Kickstarter: World Wide Wrestling RPG Season 2

Kickstarter has had a lot of incredible campaigns in the past.  I don't have shelves filled Kickstarted goods, but I have backed my share of products.  One of my favorites was Nathan D. Paoletta's World Wide Wrestling RPG.  The game which involved both in ring action and backstage maneuvering was perfect for the person like me who writes sprawling backstories for created wrestlers in video games.  The game is easy to play, true to the source material, and obviously written with a lot of love.  Because of this I was thrilled to see that a second book is recently been added to Kickstarter.

World Wide Wrestling RPG: International Incident is adding more testicular fortitude to the main game.  As the name implies many of the new gimmicks will have an international flavor to them.  Lucha Libre wrestlers can now show those High Flyers how it's really done.  Japanese style Puroresu will teach those American audiences what "Strong Style" really means.  Besides the new gimmicks the game also introduces rules for growing your promotion, audience moves, mythic moments, off camera stroke, long term play, and additional tips on match flow.

I backed the project the moment I heard about it.  If you haven't picked up the original yet, there is even a pledge tier that includes both games.  Check out the Kickstarter by clicking HERE and check out Nathan's website by visiting ndpdesign.com.

Kickstarter: Greebo Games Un-Renaissance

At a recent event Games Workshop had fliers showing off four new molds for a new version of Blood Bowl with the announcement that the game is coming in 2017.  Obviously great news for fans, that still means the new core set is still over a year away.  And that’s just for Humans and Orks.  Thankfully companies like Greebo have been making “Fantasy Football” miniatures for years.  Their newest Kickstarter shows off all the skills they’ve acquired.  The characters may be dead, but the sculpts are beautiful.

The Kickstarter has a great variety of ghouls, skeletons, mummies, and werewolves available.  That means when picking your figures you could easily create an Undead, Khemri, or Necromantic Blood Bowl team.  The Kickstarter is already fully funded, so you don’t have to worry about pledging to something that has little or no chance to ever seeing production.  In addition to already hitting their goal the Greebo team has a nice set of Add-ons and Stretch Goals set up. 

If you’re in the market for a new Blood Bowl team this is honestly one of the best looking third party teams I’ve seen out there.  Check out the Kickstarter for yourself by clicking HERE.

Blue Dungeon Tiles

I’ve been rolling dice and filling in character sheets for a very long time.   Over that time I’ve seen a lot of different table set ups.  As some roleplaying games have become more and more dependent on having some sort of representation for players and their enemies.  There are numerous products out there to help build dungeons; maps, white boards, and tiles are all very popular options.  There is a project up on Kickstarter right now that combines a few of these ideas.

Blue Dungeon Tiles are pre-printed tiles that act as miniature white boards.  The Kickstarter also states that permanent marker can be used on these and then still erased by covering that marker with an erasable one and then erasing both.  The basic set is 48 tiles that contain rooms and hallways with solid blue walls and borders.  The blue was chosen so that black markers will show up on both the white empty space and on the blue spaces.  The blue also matches blue painter’s tape, so if you need to tape pieces together it will look seamless.

As of this writing the Kickstarter has 48 days to go and has already raised 6,000 of it 9,500 dollar goal.  There are two sets of “expert tiles” that are currently set as stretch goals.  These expert tiles have more specialized designs like curved walls or diagonal hall ways.  There is also good number of add-ons that you can include with your pledge.  If you are looking for something new to bring to your gaming table check out the Blue Dungeon Tiles on Kickstarter by clicking HERE.

Pariah, Missouri Book 1

There are a lot of amazing Kickstarter and Indiegogo fundraisers out there.  I really try not to spend too much time looking at projects because the things I want to fund far outnumber my hobby budget.  Even on the projects I do support, there are usually cool rewards levels that are out of my reach.  What I’m trying to say is that I understand when someone misses out on backing an incredible project like Pariah, Missouri.  There are just too many things out there to back every one you like. Last December we talked about the Supernatural Western comic and how excited I was for it.

