Hi all!
We're back with the Lifeline Comics newsletter! We've got some exciting things to talk about this week - including new queer enamel pins, Lifeline Comics' Exclusive Summer Comic Con Trading Card, and more!
Let's get into it!
Announcements
As always, we'll start with announcements relating to our comics & merchandise.
We'll start by announcing the expansion of our Rainbow Enamel Pins set to now include: Pansexual, Non-Binary, and Lesbian pins! Plus, we'll reveal the exclusive item you can grab at our upcoming Summer Comic Convention & Pride appearances!
PRIDE MONTH: New Rainbow Enamel Pin Line-up Revealed
We're excited to announce our surprise next Kickstarter: Wave 2 of our Rainbow LGBTQ+ Enamel Pins!
This Pride Month, we're expanding our Enamel Pin offering to include new Pansexual, Non-Binary, and Lesbian Pin designs!
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These much-requested pins will be available on our next Kickstarter alongside our existing Bisexual, Ace, Trans, and Gay/Rainbow pins!
Follow the Pre-launch Page for the upcoming Kickstarter here to be notified as soon as we go live on Monday, June 19th!
If you back within the first two days, you'll be entered into our Giveaway Lottery to receive an exclusive item!
Exclusive Summer Comic Con Trading Card
We are doing SO MANY events this summer that we wanted to give something special to the attendees - an EXCLUSIVE "Slice of Life" Summer vibes HOLO Trading Card!
You can purchase the card for $5, or get it for free if you spend over $25 at our table.
And here's a reminder where we'll be this summer:
And don't worry if you can't attend any of these Cons. There will also be a small window this Fall to purchase the card on our Etsy store.
"Rainbow Canvas" enters its final week!
If you're a long-time reader of our newsletter, then you already know all about Rainbow Canvas. But for the new folks who have joined from our last couple of conventions, this is your last chance to support the Kickstarter for our Queer Webtoon Anthology!
Rainbow Canvas is a Wholesome BL & GL Anthology collecting twelve BRAND NEW short comics from the worlds of your favorite Queer Webtoon Canvas series!
Featuring original stories from webcomics such as "Slice of Life", "stare down.", "She's a Keeper", "It's Kind of a Funny Story", "In My Heart", "Say Yes!", and more - there's sure to be something to love for every Webtoon reader!
You can check out the Kickstarter, which ends Thursday, June 8th at 10PM EST, using the below link. And if you support for $35 or more (before shipping), you'll get our Rainbow Fox Enamel Pin for free with your Rewards!
Support Rainbow Canvas on Kickstarter!
What we've been up to...
Two Events....Same Weekend
Kat: What a WHIRLWIND of a weekend! On Saturday, Phil and I went to Fan Expo Philly. We've done a few Fan Expo events in the past (including last year's Fan Expo Philly), and this ended up being one of our best yet. It was our highest profits for any Fan Expo show, and one of our biggest cons PERIOD. The mystery boxes moved very well at the convention, and it was just really cool to see customers gravitate to multiple new projects on the table.
And, of course, one of the best aspects of going to a comic con is seeing friends! It was a pleasure catching up with Sean Von Gorman and meeting David Doub for the first time. And I even met a Legendary Listener from my weekly podcast, The Legendary Ladies! (Picture above)
On Sunday, we parted ways. Phil went to Fan Expo Philly and I traveled to Asbury Park Pride. (Thank you to Phil's brother for being my table partner for the day!) We have never done Asbury Park Pride before, but I can only compare the crowd at our table to New York Pride or New York Comic Con. There was never moment where our booth didn't have a crowd, and that truly was humbling. We met so many new people, and even found some fans of Slice of Life. One of our favorite customers was a little girl who BOUGHT ALL OUR COMICS. Her mom was so supportive, and just loved that she wanted to read. (Picture above)
This was the first time Phil and I were in two places at once, and as much as we missed each other's company we know it's a tactic we'll use again. It was just such a FANTASTIC WEEKEND!
Phil: It was really wild refreshing our sales app and seeing multiple direct sales of our comics happening at the same time across different states.
I had the easier job of continuing at a convention that Kat and I already started at together. This was our second year doing Fan Expo Philadelphia - just close enough to our home in New York that we do the painful 1.5-hour drive back-and-forth each day. And once again we had an absolute blast.
I was a little worried about the boredom of tabling during down-time without Kat on Sunday. But thankfully my sister and boyfriend tagged along and kept me company (when they weren't playing Tears of the Kingdom). And if they weren't enough, I had plenty of awesome customers and fellow creators to talk to - including to artist Francesca Fantini who I was so excited to meet in person after working with her on a HAUNTING #3 Variant Cover almost two years ago!
