As Kickstarter comics has its greatest hit ever with $4.5m Transformers Compedium, Popverse talks with its comics lead Sam Kusek concerning the platform and future plans.
In some ways, crowdfunding has grow to be a manner for initiatives that have been too dangerous to ever occur to occur – with its supporters ready to give creators the boldness to do one thing they in any other case would not. While at first it was primarily the area for small, impartial companies (and people) to deal with their dream initiatives it is grown to be that and extra, for bigger entities to do even greater issues that even that may suppose in any other case is unattainable.
And that is indubitably true with comics. In 2025, the crowdfunding chief Kickstarter has seen the variety of comics mission launches on its platform rise to its greatest but – and the success fee, percentage-wise, is additionally up. And earlier this 12 months it hosted the most important funded comics crowdfunding marketing campaign ever – reaching its $40k purpose in its first two minutes, and in the end garnering $4.65m from 11k+ backers over its month-long marketing campaign. That was the hardcover reprint of the basic ’80s Marvel Transformers run in a new bespoke set referred to as The Transformers Compendium. This mission was organized by Transformers comics licensor Skybound Leisure, together with Transformers’ proprietor Hasbro, and Skybound’s publishing companion Picture Comics.
With all of that occurring and Comedian-Con Worldwide: San Diego looming, Popverse caught up with Kickstarter’s senior outreach lead for comics Sam Kusek to discuss all of this, in addition to latest new options to assist shield Kickstarter backers, and the rise of AI-generated work on the platform.
Popverse: Sam, how would you say Kickstarter and the comics class have modified and advanced since you have been right here?
Sam Kusek: Since I’ve joined, Kickstarter has actually been in a interval of fast know-how progress, with the discharge of Late Pledges, Secret Rewards, and the Pledge Supervisor. It feels just like the platform is actively listening to the creators, and it’s been nice to get suggestions from a few of our prime creators about what is and isn’t working. Kickstarter is in the end about neighborhood, and if we aren’t speaking, then one thing isn’t working.
Comics itself has seen a spike in initiatives launched this 12 months (up 22% from final 12 months) and a bump in success fee as nicely, though I do know for some of us, they aren’t hitting their objectives till later within the marketing campaign. Like many issues, the comics class and crowdfunding typically reply to the bigger macro economic system state of affairs, and with so many modifications this 12 months, it may be difficult to navigate. However the stability in the neighborhood and our help is nonetheless there.
Popverse: You see information within the big image, and in addition see issues we on the surface do not get entry to. What are you seeing because the developments taking place or about to occur within the comics class?
We’ve seen a few big developments in latest months –
- Big-name IPs are exhibiting up in new methods. That features franchises like Black Mirror, Transformers, and Rick & Morty finding new life on Kickstarter. In the event you look our highest-funded comics initiatives to date this 12 months, the highest two are IP-centric:
- We’ve seen a rise in retailer tiers. Extra comics creators are constructing retail-friendly reward tiers into their crowdfunding campaigns, serving to them get their books instantly into shops.
- As you realize, comics followers are extremely engaged, and with us that’s undoubtedly the case. We see a median conversion fee of 31% the place pre-launch followers flip into backers. Notably, 29% of whole funding sometimes is available in on day one of many marketing campaign, and one other 12% on day two, that means many campaigns hit practically half their purpose inside the first 48 hours.
- Reprints of hard-to-find points, expanded editions of cult favorites, and deep dives into the inventive course of are additionally resonating in the mean time.
Simply how big have been Transformers and The Expanse for Kickstarter?
Transformers and The Expanse has exceeded all expectations and with Transformers it hit its purpose in two minutes. That compendium is now our most-funded in Kickstarter comics historical past.
We’re right here speaking simply earlier than Comedian-Con Worldwide: San Diego. What are Kickstarter’s plans this weekend?
We have now a lot occurring, together with two panels that I’m moderating.
- Friday, July 25 @ 6:30 – 7:30 PM: Industry Vets Go Independent on Kickstarter – Filip Sablik (writer, Ignition Press), Jazzlyn Stone (director of communications, Tiny Onion), Hank Kanalz (writer, Clover Press), Chris Thompson (Editorial, PR and Advertising Guide), share why they’ve pivoted to unique, creator-owned work and the way Kickstarter is serving to them construct audiences, fund their visions, and show there’s a couple of manner to break in — or get away — within the trade. Room 26AB
- Sunday, July 27 @ 2:00 – 3:00 PM: How Kickstarter Can Kickstart Your Profession – Carl Choi (writer & co-founder, 247 Comics), Kat Calamia (founder, Lifeline Comics), Charlie Stickney (Writer/CEO, White Ash Comics), and Phil Falco (founder, Lifeline Comics) will share recommendation on how to idea, plan, and launch a profitable crowdfunding marketing campaign. Room 28DE
As well as, Ignition Press is heading to San Diego Comedian-Con with an immersive fan expertise, The Ignition Press Room. Those that cease by the expertise from Thursday to Saturday might be ready to seize a free espresso from the Ignition Press x Kickstarter Espresso Bar. The Ignition Press Room might be positioned within the coronary heart of the Gaslamp District on the Sinclair (643 G Road) within the Gaslamp District
On Thursday, we’re additionally co-sponsoring the annual CBLDF Welcome Occasion.
