Tag Archives: cosmic lion productions

Updated: Kickstarter Censors Don Simpson’s Megaton Man: Multimensions

Posted on by

Update: Kickstarter has reversed their decision and Megaton Man: Multimensions is now live. As we expected, Kickstarter is claiming that they were attempting to comply with US trade restrictions against Iran which doesn’t pass the smell test, but it’s approved. You can read Kickstarter’s reversal below and then the original article below that.

Megaton Man: Multimensions

Don Simpson has posted that Kickstarter has “not approved,” aka censored, his next crowdfunding project, Megaton Man: Multimensions. The reason given is that one of the contributors is located in Iran. The reason given was “safety and trust.”

Milo Trent is on the cover of Megaton Man: Multimensions and contributes four pages out of the 214 in the book. Trent is also located in Iran.

Simpson was sent an email from Kickstarter Trust & Safety after their review process where they asked for two more pieces of information. The questions asked were:

  • What is the nature of your engagement with individuals in Iran, if any?
  • What is the nature of your engagemnent with entities in Iran, if any?

After Simpson’s publisher reached out to Kickstarter, the crowdfunding platform declined the project.

In their rejection letter, which you can read below, Kickstarter points to its Terms of Use, in particular section 13 which basically states they can make changes to their Site and Services whenever they want, they can decide who’s eligible to use Kickstarter, they can reject/cancel/interrupt/remove/suspend any project, they can withhold funds, they can also force refunds (interesting, maybe they should do that for the scams/failed projects that regularly run on the site), among other things. They of course aren’t liable for any of the damages concerning that.

Kickstarter not approved letter

Section 13 does link out to Community Guidelines and rules for starting projects. Neither of those mention anything about Iran. In a search of the entire site, we can’t find any mention of Iran being banned from Kickstarter.

There’s a list of prohibited projects.

There’s a list of who can use Kickstarter and the countries they need to be from. In fact, it tells how those not in those countries can open a business in the US using Stripe Atlas.

If Kickstarter is doing so under so guise of “American sanctions,” it’s permissible to send money to individuals in Iran as long as the individuals are sanctioned or the institution is not sanctioned. But, that’s not for Kickstarter to enforce in this case since the individuals are in the US, it’s those individuals managing the project that must comply with any rules and regulations.

Both Don Simpson and his publisher are located in countries approved and listed.

Kickstarter is open to backers worldwide. Nearly anyone from anywhere can support a project as long as they have a major debit or credit card and a Kickstarter account.

Apparently, Kickstarter is happy to take money from anyone worldwide, but if you’re from certain countries, fuck off for unknown reasons.

Crowdfunding Corner: Afrofutures is a concept album told in comics magazine form

Posted on by

Backer Beware: Crowdfunding projects are not guaranteed to be delivered and/or delivered when promised. We always recommend to do your research before backing.

Launching on Kickstarter from RexCo Comics and boutique publisher Cosmic Lion Productions, Afrofutures is an exciting new concept album brought to life in comics magazine form – weaving together nine fresh new stories and three insightful articles, which speak to the narrative of Black futures, culminating in a cosmic slop of culture and influence.

Curated by Troy-Jeffrey Allen, this new 100+ page magazine brings together a diverse range of comics, creators and articles, designed to harness the narrative regarding Black futures. The material falls under, or relates to, the wider umbrella of “Black speculative fiction” – ranging from sci-fi and fantasy to action, drama, and beyond – complemented by a trio of articles that support the genres and stories found within.

The series’ Master of Ceremonies is an artificially intelligent robot named 808. Looking back at us from the end of the world, 808 recontextualizes and remixes the saga of Black mythology – past, present, and future – as only a DJ could; creating an artistic jam session which makes the reader’s experience more akin to a listening party. Through 808’s beat-matching, the rhythm comes together – introducing readers to an alternate history where jazz singers hunt Nazis, Hip-Hop icons gather in the afterlife, superheroes rescue the first Black President of the United States, and more! By the end, the reader should feel as if they’ve gone on a visual journey through sound and time with 808.

