5 Indie Comics That Look Worth Your Money

The 5 Indie Comics weekly column is back.

In our fourth weekly column, Bounding Into Comics recommended Deus Vult, Airboy, Groken, 1stMan, and Bloom.

Related: 5 Indie Comics That Look Worth Your Money

The purpose of this column is to shine a light on some independent projects that look top notch all around from the story to the art.

The books are not ranked in any particular order, but are simply a list of five independent books that are currently available to purchase now or are being crowdfunded on various platforms.

So, let’s get into it.

1. Shadowbinders Vol. 1 And Vol. 2

Shadowbinders is created by Kambrea and Thom Pratt aka Geeky Sparkles and Kneon of Clownfish TV.

The official description begins, “Mia White was an ordinary high school girl with ordinary high school problems. That all changed the day she was given her grandfather’s mysterious journal and an even more mysterious antique ring — one that transports her to another world!”

It continues, “Now this ordinary girl finds herself in an extraordinary realm filled with airships, flying serpents and clockwork cities! But her biggest challenge may come in the form of handsome, aloof (and downright infuriating) mage Crimson Rhen…”

The books were originally a web comic that appeared on both Keenspot and WEBTOON. With the launch of this hardcover collection, Clownfish TV hopes to launch a Clownfish Comics imprint.

Each book is 160 pages long in full color on 6″ 9″ paper. The first book contains chapters 1-6 of the webcomic while the second book contains chapters 7-10 of the webcomic.

It is currently available to back on IndieGoGo. The two hardcover set costs $60. Clownfish promises that the books will “be ready to ship almost immediately after IndieGoGo releases funds!”

2. Space Bastards Vol. 1 and Vol. 2

Space Bastards is created by Joseph Aubrey and Eric Peterson and features artwork by Darick Robertson, Simon Bisley, Colin MacNeil, and Clint Langley.

The official description begins, “In the future, violence is everywhere. Corporations are exploiting the weak and disenfranchised. And while America has taken to the cosmos, unemployment is rampant, infrastructure is crumbling, and basic services are unreliable.”

“Getting mail between planets is damn near impossible. The Intergalactic Postal Service offers the best paying, yet deadliest, jobs in the universe,” it continues.

It goes on, “In the Intergalactic Postal Service there are only three rules: Whoever delivers the package gets paid. A postal worker may kill or incapacitate any other postal worker to steal a package and deliver it themself. The more times a parcel changes hands, the higher the payout for completing that delivery.”

“The wild ensemble cast of SPACE BASTARDS features an unemployed accountant, a death row inmate, a divorced real estate agent, an alien immigrant, a raging alcoholic, a retired privateer, and a former executive assistant in their new lives delivering packages for the Intergalactic Postal Service,” it adds.

The description concludes, “Under the volatile leadership of Postmaster General Roy Sharpton, these Space Bastards are forever at each other’s throats trying to settle scores and earn big money.”

The hardcover books are 130 plus pages each. The first volume features two complete chapters with artwork by Darick Robertson. It also includes “a charming tale of a man wrestling his inner demons with artwork by Simon Bisley,” and other in-universe extras.

The second volume features two more chapters of the book with artwork by Robertson. It also features “an amazing introduction to ‘Resurrection’ Mary with artwork by Colin MacNeil,” and “a gritty story about a man forced out of retirement with artwork by Clint Langley.”

The book can be purchased separately on IndieGoGo for $30 each. If you want them signed it will cost $35. You can get both volumes for $55. And if you want them both signed there is a $65 package.

3. Arachna

Arachna is written by Martti Kauppinen with artwork by Carlos Granda, colors by Maksim Strelkov and lettering by Hellica.

The official description begins, “From the secret underground lairs in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey to the penthouse suites of the Ritz Hotel in New York, dark and disturbed minds are planning a wave of terror and destruction. People vanishing, taken by power-hungry mad scientists, or dying in the hands of gruesome mutated serial killers.”

It continues, “The citizens have a new protector, however. A masked avenger. She uses the concrete jungle of New York City as her playground, sticking to walls and swinging from organic webs she shoots from her fingertips. Her name is Arachna.”

“By day, the timid Jennie Janus is your average everyday college student at the Pratt Institute who wants her haute couture fashion designs to grace the runways one day. By night, her adventurous split personality – named Arachna – she’s had since childhood comes out to play,” it adds

The description concludes, “Neither personality admits to knowing how they got their mysterious super-powers. Both Jennie and Arachna claim to have just woken up one day like that. One of them is lying…”

The book is 48 pages long with full colors. 

It features multiple variant covers from Carlos Dattoli, Redge Vincente, and a cosplay variant.

It is available to back on IndieGoGo for $25. 

4. Shotgun Samurai

Shotgun Samurai comes from creator Donkey Madness.

Here’s the official description, “The Shotgun Samurai has left his old life behind him. After being made aware of the atrocities he has committed, he now seeks to make amends for his past life.”

It continues, “Shotgun Samurai, along with George and Tofu, set out to capture the Vice Regent to the Shogun.  Little did they know, the trap they set up, was actually a trap set for them!”

The description concludes, “The vengeful ‘Ninja with No Face’ has trained his whole life for this moment, when he can finally get revenge on the Shotgun Samurai!”

The book is 200 pages long and is printed in the style of a manga graphic novel.

It features three different variant covers from Jo Ball, Mangaka Ody, and Jose Garcia.

You can back the project on IndieGoGo. It will run you $20.

5. How To Die: Birth of the Black Ice

How To Die is written by J.P. Plack, drawn by Bogdan Ristea and lettered by Federico Corsini.

The official description begins, “HOW TO DIE is a series about the horrors lurking in the dawn of evolution, where humans develop superpowers not for survival but from lack of purpose.”

“It’s a world where the dregs of humanity, the listless, the lost souls dangling from the lowest rungs of society can become Gods, but only if they know HOW TO DIE,” it continues.

The description goes on, “In BIRTH OF THE BLACK ICE we meet Anthony, a boy awakened by his father before dawn to go hunting, just as fathers and sons have done for centuries. But this is not like those hunts, however, as they seek not a stout buck in the chilled morning, but the soul of a useless man.”

“This harvest is not for meat nor clothing as those are plentiful. They thin the herd of man for the betterment of all, as their family has for generations. But when young Anthony is thrust into the role of the hunter, something new and truly horrific will be born,” the description concludes.

How To Die is a 28-page book “that uses grim greys to paint a dark world and tell the origins of a monster.”

The book will feature a variant cover from Ralph Barrientos.

You can back How To Die for $15 on IndieGoGo.

What books are you backing? What have you been reading that’s good?

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