A 99-page independent cyberpunk comic and the debut mini-series by co-creators, Peter Marshall Smith (writer, letters) and Sandy Brion Spreitz (artist, colors).

We need your help to reach our goal in this print drive for METAZOA, a new sci-fi adventure set on a parallel world where the vertebrate Animalia have evolved and developed an advanced civilization that is rich in honor, but unable to live in peace.

Metazoa is a comic cloaked in an allegory in the tradition of George Orwell's Animal Farm; an ideological critique of class inequity with anthropomorphic characters. In this modern society, where the Animalia are oppressed by corruption, threatened by environmental collapse, and seeped in cultural apathy, there is an escape hatch… cyberspace. Many Animalia retreat into that virtual realm and ignore the real world as it slides further into decline.

Among the many characters in Metazoa the central one is Ram, a grizzly bear and dangerous adept. But Ram is no hero. He's a street-wise survivor with a violent temper navigating a violent world as a hacker for hire.

Ram strolls the streets of the new ghetto camouflaged like any true hustler in his element. Reflexes cranked but pulse steady. Absolute concentration. Absolute control. But his edge is about to slip when he meets a beautiful cottontail rabbit and accepts a contract for a mysterious organization known as the 5C, a group of environmental activists fighting to preserve the natural world. They are revolutionary agents of change – modern day Robin Hoods who have been flagged as enemies of the state. The time of peace has ended and Ram, an ex-soldier with no cause left to fight for, has found himself in the middle of a new war.

THE CO-CREATORS

For illustrator, Sandy Brion Spreitz, Metazoa started when his childhood friend, Peter Marshall Smith, reached out to him. Peter remembered a comic character that Sandy had created back in 1984 named Ram. Here are a few old sketches:

Peter sent Sandy the script for Metazoa Book One and when Sandy read it he said: 
"A little voice inside of me said, 'Yes! Yes!' We plugged away through character development and storyboards... Once we finalized our look and refined our process, I was amazed and astounded at the results. And if I am not mistaken, so was Peter. Most of my career has been greeting cards and editorial illustration. It never occurred to me to do comics professionally. Now, I work 7 days a week on Metazoa. I wake up and get right to work. At night, I dream of Metazoa. This project has been an act of love. And it has renewed my interest in all things... This book is dedicated to that little voice in all of us! Long live Metazoa!"

METAZOA #1 AND #2 ARE NOW AVAILABLE HERE ON COMIXOLOGY SUBMIT, but if you contribute now you will receive an additional digital issue before it is released to the public! All 3 issues constitute volume one of an the mini-series entitled METAZOA: WILDLIFE. Although we're excited to share Ram's adventures with you digitally, we need your help to print paperback and hardcover editions of the 1st volume. Here are mockups of the planned printed editions of METAZOA Vol.1

BREAKDOWN

We need $6,000 to cover the following expenses:

2.5" x 3.5" 14 pt. Glossy Cardstock Full Color Front and Back Trading Cards

You get 5 trading cards printed from hand-painted art by Sandy Brion Spreitz and containing background on characters in METAZOA. Exclusive to INDIEGOGO only!

ORIGINAL PAINTINGS

 Sandy Spreitz is offering one original painting for the highest level of contribution.

DESKTOP WALLPAPER

HIGH RESOLUTION DIGITAL WALLPAPER painted by Sandy Brion Spreitz

PIN-UPS

5 HIGH RESOLUTION DIGITAL BUNNY PIN-UPS  painted by Sandy Brion Spreitz

T-SHIRTS

WITH 5C LOGO (IN RED OR GREEN)

CONTRIBUTE HERE

HELP SPREAD THE WORD

If you want this publishing project to happen as much as we do, help spread the word about METAZOA by linking to this page with the hashtag #METAZOA.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERED SUPPORT

1)  To complete all physical orders, please provide an address upon registration.

2)  Digital prize packages will be provided in PDF format.

SHIPPING AND TAXES

All international backers outside of the United States, please add :

• $5 to cover the extra invoicing costs for every Perk, INCLUDING those containing only digital contents.
• $10 to cover the extra invoicing costs for every Perk of $45 and over.
  

Or contact us at metazoacomic@gmail.com to define shipping and taxes costs.