Oklahoma-related comics and projects are seeking crowdfunding

Word Balloons column #1154: Find out about Bad Candy, Paratrauma and Shape-Man

Some Oklahoma-related comic creators have turned to crowdfunding to seek support for upcoming projects. Find out about these projects and how you can help make them happen in this week’s column.

Bad Candy 

Robert Henry, one of the creators of the comic book “Bad Candy,” is using GoFundMe to seek funding to adapt his comic-book story into a short film. 

Henry is a photographer, artist and Oklahoma native with comic-book credits including the "Rough Cut" series.  

Writer/artist Robert Henry and artist Joe Evans, both from the Oklahoma City area, have created the comic book “Bad Candy” as an homage to 1980s horror films.

Henry originally conceived of the pumpkin-headed Halloween character as an "Inktober" sketch in 2015. “Inktober” is a challenge where artists draw a sketch each day of October, often based on a specific prompt. 

In the comic series, it’s 1982, and the farming family the Lewises provide an offering to a spirit known as Bad Candy each October. But when bank robbers on the run take over the Lewis’ house, the offering isn’t made, and trouble ensues.

“Bad Candy,” the short film, will show another side of the “Bad Candy” story. 

“The gist of the story is five friends go out to the woods to camp,” Henry said. “Along the way they encounter a child giving offerings to a Bad Candy shrine. A couple of bad decisions later they find themselves having to face what they thought was a simple folktale.”

The story of the film is more modern, but is in the same universe as the comic, Henry said. 

“It does expand the mythos some but still serves as an intro for a lot of people,” Henry said. 

Fans can see a trailer and donate at:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/bad-candy-short-film

Paratrauma

Former Oklahoman Todd Beats is the artist of the new comic series “Paratrauma,” currently seeking funding on Kickstarter. 

“Paratrauma” is a psycho-noir story, whereby people gain abilities through specific traumatic events through their life.

“I’ve really dug into my comic roots the last couple years and have just launched my first comic,” Beats said. 

Find out more about the series here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paratrauma/paratrauma-a-psycho-noir-comic-series/

Shape-Man

Norman’s Breyden Boyd joins with artist Anthony Cerraza for “Shape-Man” issue #3, which is currently seeking funds on Kickstarter to conclude the series 

Here’s how Boyd describes the series: 

“When you can be LITERALLY anything, what do you choose to be? Shape-Man is the story of a shape-shifting alien who crash lands on Earth, and struggles to find his identity in this new world.

“Along his journey, he'll meet new friends, encounter enemies, and learn what it means to be a hero!”

“Shape-Man” homages and celebrates classic Marvel tales while also making its own modern exploration into identity.

Check out the Kickstarter for the third issue here: 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shapecomics/shape-man-issue-3-the-final-chapter/

Matthew Price, matthew@matthewLprice.com, has written about the comics industry for more than two decades. He is the co-owner of Speeding Bullet Comics in Norman, Oklahoma.