The Kickstarter campaign is now live and will run for the next 30 days until mid-July. In addition to digital and physical versions of the 100+ page magazine, backers will find a number of tiers and rewards designed to satisfy all tastes and budgets. There is also a special retail pledge level, which allows supportive retailers to purchase six copies of the magazine at a retail-friendly price.

Emerald City Comic Con 2024: Cosmic Lion heads with Fourth Dimensional and its creator Seraji

Posted on by

After a flurry of recent announcements and fresh new releases, c will debut their latest title, Fourth Dimensional: Seal Your Heart, at Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC). Written and illustrated by up-and-coming creator, Seraji, this ongoing urban sci-fi adventure series blends the bold fun of Pop art with the intensity of Shonen manga to tell the story of a young woman and an extra-dimensional fugitive who face a forbidding new world.

As if young adulthood isn’t hard enough — Ava’s world is turned upside down when an extra-dimensional fugitive named Mon falls right into it. Literally. The upside? Mon turns out to be the unlikely ally Ava didn’t know she needed. The downside? He’s brought all the dangers and oddities of his dimension with him.

As well as picking up the first issue of the new series, fans can get their hands on the debut collection, Fourth Dimensional: Summer Of Fun, which brings together the entire first arc in a 120-page trade paperback with guest artist pin-ups, sketchbook and process pages, and new illustrations. Both titles are available for pre-order from the Cosmic Lion website, but attendees will have the opportunity to purchase early copies at Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC) in Seattle, where Cosmic Lion publisher, Eli Schwab, and Seraji will both be set up. They’ll also be selling other titles, including recent hits such as GHOST Agents and Space Knights.

Fourth Dimensional: Seal Your Heart #1 is a double-sized issue containing over 48 pages and kicks off a brand-new story arc for the series. Mon and Ava attempt to unite the fugitives of the Fourth Dimension, but they soon discover some fugitives have plans of their own. Chases, interrogations, and a downtown rumble – Mon and Ava are in way over their heads. On top of that, the Fourth Dimensional authorities are finally closing in on them. With these mysterious forces closing in from both sides, what cataclysmic secrets will Mon and Ava unwittingly uncover?

Fans and attendees can find Seraj and Eli Schwab at Booth I-03 in Artist Alley during Emerald City Comic Con this weekend from Thursday, February 29 to Sunday, March 3, where they can pick up the new series. And for those who can’t make it, pre-orders for both titles are now live on the Cosmic Lion Productions website – along with a range of their other titles.

In addition to their new comic offerings, Cosmic Lion Productions will also be running a sale on their branded apparel during ECCC from February 29 to March 3 – featuring art by Mark Bodē, Ken Mitchroney, Jay Geldhof, and Cory Bowman. You can find all that and more.

Fourth Dimensional

Gideon Kendall and Doug Latino bring their hardcover Wait It Gets Worse… If We Only Knew to a fresh audience

Posted on by
Wait It Gets Worse… If We Only Knew

After self-publishing their work for the last decade, alternative comics creators Gideon Kendall and Doug Latino bring their visionary series to an unsuspecting audience with the hardcover collection of Wait It Gets Worse… If We Only Knew from Cosmic Lion Productions.

Described as ‘Ferris Bueller meets MAD’ – or ‘Timothy Leary meets MAD’ depending on what generation you’re from – Wait It Gets Worse… wears its underground comix influence on its sleeve. Not only have the creators paid homage to some of the industry’s greats, but they’ve received praise from those same luminaries they so admire. That includes a foreword from the legendary Denis Kitchen, alongside quotes from Drew Friedman, Gary Dumm, David Collier, and Ron Turner.

Weighing in at 270 pages and due for release in March 2024 (but on pre-order now), Wait It Gets Worse… If Only We Knew collects the best of the original series in one lush hardcover edition, along with 10 new stories and almost 50 pages of new material. Featuring both color and B&W segments, it continues the rich tradition established by the let-it-all-hang-out, autobiographical misfits of the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s underground movement.

In addition to collecting the best of Kendall and Latino’s work with new material and a foreword by Underground great Denis Kitchen, the book also features thematic chapter art for each section from an array of acclaimed talent – including Knight-Wallace Fellow and Xeric Award winner, Josh Neufeld, who drew the pair in a police line-up for the offence of ‘too much information’.