I'm glad Kat and I will be tabling together again for the next few cons. We make a great team and really know how to entertain one another. But I'm sure we'll split up again in the future when the opportunity presents itself. It's too much money to pass up! 🤑
Media Consumed
Let's talk about some media!
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Spoiler Free
Kat: Into the Spider-Verse is hands down my favorite movie of all time. As not only a lifelong Spider-Man fan, but as a lifelong comic book fan I have just never seen any movie or TV show that was able to capture the essence of the comic book medium as much as Into the Spider-Verse did...well that was until Across the Spider-Verse.
With introductions out of the way, the movie digs deeper into both Miles Morales and ESPECIALLY Gwen Stacy's individual characterization. They literally pull lines and panels from Gwen Stacy's first appearance in Edge of Spider-Verse #2! There are so many small details that allows Spider-Verse to feel like a comic book come to life - I mean, just the essence of most of the cast being the same superhero moniker, the editorial notes, and the classic "I need to buy the next issue" CLIFFHANGER.
Across the Spider-Verse is an actual work of art that deserved to be studied with a fine-tooth comb!
Phil: I've literally never seen Kat so excited for a movie. And I'm so glad that Across the Spider-verse lived up to her sky-high expectation. Just like its predecessor, this movie does a masterful job telling a character-driven story (two in this case) sandwiched between an absolutely overwhelming amount of action, characters, and Easter Eggs. It feels like every scene has something worth gasping or cheering over. And I'm really glad to have gone into the movie completely spoiler-free.
If I had to be critical of something (very light spoilers to follow), I would say that I didn't expect the movie to end the way it did. But this movie is just a masterpiece. A must-see for any Spider-Man or comic book movie fan. Can't wait for the next one!
Ted Lasso (Final Season)
Spoiler Free
Kat: I hate when TV "fizzles out". Like damn, why didn't you end this 5 years ago? Give me a show that ends on a high! A good story doesn't overstay their welcome, and the BEST stories will have you wanting more. Thank you, Ted Lasso, for making me fall in love with a cast of characters to a point that I WANT MORE...and please for the LOVE OF GOD don't give me a season 4. I want Ted Lasso to stay as this little vignette that we can look back at and say well, damn that was "a perfect show." A perfect show about imperfection.
On the surface, Ted Lasso is one of the very few programs about "good people". But the story isn't about "good people" it's about characters who are willing to help each other grow. Not change, but GROW! And you see there's a big difference between change and growth. There are times we feel as humans that we have to "change" our very essence to strive for this impossible goalpost of society's idea of perfection.
But the show doesn't want to romanticize life. It's not about romance, period. You're not going to find your whole self in another person, your job...or let's say a game of soccer. Ted Lasso is the anti-love story. In a traditional sense at least. It's about finding love in yourself. Life isn't about striving for perfection. It's about finding the best version of yourself.
The Little Mermaid (2023)
Spoiler Free
Kat: I've never been a big fan of Disney's live action films. They tend to be direct retellings of the animated movies (that I've already seen a number of times.) They just feel like easy cash grabs, but Little Mermaid is one of my favorite films of all time, so I wanted to give this one a shot. And I have to say I wasn't disappointed. This is by far one of the better direct retelling live action Disney films.
Sure, there are many scenes that are beat by beat, but there's enough differences to give more depth to certain characters, especially Eric. He even has his own song is this one! He has more of a story of his own where we can now understand why he would fall in love with Ariel in the first place.
But the shining stars are Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy! Bailey brings a sweet approach to Ariel that captures the essence of the character. While McCarthy really wanted to go home with an Oscar as she blows the house down with her take on Ursula!
Phil: It feels a little pointless to talk about the "live-action remake problem" every time one of them is released, but it's just so necessary when talking about these movies. They all have the same problems of being a poorer replica of amazing films. And attempts to increase the run-time and/or add context/story usually just serve to disrupt the pacing of what was originally a very tight animated film. The Little Mermaid has all of these same problems as the other live-action remakes.
All of that said, as far as live-action remakes go, "The Little Mermaid" is one of the better ones.
Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy both hand in exceptional performances as Ariel and Ursula. Bailey does a wonderful job capturing the spirit of Ariel for an entire new generation of viewers. And McCarthy does a brilliant job playing with the spirit of Ursula from the animated film while still bringing her own unique twists to the character.
