British indie comic creator and artist Dan Butcher, perhaps best known for his brilliant Vanguard superhero series, is currently running a Kickstarter for his equally enjoyable 1980s-inspired action comic Vyper – VYPER – Red Shadow.
If you’re a fan of 1980s action adventure TV such as Knight Rider, Airwolf or The A-Team, then you should definitely check this out. Building on past success, the Kickstarter hit its goal in under ten minutes after campaign launched earlier this month, so don’t miss your opportunity to be part of its growing popularity!
Set in Los Angeles of the time, as the Vyper team battles the Yakuza, old foes, and the enigmatic Vyper Red in a neon-soaked, synthwave action comic.
For those who came in late, the Vyper series centres on Sloane Vyperini, who drives the high-tech urban pacification vehicle known as VYPER. Each each action-packed issue of the title is stand alone, while still building the series, that sees Sloane and his allies on a mission to rid 1980s Los Angeles of the vicious drug lords that rule the city streets.
VYPER – Red Shadow sees him up against a prototype of his own vehicle, Codename: Vyper Red, considered too dangerous for the streets. Too powerful to control.
Now, it’s in the hands of the Yakuza… and they’ve got unfinished business with Sloane.
“Broken hearts. Broken bones. Ghosts of the past come crashing back with a vengeance,” Dan teases. “Los Angeles explodes in martial arts carnage and high-octane mayhem.
“Can Sloane Viperini conquer his foes and win the girl?”
Find out in… VYPER – Red Shadow, a crowdfunded project that looks absolutely phenomenal, building on Dan’s deserved past success with the series. Fully funded, the comic itself will be published in early 2026.
Just like the cult TV series that inspires this entertaining saga every episode of VYPER is a complete, high-octane adventure in its own right.
As part of the “Extras” to this campaign, which ends this week, on Friday 28th November 2025, you can also pick up Vyper: Crime has a New Enemy, a 52-page tale that serves as the series “pilot episode”, and copies of the previously-released Vyper: Crimson Dawn.
In addition to creating and publishing VYPER and Vanguard, a long-running webcomic about a government-backed superhero team in a politically unstable future Britain, Dan Butcher co-founded the UK small-press collective TBH Comics. Outside of his comics, Dan is a co-host of The Awesome Comics Podcast, where he highlights indie creators and discusses the craft of making comics, and promoting the various global small-press communities.
• Follow the VYPER project on Facebook
• Follow Dan Butcher on Patreon | Instagram | X
• Check out Vanguard at vanguardcomic.com
• The Awesome Comics Podcast Episode 543 – Drawn Under the Influence!
This week the ACP goes under the influence of comics once again, as the epic new charity anthology DUI (Drawn Under the Influence) returns. Who better to discuss the book than Simon Russell, who has taken on the task of editing the book? From the good cause it’s raising money for, to editing, graphic design, artistic influences and what the anthology genre is like for new creators. There’s plenty of laughs, a ton of great artistic chat and more names, books and good causes to add to your lists!
- About the Author
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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.
Categories: British Comics, Comics, Creating Comics, Crowd Funding Projects, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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