It’s a Kickstarter Campaign we j’adore and it’s for the publication of a new comic book called THEATER OF TERROR: REVENGE OF THE QUEERS by Seattle’s own Northwest Press, the queer comic book/graphic novel publishers owned by Zan Christensen. He’s teaming up with editors Justin Hall and William O. Tyler and San Francisco drag legend/horror buff/actual horror film director PEACHES CHRIST to create a massive anthology of queer horror comics containing over 250 pages from 33 LGBTQ artists including names like Ed Luce, Howard Cruse and cover illustrator Phil Jimenez.
If you love those classic EC horror comics from the 1950s and subsequent film and TV adaptations like Creepshow and Tales From The Crypt you’ll definitely want to help the $20,000 needed to publish the anthology. It’s an LGBTQ horror lover’s dream to have these stories told through a queer lens with these fantastic artists involved.
Also: this needs funded so we can all have a copy!
Here’s more info via the Kickstarter page and here’s a LINKto go show your support….DO IT!!!!
Don’t you wanna see “Frankenschwein” and “Dyke Witch” come to glorious full color LIFE???!!?
cover by Phil Jimenez with colors by William O. Tyler and design by Charles “Zan” Christensen
Theater of Terror: Revenge of the Queers
An anthology of queer horror comics, hosted by the delightful and devious Peaches Christ!
Theater of Terror: Revenge of the Queers showcases a remarkable collection of talented LGBTQ cartoonists illustrating in vivid detail what keeps them up at night.
Featuring everything from a gay Frankenschwein made from pig parts to a lesbian Mermaid with a bone to pick, from a demonic Culture Vulture to a trans Werekat from 1930s Paris, from a Dyke Witch with a grudge to a Drag Race in Hell, these stories leap from the page and go for the throat! This book contains over 250 pages of all-original material from 33 cartoonists.
Hosted by the inimitable Peaches Christ in San Francisco’s legendary Castro Theater, these terrifying tales of psychological horror, frightful camp, fearsome social commentary, and sexy monsters will leave you shaking in your boots for the inevitable REVENGE OF THE QUEERS!
The book will be published by Seattle publisher Northwest Press, a small press specializing in LGBTQ comics and graphic novels. They’ve teamed up with award-winning editor Justin Hall (No Straight Lines, Hard to Swallow) and assistant editor William O. Tyler (The Goth Queen Needs a Mate) to produce Theater of Terror: Revenge of the Queers.
Art: Ed Luce
Our $20,000 budget will cover printing, postage, the cost of additional rewards, Kickstarter and credit card fees, and our creator payment fund. Whatever we raise above our goals will go to increase our creator page rates. So please, support the queer arts!
Printing: $9000
Creator Fund: $4700
Rewards Cost: $2000
Postage: $2000
Credit card and KS fees: $1800
Misc: $500
Horror has always been a genre full of queer possibilities and potential: misfits and underdogs take on creatures and dark forces often aligned with societal oppression and violence. This diverse group of LGBTQ creators, who represent some of the best of both mainstream and indie comics, take the genre to its limits, crafting stories to frighten, educate, shock and awe.
Featuring contributions from:
A.C. Esguerra
Alegra Figeroid
Ashley R. Guillory
Brad Rader
Dave Davenport
Diego Gomez
Ed Luce
Emeric Kennard
Eric Kostiuk Williams
Fiona Smyth
Geov Chouteau
Howard Cruse
Jen Hickman
Jennifer Camper
Jon Cairns
Joshua Grannell
Justin Hall
Levi Hastings
Maia Kobabe
Mariko Tamaki
Phil Jimenez
Rachel Pollack
Robyn Adams
Sean Platter
Sina Grace
Steve MacIsaac
Tana Ford
Tara Madison Avery
Terry Blas
Tina Horn
Trinidad Escobar
Victor Hodge
William O. Tyler
Rewards
In addition to the books themselves, available in digital form or in print, we’re also offering a bunch of fun and unique things.
Signed Pinup Prints: Some of the movie-poster pinups in the book are being turned into signed art prints; you can get one of your choice, or the complete set of four signed prints!
Howard Cruse, Trinidad Escobar, William O. Tyler, and Ed Luce
All-over Printed T-Shirt: We’re offering a bundle that features a delicious, all-over-print t-shirt, featuring Michael Wertz’ endpaper art from the book.
Design by Michael Wertz
Custom Video Message: At the $200 level, the one and only Peaches Christ will record a personalized video for you, good for any occasion where you want fabulousness mixed with menace! Whether it’s a birthday message, congratulations on graduating from college, sorry about your demonic possession… the possibilities are endless. (Also comes with bonus “Peaches cackle” ringtone so you can have Peaches in your pocket always!)
Peaches Christ
Original Art Rewards: Finally, throughout the campaign, we’re going to be offering original art bundles featuring pages from the book and brand-new art pieces from some of the talented artists in the book. We’re starting with Brad Rader, Justin Hall, and Ashley R. Guillory. These rewards are extremely limited—usually just 1 piece will be offered per artist!—so act fast!
Artwork by Brad Rader, Ashley R. Guillory, and Justin Hall (sample images; actual pieces may vary)
Risks and challenges
This is the 15th Kickstarter campaign we’ve run (or co-run) and we’ve gotten very familiar with the pitfalls that open up along the way. If we run into any delays in printing or shipping, we will be transparent and make sure backers are aware of the situation.
As the Editorial Director/Co-Owner, Michael Strangeways writes, edits and does about a million other jobs for Seattle Gay Scene, Puget Sound's most visited LGBTQ news, arts and entertainment website now celebrating its 14th year as a media outlet. A semi-proud Midwesterner by birth, he's lived in Seattle since 2000. He's also a film producer who would like you to check out the Jinkx Monsoon documentary, "Drag Becomes Him" now available on Amazon.com. In his spare time, he gets slightly obsessive about his love for old movies, challenging theater, "otters", vodka, chocolate, "I,Claudius", Lizzie Borden, real books made out of paper, disaster films, show tunes, Weimar era Germany, flea markets, pop surrealistic art, the sex lives of Hollywood actors both living and dead, kitties, chicken fried steak, haute couture and David Bowie. But, not necessarily in that order.
