Perks Getting Prepped!

Paper is coming for prints, magnets are on their way, the copies of my previous books are on their way, bags are on order!

The format and release date of THE GARLICKS trade is still being decided. As soon as I know, I'll post/send an update. This affects the sketchbook, too, they'll be mailed at the same time.

In the meantime, mailable incentives will be mailed: sketch sets, magnets, sketches, prints.

Speaking of magnets, here's the art for those:

Thanks, as always, for your support!

FOOD, FOLKS and FANGS!

Lea

AND WE'RE DONE!

Thank you, this has been INCREDIBLE! (Which means, "Swooping and yawing from despair to 'HELL YEAH I'M A GENIUS!"')

I want to tell you: doing an indiegogo/Kickstarter campaign is harder than you think. I did two in six months because I believe in my vampire kids, and I'm also a fan of that winning feeling. Oh, how I love that feeling.

More people to thank in no particular order!

Jill Thompson, who's writing the intro for THE GARLICKS Book One and wow!

Samax Amen from Ghettomanga, Brian Truitt at USA Today, Henry Barajas at The Beat. Adam Warren helped me edit for near-maximum awesomeness. NYT bestselling author of Seraphina Rachel Hartman because she is AWESOME. 

My daughter, Summer. My son, Fox. My boyfriend David. My best friend Lisa Jonte. 

Kurt Busiek gets mentioned one more time for helping me re-tool THE GARLICKS so it could have a successful campaign. He did it because he's selfish, but full marks anyway.

ALSO @NeilaK20 and @Cattype for going way far out to support THE GARLICKS on Twitter. Ladies.

Everyone, just EVERYONE. YOU GALS AND GUYS.

AND HERE WE ARE.

When incentives other than books are ready to mail, there'll be updates. 

I'll make you the BEST DARN BOOK about vampire baristas, vampire graphic novelists, Italian butchers and fishbats EVER, and for girls. 

FOOD, FAMILY AND FANGS FOREVER!

See you Monday!

NEW PERK!

For an additional $250 added to your pledge, or a NEW $350. pledge, you will receive the ORIGINAL ART for the Kurt Busiek Eats a Bug print!

With the art comes either--

--FOUR signed and sketched copies of THE GARLICKS, four of each print, four magnets, an ebook, and acknowledgement in the book!

OR

--Two of the following three perks: Pandora's Library, Pandora's Kit, Fishbat Plush.

BUT WAIT!

$100. of this perk will be donated to Kitty Bungalow Charm School for Wayward Cats, a charming Los Angeles non-profit that traps, neuters and releases feral cats and tames and adopts feral kittens.You'll be getting a unique piece of original art, an armload of books, and helping wonderful cats live good lives.  

How do you get it?

If you've already pledged, just add $250., if you're a new contributor, choose "Pandora's Dream Bag" and add a note that's it's for the Kurt Busiek Eats a Bug original art.

HI, I'M LEA HERNANDEZ

I'm raising money for the production and printing of Book One (of four) of my sixth graphic novel, a full-color vampire comedy called THE GARLICKS, and I need your help to bring it to life (and print)!

THE GARLICKS is told from the point of view of Pandora Garlick, a teenage vampire with zero vampire abilities. 

Me, I'm an award-winning cartoonist who's worked on comics like The Little Mermaid (for Disney), Girl Comics (for Marvel, and starring Magneto and Wolverine), Star Wars: Droids (for Dark Horse) and created three graphic novels for Young Adults: Cathedral Child, Clockwork Angels and Rumble Girls.

THE GARLICKS, THE BOOK

"Lea's stuff is terrific."-- Neil Gaiman (Coraline, The Graveyard Book)

Our supernatural hero, Pandora Garlick, is the big sister of baby Pamila (who's usually called Ham), who seems to have gotten everything Pandora didn't, like being able to shapeshift into a winsome (and annoying) flying fish and a taste for meat. 

Here's what The Garlicks is going to look like in color:

And here, for your readng pleasure, is The Garlicks' six-page "pilot" story:

Pandora, with no answers for why she isn't a proper vampire, turns to her passion, making comics, and chooses her family as her muses: the exhausting Ham, her vampire father Vourdain Garlick (a flower-eating barista), her human mother Olive Garlick (a baker-turned-butcher), and their home/business, Orange Espresso and Meats.

Olive Garlick (human, butcher) and Vourdain (vampire, barista):

When Pandora steals a blanket (and granny panties) to hide fishbat-Ham after yet another chase through their neighborhood, she brings herself and Ham to the attention of not only Maxim, a friendly boy who can see monsters, but also three rock-stupid, very dangerous, demon-hunting angels.

Pan quickly finds out that the only thing worse than having no time to draw stories is having entirely too much material to draw from. How will Pandora, with supposedly no supernatural abilities, save her family from a supernatural threat?

"...funny, human, silly, gorgeous, sweet and smart," --Kurt Busiek (Astro City, Marvels)

READ THE GARLICKS AS IT'S DRAWN FOR THE GRAPHIC NOVEL!

I'll be serializing THE GARLICKS Book One (of four), three color pages a week, over the next four or five months as a webcomic at thegarlicks.net and pages will appear here in updates.

When Pandora's first story is complete and still piping hot, it'll be collected into full-color print trade of 60 pages, with an introduction by Jill Thompson, incredible creator of the Halloween classic SCARY GODMOTHER! (Who better, right?)

"Lovely work."--Jim Lee (artist of Justice League, co-publisher, DC Comics)

GOODIES. GOOD GOODIES

I've concocted some fine incentives for you: at just $10., you'll get a PDF copy of the book and a custom magnet of Fishbat. At $25., a signed copy of THE GARLICKS and a print of Astro City writer Kurt Busiek (a huge supporter and friend of The Garlicks) eating a bug (as he has promised to do to help THE GARLICKS see print) or a print of Fishbat and Pandora Garlick!

KURT BUSIEK EATS A BUG PRINT:

FISHBAT AND PANDORA GARLICK PRINT:

FISHBAT PLUSH!

PANDORA'S ART KIT (scope this pic!):

PAN'S DREAM BAG (the gloriously extravagant custom messenger bag stuffed with books and goodies):

Even a chance to appear in THE GARLICKS as a character!

NOW, I DRAW! (AND PRINT AND MAIL...)

The money raised for THE GARLICKS will go towards the production and printing of the first of four planned volumes and to make and mail out incentives. I'll be writing, drawing, and assembling THE GARLICKS full time for about five months, then shepherding it through printing, THEN signing and mailing them for another two months! (It takes a LOT of hours to address and stuff and post books. I have to start making packages in November to be ready when THE GARLICKS is printed next year!)

SHARE!

Even if you can't contribute money, or if you want to do more (oh please do more!) you can still be part of Team Garlicks (or Team Fishbat or Team Pandora or Team Rock-Stupid Angels), by spreading the word about THE GARLICKS via Twitter, Facebook, tumblr, and Pinterest. Everything helps, and I will be very grateful!

The music for my video is "Self Motivation (Dance to Success Mix)" by Borja.