If you missed out on Pariah the first time you are in luck.  A brand new Kickstarter has been put up that tells even more of the story.  Book 1 of Pariah, Missouri collects 5 issues and runs over 110 pages.  If you’re already hooked on the project there is a hard cover special edition of the book that includes things like script pages, commentary, and a 5 page prelude.  There are also other add-ons available; things like prints, shirts, and additional copies of the trade.  The project is already fully funded and it's only been up a couple of days, that should tell you something about the quality of this book.

Pariah, Missouri is written and colored by Andres Salazar and the art is provided by Jose Pescador.  I don’t want to downplay the story, because the story is awesome, but this is a beautiful book.  The muted color pallet fits the art perfectly.  If you like westerns or period supernatural stories this is a book you want to read.  I went into the first auction blind, I knew it sounded cool but I wasn’t sure if I’d actually like the book.  I can tell you that after getting the first comic I’m a fan.  I want this first collection to be successful because I’m greedy and I want more.  Check out the Kickstarter for yourself by clicking here.

Warmachine: Tactics

Another day, another Kickstarter. I have talked about how much I enjoy the world of the Iron Kingdoms, as depicted in the Warmachine tabletop and roleplaying games. Well now they are venturing into the video game world with Warmachine: Tactics. Tactics is a turn based strategy game that is currently on Kickstarter. They have blown through their funding goal on the first day and have also nabbed some stretch goals. Personally I am looking forward to the 850 thousand goal as that is when I get the Thunderhead, a kickass Cygnar 'Jack. Anyway check out the kickstarter and preorder the game that is expected out next year around this time.

Also if you are interested in some Iron Kingdom fiction, Privateer Press has launched a fiction line called Skull Island Expeditions. I really enjoyed The Way Of Caine. Allister Caine is a Cygnarian Warcaster with a penchant for shooting people in the face.

Robotech RPG Tactics

Before we get started with today’s updates we need to get a few things out of the way.  We’re talking about Robotech.  Yes, I know Robotech was originally three cartoons before Harmony Gold combined Super Dimension Fortress Macross, Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross, and Genesis Climber MOSPEADA.  There may also be spoilers for a cartoon that came out in 1985, so if for some reason you want to view the series for the first time you probably want to skip the next paragraph.

I was 9 when Robotech started airing on television.  Despite the fact that my local television station didn’t always air the episodes in order I was fascinated by it.  It’s the first cartoon I can remember that didn’t talk down to the audience.  There was a lot going on in those plots and while the younger me might not have understood all of it, I was never lost.  I can still remember the impact Roy Fokker’s death had on me; people in cartoons weren’t supposed to die.  Most people think of the Macross saga when they hear the name Robotech.  My personal favorite was the New Generation but Macross saga has Khyron.  Khyron was so cool he made sitting through Minmay scenes almost bearable.

So why am I talking about Robotech today?  Palladium the long time holders of the Robotech RPG license have created a Kickstarter for a Robotech Tactics game.  When I say Palladium has had the license for a long time, understand that I used to play the Robotech role-playing game they created back in high school.  Their newest game is going to fill your table with Macross saga veritechs and Zentraedi battle pods.  As of this writing there are 20 days left to go in the Kickstarted and it is already fully funded.  They’ve actually made enough to fully fund the project 6 times.  Palladium is going above and beyond and adding stretch goal after stretch goal. 

There are numerous different levels that you can pledge.  The level I want to talk about is their Battle Cry level.  It isn’t cheap, that level will cost you 140.  But for that you’ll get a 90+ page rule book, 12 Zentraedi dice, 12 UEDF dice, 40 game cards, an art print, and 45 game pieces (including the Kickstarter exclusive Rick Hunter veritech).  That’s the basic set.  You also get another 14 game pieces that have been unlocked by the stretch goals.  Roy Fokker’s Veritech is included in those pieces, like Rick he is also a Kickstarter exclusive.

