Crowdfunding Spotlight: Shinku Complete

By John Freeman on February 14, 2025

When American comic artist and writer, Lee Moder passed away in 2023, aged just 53, he left behind a lot of unpublished pages for the vampire-hunting samurai book Shinku, created with writer Ron Marz – and, now, Ron is putting out a Shinku Complete hardcover via Zoop.

Shinku #1 (Image Comics) - Shinku created by Ron Marz and Lee Moder

Shinku, written by Ron Marz, pencilled by Lee Moder, inked by Matthew Waite and coloured by Michael Atiyeh, lettered by Troy Peteri, is the blood-splattered tale of a modern samurai hunting down a clan of ancient vampires in the neon-drenched streets of Tokyo.

Created by Ron and Lee Moder, Shinku was hailed as an action-horror masterpiece, releasing an acclaimed five-issue collection from Image Comics.

Moder hailed from Pittsburgh, and studied art at Pennsylvania’s La Roche University before beginning his career at Malibu Comics in 1992. The following year, he took over as artist on William Messner-Loebs’ Wonder Woman run, before moving on to pencil Legion of Super-Heroes in 1994. He would continue to draw the title regularly until its 100th issue in 1998, collaborating with writers like Mark Waid, Tom McCraw and Tom Peyer.

His many credits over his thirty year career also included writing Young Justice, Justice League Action, Justice League Action Shorts, and he was the co-creator of Stargirl,

When Lee tragically passed away two years ago, he left behind nearly two full additional issues of Shinku, plus a wealth of covers, pin-ups, and designs.

*Shinku Ashcan cover by Lee Moder | Via ComicArtFans*

Shinku Complete will contain the previous material, as well as all of Lee’s unpublished story pages, artwork, and explorations. “It’s a bloody love letter to vampire tales, samurai stories,” say Ron and team, “and a brilliant artist taken from us far too soon.”

Shinku created by Ron Marz and Lee Moder

• Sign up here to be notified when the Shinku Complete campaign goes live

• Follow Ron Marz on BlueSky

• ComicBook.com – Tribute to Lee Moder

• Art by Lee Moder on ComicArtFans

• Lee Moder Art at Comic Art House

About the Author
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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as 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.