-of-a-kind set of Power Armor engineered with a myriad of optional loadouts to accommodate any job. Mari earns her living as a Contractor, solving problems for anyone willing to pay for her services: Mining, transportation, protection, sometimes even conflict resolution.

Although able to project a veil of professionalism toward her clients, Mari is actually naive, irresponsible, imprudent, and downright derpy - at least according to her mentor, the mad genius, Dr. Masaka. Retiring soon, he insists on imparting a critical lesson to his protege: That although she inherited incredible technological advantages from her estranged father, the universe won't simply step aside for Mari. If she isn't able to adapt to a ever-changing world (and take better care of her equipment) she will find herself quickly overwhelmed and depleted of resources.

Mari travels a foreign universe in a reliable (if clunky) cruiser with her pet/co-pilot, the foxy Bork. Her universe is very different than others: It resembles a swirling galactic soup, an ocean, something one might see under a microscope. There are gas clusters with breathable air, chunks of inhabitable floating rock and soil rather than planets. There is always somewhere interesting to visit, and countless clients seeking the services of a professional problem-solver.

Mari Sue is a love letter to 80's and 90's anime: Filthy alleyways drenched in neon. Mech pilots conducting business in cities overrun with corruption. Sleazy swindlers rubbing elbows with duplicitous, seductive babes. Danger around every corner. Desperate citizens who will stab anyone in the back for a few bucks.

The universe of this story, Ouranos, is a dense sandbox. There are countless planets, planes, and "clusters" of inhabitable space for lifeforms to thrive upon, cradled in colorful clouds and intimidating heavenly phenomena. Each location will be lovingly rendered, prioritizing visual pleasure over realism.

This story will feature thrilling exo-suit battles, bizarre creatures, a fine cast of characters to befriend, dastardly enemies to despise, and dozens of rich settings you'll want to visit.

Episodes 1 & 2
Presented as a pair, the first two issues of this series will take place on a cruise ship, focusing on a handful of seminal events in Mari's life. Dr. Masaka begins the process of retiring, which means Mari will enjoy more autonomy than ever - but also responsibility.

Mari also develops a relationship with a handsome janitor.

However, her romance is threatened to be cut short when we learn that pirates have infiltrated the ship! Mari springs into action, except... (she's the one getting suplexed below).

This series will delight in every type of combat possible between humanoids: Melee, weaponry, vehicular. Fights will not only be brawls, but mind games - as Mari's suit requires a massive amount of battery usage, which she is not good at budgeting.

Every fight will challenge Mari's wits, as she skates a knife's edge between overpowering her opponents, and running out of juice before she defeats them.

Unfortunately, Mari will be reminded that winning now doesn't always mean winning later. There are consequences to being overpowered, which Dr. Masaka used to shield her from. Now that he's retiring and Mari is operating on her own, she may realize her job is more demanding than she believed.

What's got Mari so upset? More importantly, what's she going to do about it? Order the first two issues and see what's up!

Book Specs

This campaign will fund Issues 1 & 2 of the story. Each issue will be:

• About 30 pages in length
• Printed in color, on high quality paper stock.
• Genre: Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Drama
• Appropriate for ages 13+

Campaign Goals

I would also like to offer this book in Local Comic Shops. After this campaign begins fulfillment, please feel free to put me in touch with LCS so that I can ship them copies to sell. Backers will get a first look at the books, of course, as well as the knowledge that this series is only possible thanks to their generosity.

If this campaign succeeds, I plan to continue the story past these two issues. There is a larger story ready to go, as long as there's an audience for it!

Future Episodes

While there is a definitive story arc planned and written, there are plenty of enjoyable side stories we can explore as Mari climbs toward her ultimate goal.

• Mari accidentally murders an elder god, pissing off Space PETA. They send an assassin after her to get revenge.
• Mari encounters someone very scary from her past, someone who insists on playing a deadly game.

Stretch Goals

$5k: REACHED!!! THANK YOU! =D

$10k - Guest Art: I will be able to commission various fan-favorite indie illustrators to create guest art that can be featured on the rear covers of books, for cards, posters, goodies, and more!

$15k - Road Trip & Hiring an Editor: Once the books are printed, I hope to travel to as many local comic shops as possible to sell copies of the book and do signings. With a few extra bucks in my pocket, I'll be able to travel even farther! Costs would cover things like gas, maintenance, hotels, shipping, and so on. I would also like to hire a professional Editor who I've worked with in the past, so that future episodes will be even better!

$30k: I will personally animate a short "trailer" in a 90's anime style, complete with music and voice acting!

$40k+: I may hire some professional friends to help make the above content even better! Who knows, maybe I'll even hire assistants to get these books produced even faster!

Special Thanks

If you read this far, thank you! Please share this campaign around, tell everyone about it! With luck, this can be a long-running, delightful series that you'll be proud to have in your library.

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