Running Down a Dream
Kickstarter Update / Coincidental Bigfoot Summer / Movie and Book Recs / and a Really Cool Video Trailer!
Kickstarting Our Way to Your Heart!
The last two weeks have been a whirlwind. And as I write this, the Kickstarter campaign for The Family Graves: I Scream Spectacular—the comic that blends monsters, science fiction, and family drama into an epic supernatural adventure—is 114% funded.
THANK YOU, BACKERS! You believed in our little monster book—and you made it happen.
The book is done, you’re all in, and it’s happening. As soon as the campaign ends, we're sending it to the printer and then to you!
And, hey, if you've been waiting to see if the campaign would succeed, wait no more!
There’s just ten short days to get your copy of the latest spooky sci-fi adventure starring your favorite mixed-up family of monsters. Haven’t back it yet? This is your chance. Click here.
Creating this book and sending it out into the world has been an amazing experience. Making comics is the ultimate team sport with every artisan collaborating to bring the final product to life with their careful work. And being able to make these comics—to tell these stories—is a dream come true.
On top of all that, Kickstarter named us a “Project We Love”! That’s a honor only given to a small percentage of projects, and the credit goes to Brian Atkins, Joshua Jensen, and Marco Della Verde for all the fine work they put into our book.
Family Graves Bios
During the campaign, I’ve been posting some character bios as Notes here on Substack and other places on social media. If you missed them, here’s links where you can read more about Lum and discover the villain of the piece: the enigmatic Braindor.
Incredible Rewards Still Available
There are still some original sketch slots available! Get a handcrafted, original piece by Brian Atkins!
Are you an artist? Don't miss the opportunity to have a one-on-one session with Brian Atkins, a working professional artist and art instructor. He’ll review your portfolio and give you all kinds of pro tips.
Are you a writer? Tim Bach (that's me!) has more than 20 years of publishing experience. He’ll review your script, then go over it with you, telling you what works or what doesn't. And he will also answer your questions about finding artists, pitching, and much more!
There are also of THE FAMILY GRAVES or MOONRISE COMICS print or digital catch-up packs and add-ons.
Bigfoot Redux
“It’s simply a better world if Bigfoot is real”—The Secret History of Bigfoot
I’ve been on a bit of a Bigfoot kick. It began with a rewatch of the Bionic Man and then crossed over coincidentally into a new-ish book.
Return to the Six Million Dollar Man
I’ve been revisiting The Six Million Dollar Man, the amazing Seventies show that won Emmys for best show ever, or at least should have. I remember watching this show as a kid after school and have fond memories of the light sci-fi and paranormal plots. In particular, the ongoing Bigfoot saga was amazing television for my child self. Rewatching today, it still kinda gets me choked up.
With the exception of Star Wars or Planet of the Apes, I don't know that we ever had it so good. At least not on TV. Maybe Greatest American Hero...
If you’ve never watched the five-part Bigfoot saga or haven’t seen it in forever, check it out on Peacock:
Secret of Bigfoot, Parts 1 and 2—Season 3, episodes 16 and 17
The Return of Bigfoot, Parts 1 and 2—Currently shown as a two-parter on streaming or discs with SMDM, but Pt. 2 was actually the first episode of The Bionic Woman’s second season. (The two shows had a lot of crossovers.)
Bigfoot V—Season 5, episode 5
Field Notes on a North American Monster
We want to believe—even when there’s so much evidence to the contrary. Why is that? In The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on a North American Monster, John O’Connor explores just that. He traveled all over the United States speaking with Bigfoot true believers and skeptics as well as academics and folklorists to get to the heart of whether Bigfoot is real, whether that even matters, and what IT all means.
The wonderful book features insightful reporting from all over the United States. It’s a travel diary and an oral history with interesting diversions into philosophy, biology, and history all while examining modern American beliefs and practices. I found the book to be an engaging and entertaining meditation on what the search for Bigfoot means. This book gave me a lot to think about—and maybe if I can find the right hook, I’ll write about it some more some time.
Misc. Media Recommendations
I also want to give a shout-out to the movie Drop, a good claustrophoic thriller. I wrote a Note about it here.
And I just finished the novel Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow—an incredible werewolf novel. It’s part crime thriller, part supernatural tragedy as rival dog factions collide in sunny Southern California. The book is written in free verse format (e.g., The Illiad), but don’t let that keep you away like it did me. The free verse isn’t rhyming, it’s more of a formatting technique to accentuate thoughts and actions. I’ve had this book on to-read pile for years, and only finally just dove in. Trust me, this is a really cool book. And you get used to the text after two pages, and it isn’t an issue.
New Trailer
Watch the video, then back the campaign here.