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Indie project “Beast Wagon” gains huge Kickstarter backing

By John Freeman on March 11, 2015 • ( 2 )

A stunning-looking comics project from British Comic Award nominated Owen Michael Johnson, Leed’s based illustrator John Pearson and Colin Bell is well on its way to securing backing on Kickstarter for not one but two editions of the eagerly-anticpated title – a black comedy comic book series set in a zoo.

The Kickstarter launched in February with a special event at London’s Orbital Comics, where an exhibition of some of the art runs until 19th March 2015.

Writer Owen Michael Johnson performs with Karlsnarl & The Animatones at Beast Wagon exhibition and Kickstarter launch in Orbital Comics London. Photo courtesy the Beast Wagon team

The new anthropomorphic comic series – lettered by Colin – concerns animals captive in the fictional Whipsnarl Zoo and the Orbital Comics party saw both men and women transformed into beasts with animal face-painting and a shamanistic mixed-media performance involving spoken word (performed by Owen), live-painting (performed by John) and an original soundtrack (performed by Karlsnarl & The Animatones).

Beast Wagon opens in the middle of a summer heatwave, where the new arrival at Whipsnarl Zoo heralds a primal disturbance amongst its animal population. Some believe it the harbinger of a vast cosmic event. For others, it is simply another prisoner. For some, it is a reason to revolt.

Over the course of the day, the human and animal interactions grow stranger, and the boundary between the two begins to blur…

Response to the project has been incredible, first issue funding fully backed within 48 hours of being launched and the project now on the way to securing the required £3000 in backing for a second issue, which, if successful, will be released in November. That’s on top of the first issue and the planned incentives for backers, which include a beautiful gorilla print by John, badges, t-shirts and a fun “Whipsnarl Zoo” map.

Every member of the Beast Wagon team is an established professional in their own right: writer Owen Michael Johnson is the British Comic Award nominated writer of Raygun Roads; illustratorJohn Pearson whose clients include Lionsgate Films and Rue Morgue magazine, and letterer Colin Bell who has lent his talents to publishers as diverse as BOOM! Studios, Image and Titan Comics.

We think it’s well worth checking out.

• Check out Beast Wagon on Kickstarter

• Follow Owen Michael Johnson on Twitter

• Follow John Pearson on Twitter

• Follow Colin Bell on Twitter

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.