Jonah Hauer-King also has an admirable turn as Prince Eric. And "Uncharted Waters" (his original song added for this film), while not amazing, was a cool addition to the story.
While the problems with live-action remakes bog it down, this new telling of The Little Mermaid was mostly charming. And the theater full of young kids that I saw it with loved it - which at the end of the day is what matters the most.
P.S: My bingo card for the movie. I almost got Bingo.
Comic Recommendations
Let's recommend some comics! As always, we'll share a Direct Market Indie book, a Marvel or DC book, a Kickstarter book, and a Webcomic!
Indie Comic Book: Phantom Road
Kat: I trust Jeff Lemire so much as a creator that I don't even need to read his comic descriptions to know I'm picking up the book! Phantom Road was no different. I didn't know anything going into the book, and it made the reading experience THAT MUCH BETTER!
The only way I can describe Lemire and Gabriel Hernandez Walta's book is by calling it a white canvas. The best horror stories are the ones that allow your imagination to fill in the blanks, and Phantom Road does that in spades. Every issue gives you just the right amount of information to progress the story, while holding back a smidge to keep the mystery alive. It's a well-balanced series where I truly don't know what's going to happen next.
Marvel Comics: Avengers
Kat: Jed Mackay is hitting home run after home run by always putting character first. And surprisingly enough, a team book is only as good as its characters. The premiere issue of Avengers does a wonderful job at introducing you to the "new" Avengers team, all while giving little nuggets to current events that are still affecting these classic characters. It makes Marvel flagship title feel more connected to the rest of the universe, while still giving room for the book to tell its own story.
Kickstarter: Dead Air #1: '90s College Radio Sci-Fi with a Soundtrack
Phil: Kat and I both raced to back this one. It's got everything I love in a comic. Fantastic art, a great title, a supernatural hook, a lightly-retro style, an intriguing mystery set-up, and a KILLER premise!
What if one day a year, every year, you could talk to the dead? It's possible with miraculous D-TALq technology, which has now been commoditized to the point where it’s lost more than a little of its luster. But when Michelle reaches out to a long-departed friend from her college radio days, she gets the surprise of her life that forces her to question everything she thought she knew about her past.
Reading through the Kickstarter page, you can tell that Dead Air builds a rich world and compelling character journey (with style) right from its first issue. Jumping between its lead character's college days and the present days to "look at the ties—and tunes—that bind people together across both time and space". Very excited to check this one out!
Support on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/benjaminhunting/dead-air-1-90s-college-radio-sci-fi-with-a-soundtrack
Webcomic: KAI
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A period-piece comic taking place in New Jersey in 1986. Seventeen-year-old Kai is grappling with the aftermath of losing their parents as they move in with their high-strung aunt in North Jersey. All the while, boy-next-door and popular varsity soccer player Alex Adriano takes Kai under his wing, unprepared to handle his growing feelings for the kid from Hawaii.
Kai is a beautiful exploration of mental health in the Asian-American community from the perspective of a Japanese/Hawaiian Non-binary teen who, like many others, feels like they need to suffer in silence and worth through problems on their own rather than seeking help. The comic seeks to "deal with eating disorders in a real and practical way rather than for shock value. A huge theme in [KAI] is body positivity and self-love."
I absolutely love the BIG personalities from the families of our lead characters - especially Kai's no-nonsense and overworked Auntie Lu and Alex's sweet "there's no such thing as too much food" Ma Patrizia. And I'm in awe of the comic's ability to tackle serious topics while still keeping the tone and the characters/relationships fun and upbeat.
Kat and I have had the pleasure of working with series creator, Rani Sisavath, on both a short story for Bi Visibility: Still Bi and our "Boy Love Artist" Variant Cover C for Rainbow Canvas. They're a super talented writer and artist, and just an absolute pleasure to work with!
Read on Webtoon: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/kai/list?title_no=394970
In Closing
Thanks so much for reading this newsletter!
We'll be back with our new Enamel Pins in just under two weeks! Follow the Pre-launch page to be notified when we go live! And don't miss out on your last chance to support Rainbow Canvas on Kickstarter - ending this Thursday!
Current Kickstarter: Rainbow Canvas: A Wholesome BL & GL Webtoon Anthology
Next Convention: Capital Pride Alliance in Washington D.C. (June 11th)
Next Kickstarters:
- Rainbow Enamel Pins: Pansexual, Non-Binary, & Lesbian (Launching June 19th)
- Slice of Life #4 (Launching June 26th)
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