On the CBLDF welcome celebration, the Ignition Press x Kickstarter Espresso Bar, at our panels and as we stroll the conference ground, we’ll even be handing out a model new zine designed particularly for comics creators. The zine is filled with crowdfunding recommendation from myself and different Kickstarter creators like Richard Fairgray, Spike Trotman, Sebastian Girner, Kat Calamia, Mira Ong Chua, Charlie Stickney, Phil Falco, and Stephen Kok.
Kickstarter in its early years had the repute of being the place particular person creators who could not get funding elsewhere may go to get crowdfunding. Now we see locations like BOOM!, Skybound, and extra utilizing it – additionally to get funding – however as extra of recent mannequin of taking pre-orders. As somebody who’s labored at a writer doing Kickstarter, and now at Kickstarter working with publishers, what do you suppose prompted this progress?
As I see it, this progress actually is a results of the lack of conventions throughout COVID. One main direct-to-consumer channel, the place particular editions and distinctive objects would usually drop, had to go away, for good purpose, however the hole was nonetheless there. So Kickstarter turned a safer, and in some methods, extra wide-reaching answer, as we’re a world market.
What would you say to the followers who really feel that having a main company doing a Kickstarter feels off?
I perceive how you’re feeling nevertheless, there are two factors that I need to make folks conscious of:
- These campaigns convey a lot of recent backers to the platform, and we’re making a concentrated effort to level these folks to different campaigns, focusing closely on impartial works. Simply because somebody comes for Energy Rangers or Transformers doesn’t imply that they gained’t stick round to see what else is there.
- Increasingly more main companies are utilizing Kickstarter to fund initiatives that frankly may not make as a lot sense if it simply got here out by the direct or ebook market. The attain we have now permits them to take extra dangers and produce higher books and collectibles for their followers as a result of there is simply extra safety in how many individuals they may attain.
May you see somebody like Marvel or DC doing a crowdfunding marketing campaign in some unspecified time in the future instantly?
It’s not exterior of the realm of risk, however it could have to be the precise factor. It will have to resonate with followers & really feel like a distinctive product. In some methods, there is already a Marvel & DC presence with the Clover Press Artbooks, which spotlight particular artists from each homes. I feel these are nice examples of what could be completed to communicate instantly to followers.
Any of us who’ve participated in Kickstarter choices for a important size of time in all probability have a minimum of one which was funded, however the mission fell aside. Since your time at Kickstarter, have there been any modifications to assist shield shoppers extra and to assist these KS organizers handle their initiatives extra successfully?
Sure. Proper now at Kickstarter, we’re launching extra updates to our platform than at every other time in our historical past. We’re actually pushing exhausting on innovating for our neighborhood.
One of many greatest updates this 12 months is the launch of our Kickstarter Pledge Supervisor. Constructed instantly into the Kickstarter expertise and always evolving based mostly on creator suggestions, our pledge administration instruments enable for creators to extra simply handle and ship on the guarantees they want to fulfill to their backers post-campaign. It even contains a Tariff Supervisor to assist creators apply extra fees transparently and pretty.
We’ve additionally been specializing in updating our fraud detection techniques, together with extra particulars about a creator’s observe report on their mission web page, and increasing how we notify backers on initiatives the place there are important achievement failures and a creator hasn’t adopted our guidelines.
We acknowledge that backers need extra transparency, accountability, and assurance when supporting initiatives—and we’re dedicated to assembly these wants.
AI-generated artwork is turning into increasingly prevalent. In 2023, Kickstarter put out a coverage that enables AI-generated merchandise on the platform if it is disclosed upfront and if the KS organizer says they’ve the consent of the homeowners of the work the AI-generated materials is based mostly on. How has that been for you?
Earlier than launching the coverage, we hung out asking our creators and backers what they wished from us because the panorama for AI advanced, and what we heard was “transparency.” Folks wished to know upfront if AI was being utilized in a mission and the way.
Our coverage requires a creator to disclose their use of AI in order that backers know what they’re supporting. It’s additionally vital to add that initiatives which might be absolutely generated utilizing AI will not be permitted on the platform, and that if a creator fails to disclose their use of AI truthfully and precisely, that’s additionally a violation of our guidelines.
I’ve discovered that comics creators are upfront about it, and those who aren’t are famous, contacted, and if they’re discovered to be utilizing AI with out disclosing, are requested to cancel and redo their marketing campaign inside the correct guidelines.
Final query, and doubtless the most important one for the folks wanting to get funding by Kickstarter, and people of us wanting to help and purchase issues on Kickstarter. What do you suppose is the most important X-factor within the success of a comedian mission on Kickstarter?
There isn’t a single silver bullet right here, however in my expertise, there are a few issues that I feel proceed to create steady success:
- Unique artwork tiers proceed to be highly regarded, both as sketchcards, remarques, or backers being drawn into the ebook.
- If creators are ready to, promoting backlist titles or bundles of their earlier work is additionally a wonderful means to proceed to construct an viewers over time.
- Readability of details about delivery & different logistics on the web page. Backers want to perceive their whole monetary dedication and if they’re going to be charged upfront, in a while and so forth. It doesn’t matter what it is, serving to them know, helps everybody in the long term.
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