Kickstarter Project: Stillborn: The First Zombie

Follow Stillborn, the Master of the Undead, from ground zero to the apocalypse where all humans die and the zombies win.

 Stillborn: The First Zombie chronicles the tale of the primary and most dominant member of the undead. After inception with strange afflictions from an unknown disease in 1933, Stillborn is hidden in secret by his farmland parents who are mercilessly killed by the townsfolk for “practicing the Devil’s magic.”

Stillborn then forced into hibernation, lays dormant for over 70 years, only to reemerge as a beastly undead monster with only one thought in his mind; Revenge. Fueled with rage, he devises a plan that will not only kill the descendants of those who murdered his parents, but also infect every living thing on Earth with the disease that has haunted him. Stillborn: The First Zombie is the premiere story that combines all forms of the zombie genre, creating a powerful creature that can not only think and speak, but command those that he has infected.

In the TPB, which consists of the first five issues, we read the first storyline, 'The Trap".  "The Trap" is about a group of workers that become trapped inside dying house and are brutally murdered by a ravenous un-dead monster.As they struggle to survive, they discover a haunting history that brought this creature to life and that this zombie is more than just a flesh eating beast, but a cunning and intelligent killer.

 The purpose of this campaign to help meet my current demand while creating more.  I wanted to be able to connect with my readers and spread the Stillborn virus farther using Kickstarter.

I tested the comic in a dozen different stores in 20 different cities and the comic sold out.  I was happy for the news, but had to wait until the last shop paid it's order before I could fill a new one.  I love getting on the shelf, but it's a big mountain to climb when you're on your own. 

With Kickstarter, I hope to cut out the middle man and work directly with my fans and readers.

Characters:

Marc Franco

 After the death of his father, Marc was forced to give up a full scholarship to Harvard Business School so that he may return home to the small town of Heaven's Gate. 

​Washing away his depression with a few bottles, Marc now resides in a small apartment with his mother. The collapse of '08 put the family plumbing business near the edge of collapse.  Now, Marc takes his father's place with severe resentment.  That resentment, however, would not last the day as Marc would be placed in his own grave before nightfall.

Daniel Cartwright

Daniel Cartwrightis a proud native of Heaven's Gate, being a descendant to one of the founding families.  Daniel spends his days as a local contractor while using is free time to shoot and kill anything that walks or crawls around his backyard.

A man born in the wrong age, Daniel craves the gun slinging times of the Old West, carrying a .357 S&W he calls "Betsy" wherever he goes.  While this aging contractor pushes on with his fantasy of older times, in the end, his quick trigger finger will be unable to save his life.

Emily Mills

She was forced to grow up quicker than expected.  While holding down a technician job with the Heaven's Gate Phone Company, Emily became the guardian to her teenage brother, Benjamin, after her parents were killed in a car accident.​

Small but tough, Emily struggles everyday to make ends meet and put a cap on her little brother's drug use.  Her strength will only do little to protect her as she will encounter the worst fate of the group.  

Gabriel Ruiz

He ​became a member of Heaven's Gate in '88 when he migrated from Mexico with his family.  Always a hard-working man, Gabriel began working at Franco's Plumbing over ten years ago when Shawn, Marc's father, offered him the job.  

Having been a handy man for the local cemetery, Gabriel knows everything there is to know about building and maintaining a home.  He adapted to his role at Franco's Plumbing quickly and, after Shawn's death, would become Marc's boss.  All of his knowledge and experience will only delay his death for so long. 

Nicholas Washington

He has earned the nickname "Gentle Giant" around the lower east side of Heaven's Gate.  Abandoned by his parents, Nick grew up with his strict grandmother, ultimately becoming her caretaker and living with her for the rest of his life.

Due to his grandmother's "old fashioned" ways, Nick dropped out of high school and started working construction jobs to help pay the bills.  Well known for being able to knock down a wall in record time, Nick is also known for a secret fear of insects.  Often the subject of various pranks by co-workers, Nicholas would turn from a Gentle Giant into a Raging Hulk.  A flaw that would result in his own horrific fate.  

Carlos Gonzalez

He is known in his community for being a happy family man.  His parents always taught him the importance of family as he grew up on the Gonzalez Farm just outside of Heaven's Gate.  After the birth of his second child, Carlos moved into town so that he might make his own way in the world and learn new ways to help the family business.

