Hi all!
We're back with the Lifeline Comics newsletter!
We've got some exciting things to talk about this week - including a Special Preview of our upcoming NSFW Supernatural Fairy Tale Romance comic, our Barbieheimer thoughts, Kat's San Diego Comic Con experience, and more!
Let's get into it!
"The Beast & Snow" First Look!
If you're a fan of Supernatural Romances, new twists on old Fairy Tales, and/or NSFW Queer Stories, then this is the comic for you! Please enjoy an exciting preview of our next big project: The Beast & Snow #1!
"A Vampiric Snow White must rescue a Beauty from the clutches of a ferocious Beast in this steamy adventure."
NOTE/TRIGGER WARNING: This is an NSFW, 18+ Comic. Nudity is censored in the below preview. But profanity, violence, and sexual situations are still depicted. So proceed with caution.
While originally planned for release on August 7th, we're letting our newsletter readers in on a little secret: we're moving the launch up one week!
The Beast & Snow #1 Kickstarter now launches in just a few days on Monday, July 31st! We have a feeling it will be one of our biggest to date! Follow the Pre-Launch Page below to be notified as soon as we go live!
San Diego Comic Con - Panels + Kickstarter Booth Signing
Kat: San Diego Comic Con is always my favorite time of the year because it's a convention where I get the chance to see many of my peers in one place, and every year introduces new experiences.
This was the first SDCC I went fully as a creator and not as press. It gave me a bit more time to have longer conversations with creators and even soak in the convention. I walked the floor a TON, and even have a little haul that you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJCHRVcM-1k&ab_channel=ComicUno
I also had the opportunity to be on 2 panels and even did a signing at Kickstarter's first ever SDCC booth. The first panel was all about queer anthologies. Michele Abounader put an amazing panel together, and it was a blast just allowing friends to talk and give advice about putting your queer content out there.
Next up was Kickstarter's official panel talking all things comics with heavy hitters like Lady Death's Brian Pulido and Kickstarter mogul, Jimmy Palmiotti. It was a really informative panel for Kickstarter experts, backers, and new creators alike!
I wrapped by Comic Con at the Kickstarter booth where Rainbow Canvas was heavily featured on the booth itself! I did an hour long signing where I brought along Slice of Life #1 and Bi Visibility: Still Bi. Thank you to the fans who came out for the signing and the new faces I was able to meet for the first time.
Overall, San Diego Comic Con was a slam dunk and can't wait to do it all over again next year.
What have we been up to?
Phil: A week before Kat's SDCC adventures, we had the pleasure of doing a signing at East Side Mags in Montclair, New Jersey.
We always love doing store signings and getting to meet the community of comic fans who frequent each LCS. East Side Mags is one of the best stores we've seen yet in terms of mobilizing their community and keeping an awesome schedule of events to excite their customers.
Kat and I also used some of the downtime at the signing and our commute time to cook up an exciting new story. But that's a conversation for another newsletter 😉
Media
As always, let's take a moment to talk about some media - this time focusing on the Barbieheimer phenomenon!
Barbieheimer - The Phenomenon
Phil: What could have just been usual film counter-programming had become one of the most fun moviegoing events in recent memory. We LOVE Barbieheimer. We love the memes. We love the energy it brought to the theater. My siblings even participated when we went to see both movies.
Two movies that have almost nothing in common are now forever-linked just by sharing a release date. And it's fortunate that both movies are amazing in such opposite ways.
We go to the movie theater a lot, and I genuinely don't remember the last time I saw so much excitement (and so many people!) in our local AMC. The juxtaposition of the two movies is just too fun to pass up. I'm so appreciative that the biggest movie event of 2023 so far has nothing to do with the MCU, the DC(E)U, nor Disney.
Here's hoping we see more bizarre movie mash-ups due to counter-programming in the future! This is too much one to be a one-time deal.
