Story:

No matter how sophisticated we believe we have become as a people, and no matter how many Golden Ages of discovery we achieve, corruption, decadence, and complacency often cause the seeds of unrest to be shown between the haves and the have-nots.

Terry Holden, a single mother and Captain of a Venusian salvage spaceship, wants nothing more than to make a honest living. Her son, Percival, can't wait to start his first year studying abroad at a prestigious Martian college. When the Venusian Resistance attacks a prominent corporate headquarters, Mars goes into lock-down. Percival is detained by Martian authorities and Terry quickly finds herself torn between staying neutral to protect her livelihood, or risk everything to save her son.

Hollister Pelt III is an Asset Protection Enforcer tasked to save the Shirokawa Corporation from a hostile takeover. For the last year, he's been analyzing the disappearance of the mining vessel Ikarus and finally believes he knows the whereabouts of its very lucrative cargo. But some high ranking officials in the Mars Defense Directorate don't want to see Ikarus resurrected.... putting Hollister in their cross-hairs.

I wanted to create a science factual series containing historical and speculative elements, leading to a conflict between two factions of people on very different sides of the social hierarchy. ~ J. G. Birdsall

"Hard science fiction - that is, the kind of science fiction that gets into the nuts and bolts of science, discovery, and exploration - is underrepresented in movies and television. Venus Rises is therefore refreshing in its attention to the spacecraft and other technical details."

"Each character has a distinctive personality, from quirky to super-serious, which makes for an interesting mashup. This is one of those comics that has you eager to turn the page and continue reading"

"This is an exceptionally well-written piece of science fiction, which goes into detail about the science and engineering behind the story. It’s almost as if the creator has a degree in space travel!"

"If you're a fan of Firefly or Battlestar Galactica, you'll find VENUS RISES really attractive!"

What We Need:

We're looking to raise $3,000 in funding to help complete Exordium #2. $1,300 will go towards finishing the artwork, $1,500 covers the printing cost, and $200 will cover the printer's shipping charge. Exordium #2 will be 26 pages, in full color.

Choose between 2 different covers:

Rewards:

Exclusive small art prints by Wayne Lowdy & Robert Last. Check out Wayne's Instagram!

Exclusive VR T-shirts! Choose between 2 designs....

3D print of the Cattywompus by Gus Clark. Check out his Etsy shop! Get it painted or unpainted.

Exordium #1 has two covers to choose from. The standard cover showcases the Venusian crew, while the alternate cover (limited quantity) is of the Mars' protagonist.

The Official Companion is an in-depth look at Venus Rises, packed with behind-the-scenes interviews, many previously unpublished pictures, and a comprehensive episode guide. Featuring a Foreword by the show’s creator J. G. Birdsall, plus contributions from the production team.

Venus Rises was originally a web series, produced back in 2007. Relying heavily on physical sets, rather than green screen, it quickly became too costly to maintain.

Threshold is a two-part (black-and-white) comic that's a direct continuation of the web series.

Even if you can't contribute financially, you can still help us by spreading the word, help people find Venus Rises and get updates about the comic book. It will be greatly appreciated!

Team:

***The artwork for Issue #2 is near completion. We're aiming to have the comic and all rewards in your hand by August 2019 (if not sooner). This date may change due to unforeseen, real life day-to-day job, happenstances. We will keep you updated throughout all stages of development and any setbacks will be communicated to our backers.***

Stretch Goals:

1st: $3,000 - We complete Exordium #2! As a thank you, all backers who purchased a physical reward will get a VENUSRISES.TV bumper sticker!

2nd: $4,000 - Anyone who contributed $30 or more gets the Crew Concept poster print shipped to them for free!

3rd: $5,000 - Anyone who contributed $40 or more gets the Dueling Ships poster print shipped to them for free!

4th: $6,000 - Venus Rises: Exordium #3 is fully funded! Anyone who contributed $50 or more to the campaign will get a physical print copy of Exordium #3 when completed.

5th: $9,000 - Exordium #4 is fully funded! Anyone who contributed $50 or more will get a physical print copy of Exordium #4 when completed.

6th: $12,000 - Exordium #5 is fully funded! Anyone who contributed $50 or more will get a physical print copy of Exordium #5 when completed.

Thank you for joining the Venusian uprising!