I often joke that the only backer I like more than a brand new backer is a returning backer. But honestly, it’s the returning backers who push Ludo and I to keep going when times get tough. $30 from a new Backer means the exact same to our business as $30 from a returning Backer. But recognizing names over and over again continues to pay off psychologically long after the money’s been spent.
Wanna know a secret? I started to list a few names of backers that I can mention off the top of my head. But after about a dozen I started to realize there were too many to list. And that cutting any out felt bad. Let's leave it that I know who you are if you've been with us over and over. And man I appreciate it.
What I’m saying is if this is the right time for you, please be a returning backer for Tart 15. We are at a pivot point for this series. I have ideas for up to four projects related to Tart that I want to get working on including, of course, Tart 16 which is already written. But we have time to discuss future plans. Today is about celebrating the birth of Tart 15. Let’s make it happen together!
Tart 15 launches tomorrow morning
almost 3 years ago
– Mon, Apr 10, 2023 at 10:43:42 AM
I wanted to reach out to you as a backer of the Tart 11 & 12, and/or Tart 13 Kickstarter campaign. Tomorrow, Tuesday, April 11th, we are launching the campaign to Kickstarter Tart 15.
I'm sending emails, updates and Backerkit Launch messages to all of our previous backers tomorrow as we launch (usually between 9 AM and 11 AM EST depending on how ready I am tonight), but I wanted to send a specific message to you today. And the reason is, something happened to our extra back stock of Tart 14.
Ever since we started working with Scout Comics, we have chosen to make the Tart Kickstarter floppies a very rare, extremely collectible edition of our story. Issues 4-7, printed before we had a deal with Scout Comics, were printed to match the unit numbers of the Tart vol Trade Paperback (2,000 units). But from issue 8 on, the print run shrunk dramatically with about 400 copies of issues 8 and 9 printed, and fewer copies of each individual issue after.
My math in those campaigns was the number of books we needed to fulfill our current Kickstarter Backers for that campaign + existing issues of Tart 8 + a tiny number of protection copies. The thinking being, I wanted to have catch up tiers of first printings, but not much more. With the option for people to catch up with the story in their local comic shop about a year later, it makes more sense to make the Kickstarter books more valuable to our backers (and decreases the chance that I'm competing with myself later).
This worked out really well until Tart 14 arrived with almost all of our extra and protection copies damaged. Some slightly damaged, some terribly so. Because these books are so rare, and we use such premium paper, we have to charge a premium price. I can not in good conscience charge between $10 and $15 for a comic that is damaged.
What this update exists for is to let anyone who missed the Tart 14 campaign know that there is a very limited number of Tart 14's that will be available as an add on. Literally five copies. There will also be five full series catch up bundles with nice Tart 14's. As a quick aside we're adding a "Beaten and Battered" catch up tier for readers who do not care about collectibility for $45 cheaper than the full catch up. Not every book received will be damaged, but that catch up will be built from books that are bent, crimped and in one case of Tart 4, with fresh puppy chewed corners.
So if you missed Tart 14 and were hoping to add it, be sure to get into the campaign as early as possible tomorrow. You can visit our prelaunch page to be messaged the second I hit launch:
I promise you I'd rather have forty beautiful copies of Tart 14 and never have to send this update, but I did think you should know so you can plan accordingly.
Thank you! We're really excited to get a new story into your hands!
Kevin
PS - Please note I only showed photos of the damaged copies. The ten I have sitting here (well, 11, but I want to have one protective copy) are nice.
PPS - If you are a back and hold person who pledged for Tart 14, your copies are held separately, and were pulled from the undamaged books. You don't have to do anything to get a nice copy besides back Tart 15 and tell me to send it with your survey.
The middle part is the toughest.
almost 4 years ago
– Tue, Jun 14, 2022 at 01:23:52 AM
Kickstarter campaigns are a bit like a marathon stuck in between two 100 yard dashes.
If creators are lucky, and have readers like Ludo and I do, we dash out on the first day or two and have incredible energy to work with going forward. In theory, there is another sprint in the last 48 hours or so to end on a high note.
All that time in the middle? That's time where you are hoping to make slow and steady progress finding new readers, and reaching readers who want to come back, but just haven't seen the campaign is live yet.
With less than two weeks left on the Tart: Submerged Hardcover Kickstarter Campaign (collecting issues 4-7), I wanted to use today to try to do both those things.
This morning I went on Rob Andersin's Backer Pause in hopes of reaching new readers (and heck, it was fun). This afternoon I'm messaging you as a backer of Tart 13 to make sure you know what we are up to. Many of our readers from Tart 13 have already backed this current campaign. But since the events of Tart 13 are directly related to the adventure in the Submerged arc, I want to make 100% sure you know what we are up to,
We have passed the funding goal of $13,000 to print a gorgeous hardcover that matches the Adrift Hardcover that collects Tart 1-3.
We're now trying to raise enough to add 16 pages of back matter to the book with some behind the scenes stuff, an Afterward by a creator I respect as much as I like, and even a short story I wrote long before the Submerged story arc was ever even a thought of ours.
If you have already backed, I can not thank you enough. If this isn't the right time for you, we totally understand. But if you were planning on grabbing a hardcover of your own in this campaign (or even give us a virtual high five as some have done by backing for "no reward" and pledging $5) can I ask you to do so now?
We're in that middle part where we can really make progress before that final sprint. And our returning readers, and most ardent supporters are the people who will help us do so.
Thank you as always for any support you can, or have given us. We are still working on this book because of you. We are going to finish this series because of you. The only question is, how nice will each version of each chapter or arc be... also because of you.
Kevin
The Tart 14 Campaign ends at 2 PM EST today
over 4 years ago
– Mon, Dec 13, 2021 at 11:12:05 AM
One last note to the backers of the Tart 13, 11 & 12, and 10 campaigns to let you know that in about four hours the Tart 14 campaign will close.
We're thrilled to be nearing 400 backers, and would love to have you saddle up with Tart as she rides into the sunset (but not off into the sunset... she has plenty more to do before she can retire if Ludo and I have a say in it).
No pledge is too big or too small (well, I think you're capped at $10,000, but if you really want to check the speedometer on that I won't be mad at ya), and no share is unappreciated.
We exist because of you. Maybe it's because I write a time travel caper, but I can't help but thank you for your support. Now, then and in the future.
Kevin
Tart's adventure continues!
over 4 years ago
– Mon, Nov 29, 2021 at 07:22:15 PM
I am updating every backer who helped us bring Tart 10, 11, 12 and 13 into the world.
Ludo, DC, Cassie, Andrea and I are back on Kickstarter to raise funding to print Tart 14. An issue where we get to play in the American Old West.
You might get this email multiple times. As an apology I'll use different images from the comic in each one.
This installment follows Tart as she starts a new responsibility within the Toxic Fruit. Paranormal Investigator. She's taking over for Lemon La Morgue, who was more of a free agent.
Not every supernatural occurrence is powerful enough for Kyu to identify in the Time Stream. But they still leave impressions. Tart Acid is sent to the general area of the impression to try to figure out what is happening. and bring any information she leans back to The Toxic Fruit to provide future Toxics with knowledge of how to survive a situation like it.
These missions can take days, weeks or even months. And as Tart will learn, the lines between good and bad, are a lot blurrier.
We're thrilled to keep this going on Kickstarter. And we can do that because of you. Our core readers. Thank you as always. Now... wanna Kickstart My Tart?