Kat: As Phil said, we go to the movies a lot. We've sat through films with no audience and others filled to the brim. As a fan of movies, I want to see more people in the seats. More people talking about their most anticipated flicks. Barbieheimer made going to the movies cool again! It rejuvenated the box office in a magical way that I'm not sure any other dynamic duo will be able to do again. (It's one for the history books!)
These are two VERY different movies that both celebrate the wonders of filmmaking and a director's vision. Not built from ten years of worldbuilding, or a franchise from 30 years ago releasing its 6th film - just stand-alone movies that tell a full story with no need for an end credit scene. This is not to say I dislike the tenteenth Star Wars film or the continuation of the Marvel Universe. It's just to say...it's a breath of fresh air.
Barbie
Phil: Barbie is already my number one movie of the year. It was everything I wanted it to be and more. Despite the intense hype for the movie, I somehow managed to avoid almost all spoilers (I never even watched the full trailer). And I was instantly mesmerized by how fun and funny this movie was. It's literally impossible to watch without a smile.
Margot Robbie once again turns in a jaw-dropping performance. The supporting cast (especially America Ferrera, Ryan Gosling, and Simu Liu) all have so many amazing moments to shine. The music and narration are absolutely hilarious. And the script expertly balances the camp with insightful commentary - grounded by a cast that fully understood its assignment.
In a world of franchises and shared universes, I really loved Barbie as a stand-alone movie that still has a rich history to pull from. Maybe it will end up kicking off its own franchise. But the fact that I was able to enjoy this installment completely divorced from what (if anything) will come next while still feeling the weight of the Barbie/Mattel history made this an even more enjoyable experience.
Barbie is a 10/10 for me.
Kat: I didn't need Barbieheimer for Barbie to be my most anticipated film of the year (next to Spider-Verse). I've been ecstatic since the first Deadline article stated that Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie were involved in a "serious" version of the famous doll.
And I have to say, the duo (and the whole production for that matter) didn't disappoint. The film takes a dive into the ideology of "who is Barbie". And yeah, Barbie is an ideology! The world (mostly capitalism) has globbed meaning onto her. And to an even greater extent, the film digs into how a doll could affect womanhood (and even manlihood) as a whole, which America Ferrera perfectly explains in her monologue.
...The beauty of this film is that it ends.
What do I mean by that? Well, Barbie is a franchise. The movie obviously warrants a sequel, but that isn't the point of this piece. The film is about...well, dying. It's about the human experience. It doesn't try to leave an open door for Ken & The Mojo Dojo Casa House in Outer Space or have an ending credit that fades to black with "Stereotypical Barbie Will Return...More Stereotypically" It just...is. The human race isn't known for being okay with endings...but maybe Barbie can still teach us a lesson or two.
PS: Thank you Greta for continuing to show the youth the great hits of the 90's with powerhouses like Indigo Girls and Matchbox Twenty.
Oppenheimer
Phil: Oppenheimer is a triumph in nearly every regard, but the thing that I keep coming back to when I think about the movie is the script. This was one of the best-written screenplays I've had the pleasure of seeing in a long time. I remember constantly marveling at some truly powerful lines all throughout the runtime of Oppenheimer, all building up to a truly chilling closer.
A+++ writing.
Amazing cinematography is something that is almost taken for granted when it comes to Christopher Nolan films, but I would be remiss not to mention the amazing visuals Oppenheimer delivers. And a MASSIVE cast that is somehow balanced incredibly well and gives every lead actor multiple moments to shine (special shout-outs to Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt).
If I was being critical (which I don't really want to be because I quite liked the movie), I would say that you can definitely feel the three-hour runtime at certain points. The lead-up to the first successful test of the bomb is, one the one hand, masterful in the way it builds tension. But on the other hand, that is part of the movie that dragged a little for me. But this is really the only major criticism I have of an otherwise breathtaking film.
