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New SKRAWL anthology smashes Kickstarter target in under 24 hours

By John Freeman on August 4, 2020

SKRAWL, a terrific-looking independent comic anthology magazine featuring cartoonists, artists and writers primarily from the UK’s independent comic scene, will launch this October, following an astonishingly successful Kickstarter campaign.

Aiming to continue in the tradition of magazines such as Escape, Pssst! and Revolver, SKRAWL was launched on Kickstarter on 1st August 2020 and met its goal in just under 24 hours.

Given the astonishing line up of talent involved, both up-and-coming UK talent as well as established professionals, that should have come as no real surprise, but support from leading comics professionals such as editor Shelly Bond certainly helped!

SKRAWL #1 will get its digital release on 9th October with pre-orders for a physical launch on the 21st October.

The core of SKRAWL are the SKRAWLLORDZ (Mark Hughes (Silverbeard), Russell Mark Olson (Gateway City; Tripwire Award Best New Talent 2018; Yancy Street Award Best UK artist 2018), Nick Prolix (Slang Pictorial), Martin Simpson (Needleman, Pipedream Comics Top 10 Indie Comics of the Year 2018), Pete Taylor (Silverbeard), and Gustaffo Vargas (Manu, Pipedream Comics Indie Comic of the Year winner, 2019), who formed during last year’s Lakes International Comic Art Festival.

The magazine will also feature guest spots by their chums, including UK-indie royalty Phil Elliott (Tales from Gimbley), Rosie Packwood (Bun), Jessica Lucas (Yours, Yesterday), Matt Simmons (Bastard Galaxia), and the Cartoon Museum’s Artist-in-residence, Mark Stafford (The Bad Bad Place).

And to further accentuate the magazine-ness of the anthology, John Reppion (Conspiracy of Ravens) and Lucy Sullivan (Barking) will provide an illustrated short folk horror story.

While experimentation is not a requirement, SKRAWL aims to allow cartoonists the freedom to explore the medium of comics and offer opportunities for collaboration. Many aspects of the comics industry are in flux, and as an anthology format magazine available in print and digital, SKRAWL is well positioned to provide cartoonists a vehicle to navigate the turbulent waters with short, punchy examples of their craft. SKRAWL fully intends to evolve and grow through subsequent issues.

The SKRAWL Kickstarter campaign offers backers to get on board the publication either as a fully digital or print edition, with retailer tiers for comic shops and bookstores.

The magazine will be US format, (a bit bigger and a lot wider than a US comic– at 280 x 210 mm) perfect bound, and currently sitting at a page count of 84…but we’d like to expand outwards a bit through stretch goals.

SKRAWL promises to be one of the most exciting comic anthologies of the year and the campaign can be found on Kickstarter at bit.ly/skrawlmag.

Funding began 1st August and ends on Thursday 20th August 2020 at noon BST. Digital backers can get the full magazine for £5, while the physical magazine is £12 (plus shipping). SKRAWL #1 will get its digital release on 9th October with pre-orders for a physical launch on the 21st October 2020.

Retailers in the UK and EU can take advantage of the retailer tier which offers eight copies for £48 (plus shipping). For more information, please email skrawllordz@gmail.com

• Check out the SKRAWL Kickstarter here

• Follow SKRAWL on Twitter @skrawllordz

• Keep an eye on the SKRAWL BigCartel to order your copy if you prefer to get your hands on it that way

Included in Issue #1…

• Mark Hughes brings us a tale of alien aggro and galactic barhopping

• Russell Mark Olson gives readers a 1960’s Alpine Hitchockian fairy tale

• When the mighty Nick Prolix decides to do auto-bio, you can be sure it’s not gonna be your run of the mill slice of life!

• Martin Simpson takes us into the lonely vacuum of space as a sole explorer comes face to face with the emptiness of eternity.

• Pete Taylor brings us an emotional tale of childhood friends with a consuming comic obsession.

• Gustaffo Vargas will get you rooting for man’s best friend as he presents a battle of beasts in colours so vibrant you’ll be swept along on a river of watercolour

• Phil Elliott recounts a tale of friendship, music, and getting trapped in small spaces

• Rosie Packwood ascends to lofty heights in a cliff-hanging yarn of future-sport

• Jessica Lucas isn’t telling… yet!

• Matt Simmons archives ephemera for the punk band Venus and the Afterbirths

• Mark Stafford takes the corner booth earwigging on pub conversations in Hell Hole

• An illustrated short folk horror story from John Reppion and Lucy Sullivan

SKRAWL #1 will get its digital release on 9th October with pre-orders for a physical launch on the 21st October 2020

• Check out the SKRAWL Kickstarter here

• Follow SKRAWL on Twitter @skrawllordz

• Keep an eye on the SKRAWL BigCartel to order your copy if you prefer to get your hands on it that way

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.