I used to find searching for great independent comics difficult. It required intense thumbing through the Previews magazine so they might be pre-ordered three months in advance (if it met Diamond's rigid sales standards) or the luck of hearing about a book through word of mouth.
It is so much easier now with Kickstarter to find great comics in diverse genres tackling fascinating new subjects. Comics like Flesh of White, a supernatural horror story Erica Heflin and Amanda Rachels.
The story was influenced by the stigma surrounding being an albino, and how the misunderstanding of a medical condition can lead to horrible results.
In the comic, a child in Tanzania is born as an albino, which brings with it regular medical concerns but also brings human threats from outside, especially surrounding the belief the child possesses magical properties.
From the Kickstarter page: "Witch Doctors, and those who believe in their trade, view these people as a magical component. Fisherman use the hair from individuals with albinism on their lures, to encourage fish to take bait. Both adults and small children are encouraged to fear those with albinism. They come to view them as something less than human. They call them 'ghosts.'
Rehema and Idi live in a small and tight-knit community where they believe that their son is safe. When outsiders learn of the infant’s existence, word filters back to a local Witch Doctor. Rehema and Idi must take extreme action to keep Kwasi safe as The Doctor and his Harvester come for the infant’s white flesh."
Helfin said the wanted to explore why those with albinism are dehumanized in many cultures.
Kickstarter level: for the comic include:
- $5 – PDF copy of the first issue of the planned four-issue series.
- $10 – singed print copy of #1 plus an exclusive trading card
- $20 – A script book that features line art for each page opposite the script for that page, plus the signed print copy of #1
- $35 – All four issues of the series, signed, along with two exclusive trading cards.
- $75 – An 11" by 17" art commission from Rachels featuring any character of your choice, plus the signed print copy.
- $150 – A 22-page script review by comics creator Sterling Gates of any story of the backer that features original characters, along with the print copy.
Flesh of White has twenty-eight days to go but it's three-quarters of the way to the $2,000 goal. Now would be the time to check it up, before some of the best rewards are taken. More samples of the story and information about the creators can be found at the Kickstarter page.
