It’s a heavy-hitting week in indie comics and pop culture. You won’t want to miss this Crowdfunding Round-Up!
Empty Stars – The Void King and the Hollow Queen
Creators: Kohl King (Creator/Writer), with cover art by Kristian Rossi, Keir Covington, Kristopher Leithwood, Charlie Snogans, Agus Calcagno, Billy Bacsko, and Robert Geronimo
Goal:$2,200
End Date:October 1, 2026
Goodies: Get the physical copy for $20, the variants for $20, the cover bundle for $60, or at higher tiers get the collectors box for $200, and much more!
Pulpy sci-fi meets grimdark fantasy in this one-shot indie comic book.
There are few things I love more than a comic that wears its influences on its sleeve. Empty Stars immediately caught my attention with a mix of Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Star Wars, Conan the Barbarian, and Dungeons & Dragons. That is a pretty wild combination, but somehow it works, all while being jam-packed full of detail and action.
The best part: it’s a one-shot comic book, so you don’t need to know anything beforehand; it’s just meant to be a reminder of what indie comics can be with fun storytelling and some phenomenal art. You won’t regret checking this one out!
OUT ON THE PROWL: Original Graphic Novel by Molly Pukes
Creators:Molly Pukes(Creator/Writer/Artist))
Goal: $677
End Date:September 30, 2026
Goodies: Get the digital copy for $7, the physical copy for $17 with a sticker pack, the koozie cooler sleeve bundle for $21, or at higher tiers get the “NEON Full Pint Tier” for $28 with an exclusive risograph pilot comic!
A graphic novel about women, pubs, pints, a bitch and a friendship on its last legs.
Out on The Prowl catches the attention of readers with its colorful and strange cover; seeing a woman surrounded by what appears to be a dog, tiger lady, and a pretty lady while smoking a cig and enjoying a Tamagotchi does a lot for the comic. Finding out that the story is about women’s friendships, body confidence, queerness, acceptance, and misogyny – all part of a messy journey of accepting the wild animal that exists underneath your exterior – is what sells it. A story that focuses on exploring forgiveness, the conflict inside you, and the destructive relationships of the past while also delivering a wonderful piece of art and comedic writing takes all the fun of what a comic is and digs even deeper, make sure to check it out!
Knights & Bullshit Vol. 1: Knight Fever
Creators: Spikey Studio (Publisher)
Goal:$5,000
End Date:November 5, 2026
Goodies: get the digital copy for $10, get a physical copy of the issue for $25, the tote bag and t-shirt bundle for $65, or at higher tiers get the “Champions Legacy Tier” for $100, and much more!
A musical fantasy comic about people doing stupid shit for glory.
Being a knight is a big flex, at least in the Dominion of Silly Quest Valley. While the kingdom is in disarray, demons spread like wildfire, and the whole world cares only about knight rankings, anyone would want to become a legendary knight. Knights & Bullshit is about some of those very same knights. This musical fantasy comic is clearly made to be a satirical take on the genre, yet that’s what makes it so endearing. The first volume follows Dairo, a young aspiring knight with a big ego and even larger dreams, as they try to complete their first quest while dealing with all the strange and alarming things throughout the kingdom.
What really sold me is how unapologetically strange the whole thing is. There’s something genuinely fun about a fantasy world where demons are running wild, the kingdom is falling apart, and everyone is still obsessing over who’s the best knight. It’s weird, funny, and clearly having a great time with the fantasy genre, which is exactly the kind of energy I like seeing from an indie comic.
Miss Mina and the Midnight Guardians: The Legend Continues
Creators: David Hedgecock (Creator/Publisher), The Xong Brothers (Main Story Artists), Osvaldo “Montos” Montpeller (Backup Story Artist), David Garcia Cruz (Colorist), Jonathan Maberry (Prose), Omar Lozano (Illustrations), Justin Birch (Letterer), with covers and pinups by Ludo Lullabi, Chuma Hill, Angela Wu, Miss Henpai, and Tony Harris
Goal:$6,000
End Date: October 2, 2026
Goodies: Get the digital copy for $12, the hardcover for $29, the variant cover for $36, the collector box set for $59, or at higher tiers get the “Midnight Mamta Variant Set” for $149!
A monster-filled action adventure set in 1801, where Mina Murray and her team of monstrous misfits take on Dracula’s forces.
What really grabbed me aboutMiss Mina and the Midnight Guardians: The Legend Continues is how much it manages to throw into a single book. Set in 1801 during Dracula’s assault on Earth, the story follows Mina Murray as she brings together a team of monstrous misfits to fight back. The result is a mix of manga, steampunk, and classic Hammer Films horror.
Even then, the 56-page hardcover includes a 25-page main story from The Xong Brothers, a 10-page backup from Osvaldo “Montos” Montpeller, and a new in-continuity prose story by Jonathan Maberry, illustrated by Omar Lozano. There are also limited covers and pinups from creators like Ludo Lullabi, Chuma Hill, Angela Wu, Miss Henpai, and Tony Harris.
If you’re a fan of fantasy, do not miss out on this campaign!
GRYMSTONE #1 (Summit Comics)
Creators: Summit Comics(Publisher), ScottAlanGregory (Writer), ThiagoMotta (Artist)
Goal: $15,000
End Date:September 27, 2026
Goodies: Get the digital copy for $7, the softcover for $13, the variant for $20, or at higher tiers, get the script bundle for $55.
Two brothers on a slow road to madness. A whispering action figure who demands blood. Surreal modern Folk Horror from Summit Comics.
There’s something immediately unsettling about GrymStone. The idea of a possessed 1980s action figure is already strange enough, but the comic doesn’t stop there. Soil & Ash uses GrymStone to tell a much larger story about three troubled families across different periods, with the first issue focusing on two brothers in present-day Chicago.
What really caught my attention is how the project came together. Summit Comics originally created the character as part of a writer talent search, with 145 writers submitting their takes on two blank-slate villains. Scott Alan Gregory was one of the two writers selected, and his version of GrymStone eventually became this five-part miniseries.
That gives the project a pretty unusual origin story, and I think you can feel that weirdness in the concept itself. A talking action figure, a dark woodland entity, family drama, and folk horror is a combination I don’t see every day in indie comics. If you’re looking for something a little stranger than the usual horror Kickstarter, GrymStone definitely caught my attention.
For more from The Beat’s Crowdfunding Round-Up, check out our archived posts here!