Kat: Christopher Nolan is known for his trippy, visual masterpieces. Oppenheimer is no exception, but the visuals aren't what drew me in. The sound, the score - was electrifying. Every moment of this film is a literal TICKING TIME BOMB! The purposeful, pregnant pauses between sound and visuals were truly brilliant. They had my heart pumping!
Oppenheimer was a complicated man. There's a line that really stuck with me. It's the thesis of the whole movie, "Now it’s your turn to deal with the consequences of your achievement."
Oppenheimer is celebrated for helping end World War 2, but the film is about the consequences of his fame, but more importantly the consequences of his creation. American Prometheus opened Pandora's box. What happens when you realize you might have created a weapon that could potentially kill all mankind? A weapon you created to try and save it (or at least the people of your country).
Comic Recommendations
Let's talk comics! As always, we'll share a Direct Market Indie book, a Marvel or DC book, a Kickstarter book, and a Webcomic!
Indie Comic: Fire Power
Kat: Robert Kirkman has always been great at telling grounded, genre stories. What's the heart of a zombie book? Is there a sense of community in exorcism? Fire Power continues that trend as a martial arts story that keeps family at its center. Chris Samnee knocks it out of the park on visuals as he beautifully portrays the mystical action, all while keeping the emotional core of the family dynamic. Kirkman and Samnee are a dream team, and I'm so glad to see this book back from its hiatus!
DC Comics: Peacemaker Tries Hard
Kat: If you like the Peacemaker TV show, you HAVE TO read Peacemaker Tries Hard! It embraces the same humor and heart from the show, all while staying true to his comic book counterpart. Peacemaker just wants to be liked, and everywhere he turns his peers just want to make him the butt of a joke. There's an emotional throughline about wanting to belong without sacrificing the character's hilarity. And the art is TOP NOTCH, there are panels that look EXACTLY like John Cena that really nails his acting choices from the show.
Webcomic: 4 Panel Horror Comics
Phil: Despite my tendency to only talk about queer Webcomics, I promise I do actually read plenty of non-queer/non-romance comics. And anyone who knows me knows that my favorite genre is horror!
And 4 Panel Horror Comics is exactly what the name describes. Each episode is a short 4-panel horror comic. As a lover of anthology stories and spook visuals, catching up on this series is one of my favorite pastimes.
Artist Karl Kwasny is a masterful visual storyteller, constantly putting unique visual spins on familiar (and unfamiliar) horror concepts.
In addition to being a great anthology series, the series also has an ongoing storyline. Without spoiling too much, what starts as completely disconnected stories quickly expands into a world with recurring characters, themes, and even an ongoing plotline...and some really interesting meta commentary.
4 Panel Horror Comics is constantly innovating and always keeps you guessing about what you'll see next. And on top of that, it's such an easy read at only 4 panels per post. Strongly recommend that horror fans check it out!
Read 4 Panel Horror Comics here: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/4-panel-horror-comics/list?title_no=680787
Kickstarter: Sapphic Pulp: Collected Tales of Love and Desire
"A 120-page anthology of short, erotic comics from creator Natasha Alterici, and a talented team of queer creators (NSFW, 18+)."
Phil: It should come as no surprise that we're excited to check out a new queer anthology!
NSFW Sapphic stories from a wide range of talented creators. Featuring the work of TONS of people that we absolutely adore (including-but-not-limited to Liana Kangas, Michele Abounader, Chris Shehan, Fell Hound, and so many more), this one was a must-buy for us!
Check out the Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/alterici/sapphic-pulp-collected-stories-of-love-and-desire
In Closing
Thanks so much for reading this week's newsletter!
Next Kickstarter: The Beast & Snow #1 (Launching July 31st)
Next Convention: Terrificon Table F0 (Uncastle, CT - July 29-30th)
Phil’s Socials: Twitter | Instagram
Kat’s Socials: Twitter | YouTube
Read “Slice of Life” on Zestworld: https://www.zestworld.com/LifelineComics/slice-of-life-gl