Help fund print editions of slutty superpowered romp Positive Feedback and later-life coming out vignette Leatherbound, both previously only available digitally to Filthy Figments subscribers.
Hello! I'm Ben Mehlos, longtime comic artist more recently turned queer smut huckster, and I decided it would be fun to make some physical editions of two of my recent gay trans erotica shorts; extra points if we could turn one into a genuinely gorgeous little art object (put a pin in that; more on that momentarily).Â
The Comics:Â
Positive Feedback: A pair of rookie Creative Fighters—artists with the ability to manifest creativity as superpower—square off in a Creative Fighting Championship underbracket 2v2 ... wherein they develop a taste for one another's’ abilities, exploring other applications for them after the match.
Leatherbound: Lindon Clark is a middle-aged machinist whose life is slipping past in a lonely, samey slurry—until one night he wanders into the local gay bookstore after work. Once a vital community space, Leatherbound Books is on its last legs in the era of The Apps ... but the guy behind the counter is exactly what Lindon needs.
Both of these comics originally ran as digital exclusives on Filthy Figments (where they remain if you're so inclined!). Whether you're a FF subscriber who'd just like to take physical copies of them to your nightstand or a non-FF subscribed erotica enjoyer, backing this print project will allow me to sell these books at cons and zinefests, which of course benefits a broke ass artist individually, but moreover makes them available to a broader audience. I'm a big believer in the social importance of sexual expression: erotica is a potent vehicle for self discovery, especially for variously queer people.
Positive Feedback is a riot of color: naturally I'll be printing it accordingly. Short run full color printing without going overseas is spendy, so your help will absolutely help take the edge off. This is going to be a standard 4 color print run on a big digital printer. The comic itself is 29 pages, the book will be 32 including full color covers, so it won't be a slim floppy by any means.
... but Leatherbound is the star of this show. I recently became enamored with Risography, but unfortunately for my budget, so is everyone else. Originally devised as a low cost spot color alternative for businesses, Risograph printing's uniquely neon, soy-based inks and zinester cred has made it a darling of independent artists in the past decade, which has driven the demand, and therefore the cost up considerably. But I've made the acquaintence of a local Risograph shop in my area that I want to partner with on this, and I hope to make a lovely little artifact out of Leatherbound. The original digital comic was done in grayscale with no intention of this eventual output (the Filthy Figments version used a gradient map to give it its pink/blue twilight hues); if anything I thought I might do a black and white zine style run. But with 2-color Riso (Flourescent Pink and Federal Blue, if you're interested!) I think this version will look warmer and toothier than the web original, and I'm limiting it to 200 copies, only 100 of which I'm making available via this campaign (I need some to get out to the cons and the zinefests, like I said!)
Apart from the Stretch Goals, these are completed works, already prepressed and ready to go to a printer! I've got a local Riso printer on board for Leatherbound, and I expect to have all your books shipped to you by June 2024. Reaching Stretch Goals/Achievements may add sufficient work to push back this estimated fulfillment date.
BackerKit will calculate any shipping required during fulfillment when you've added a delivery address; shipping costs will not be billed until then! You are only being charged for your pledge amount at this time. This allows for a lower fundraising target and accounts for fluctuating shipping costs. Currently, US shipping costs are expected to fall in the $5-8 range. Thanks for understanding!Â