After working odd jobs for a couple of years, he landed an apprenticeship with a lead welder and became part of Cartwright's team.  Having knowledge about older homes, Carlos was invited to tag along with Daniel to inspect the decaying Thomas house.  The acceptance of the invitation would lead Carlos to his own death. 

REWARDS:

1 dollar

 The Paranoid Package includes a digital copy of issue #1 and a thanks on my blog.

5 dollars

 The Scratched package includes a digital copy of issue#1 + a digital copy of Stillborn "The Trap" TPB and a thanks on my blog.

10 dollars

 The Bitten Package includes:

Digital Copy of issue #1
Digital Copy of The Trap TPB
Printed, Signed & Numbered copy of The Trap TPB

15 dollar

  The Bitten Package includes:  

Printed & Digital Copy of issue #1
Digital Copy of The Trap TPB
Printed, Signed & Numbered copy of The Trap TPB 

25 dollars

 The Almost Dead Package includes:

Printed & Digital Copy of issue #1
Digital Copy of The Trap TPB
Printed, Signed & Numbered copy of The Trap TPB
11" x 17" Autographed Poster Print
(1) Survival Pack: 1 Magnet, 1 Postcard, 1 bookmark & 1 button.

35 dollars

 The UnDead Package includes:

Printed & Digital Copy of issue #1 - 5
Digital Copy of The Trap TPB
Printed, Signed & Numbered copy of The Trap TPB
(2) 11" x 17" Autographed Poster Print
(2) Survival Pack: 1 Magnet, 1 Postcard, 1 bookmark & 1 button.

40 dollars

The Flesh-Eater Package includes:

Printed & Digital Copy of issue #1 - 5
Digital Copy of The Trap TPB
Printed, Signed & Numbered copy of The Trap TPB
(3) 11" x 17" Autographed Poster Print
(2) Survival Pack: 1 Magnet, 1 Postcard, 1 bookmark & 1 button.

50 dollars

The Infector Package includes:

Printed & Digital Copy of issue #1 - 5, Issue 1 will be an original sketch cover
Digital Copy of The Trap TPB
Printed, Signed & Numbered copy of The Trap TPB
(3) 11" x 17" Autographed Poster Print
(2) Survival Pack: 1 Magnet, 1 Postcard, 1 bookmark & 1 button.

75 dollars

The Horde Leader Package includes:

Printed Sketch Covers & Digital copies  of issue #1 - 5
Digital Copy of The Trap TPB Printed, Signed & Numbered copy of The Trap TPB
(5) 11" x 17" Autographed Poster Print
(3) Survival Pack: 1 Magnet, 1 Postcard, 1 bookmark & 1 button.

100 dollars

Master of the Dead Package includes:

Printed Sketch Covers & Digital copies  of issue #1 - 5
Digital Copy of The Trap TPB Printed, Signed & Numbered copy of The Trap TPB
(5) 11" x 17" Autographed Poster Print
(3) Survival Pack: 1 Magnet, 1 Postcard, 1 bookmark & 1 button.
Hardcover copy of "Stillborn:Classified" containing the original film script and unpublished Stillborn novel.  

There are only 10 of these available because I don't want anyone to read "Stillborn: Classified".  These are my personal reference materials, unedited and unproofed, and the Stillborn novel outlines the story for the second graphic novel.  The script and book are 2/3 of the "Stillborn Bible".  The other 1/3 are my original rough sketches of the book. 

I was planning to release the "Stillborn Bible" at a later date, but I added the written portion to the package as an incentive for true Stillborn fans.

Thank you for reading this far. Please back the project or tell your "zombie friends" to check it out.  

Risks and challenges

Stillborn is finished. The issues and TPB are already available, so there is no risk. You back up the comic, I send out the order, I sign the comic and mail it to you. Simple. Easy.

I use anything extra to help create book II: "Raising The Dead."

And you will get the first exclusive copy before I send it to the shops, but that's my next campaign.

A Quick Note on Sketch Covers:
I learned how to draw using a computer. I did all the artwork digitally using a pen tablet. There are only 2 actual hand drawn pages of Stillborn. SO, drawing on paper is odd for me. The sketch covers are given extra time for that reason. I do sketch covers. No problem. I will accept requests, because I love my fans. Just a heads up.

For questions or to make a pledge, click here!