That’s a fantastic amount of plastic to move around your table.  You could have 10 Veritechs and 4 Destroids defending the Earth against 21 Regult Battlepods, 2 Reconnaissance Battlepods, and 2 Glaug Officer’s Battlepods.  If that isn’t enough for you there are plenty of add-ons to purchase.  You can buy extra Battlepods of all types.  Or extra Veritechs.  Or Gnerl Fighters. Want some real firepower?  The MKII Monster is available for 40 bucks.  If you’re a fan of tabletop war games or just a Robotech fan this is a Kickstarter you need to check out.  With 20 days left to go I’m excited just to see what else is coming.

Kill All Monsters Kickstarter!

I was minding my own business last night on Twitter (@FingMonkeyKenO) when I ran across something glorious.  Michael May and Jason Copland’s comic Kill All Monsters has it’s very own Kickstarter.  You can check it out by clicking HERE!  So now you can pre-order a copy at your local store, but if you don’t have a friendly local comic shop or you want even more Kill All Monster Goodness you can check it out on the Kickstarter.

I know you’re thinking to yourself, “Ken you keep talking about his book, how good can it be?”  I read the web comic.  Michael was kind enough to send me a PDF, so then I read that.  I can’t wait to read it again when I have a physical copy in my hands.  It’s people in giant robot suits fighting giant monsters.  It’s people out of robot suits fighting people sized monsters.  If that doesn’t have you stomping around the room making Godzilla sounds I don’t know what else I can tell you.

Make sure you check out the Kickstarter though.  They have a number of different rewards beyond just copies of their book.  There are some fantastic looking prints for those of you who still have empty space on your walls.  There are shirts for those of you who wear clothes.  There are sketchy pledge levels where you can get some awesome Copland art.  You have to move quickly, those are going fast.

Last night I made the joke I need my own Kickstarter to afford the $600 tier.  Jason must have been crazy when he agreed to pencil a 5 page story that the funder has written.  I want it just so I can play in the amazing setting that he and Michael have created.  Couldn’t you see me in a KAM prequel?  Fighting in a half sized prototype robot suit.  Hitting monsters with a hammer, setting them on fire, and then dying horribly?  I wonder if the wife would notice if I spent on tax refund….

In all seriousness, please check out the Kill All Monsters Kickstarter by clicking HERE.  You’ll be glad you did.

Richard Cheese Indiegogo

I can’t honestly tell you how or when I discovered Richard Cheese and the Lounge Against the Machine.  I do know it resulted me in instantly ordering CDs.  And outside of the albums that just compile already released material; I’ve bought each new release since.  I’m a fan of his “swankifacation” of music.  So I was pretty surprised when I received an email asking for help.

Mark Jonathan Davis aka Richard Cheese aka Johnny Aloha needs a corneal transplant.  He was born with deformed corneas so he was unable to get any type of health insurance, which means he has to pay for the operation out of pocket.  His indiegogo fundraiser explains the whole situation far better than I can.  Here is the good news; with 10 days left in the fundraiser he has already raised 21,700.  So he’s reached his goal, but considering he had two surgeries last year all additional funding will still help a lot.

Check out the indiegogo fundraiser by clicking HERE.  There are great incentives still available.  I’ll be getting a signed copy of his book, but I’m pretty tempted to have him call me on my birthday.

Aw Yeah Kickstarter

We interrupt our normally Shark Cowboy news with some pretty big Kickstarter news. In January we covered how Art and Franco’s Superman Family Adventures was canceled by DC in a really cowardly way. Well that may have been a blessing in disguise; because they are now pushing forward and releasing their own all ages comics. They aren’t doing it by themselves either. The Eisner award winning duo are teaming up with other comic professionals to create the books, they are also teaming up with fans to publish them.

By teaming up with fans, I mean Kickstarter. The Kickstarter started yesterday with a goal of 15,000 dollars. The Aw Yeah team believed that would be what was needed to create and print 6 issues. Among the other rewards, 30 dollars would get you the first 6 issues. Well it only took 8 hours for them to reach their goal. 8 hours for comic fans to pledge 15,000. That’s impressive. With 29 days left and their Kickstarter already complete they did the only reasonable thing, they started adding push goals. Why stop at 6 issues if they could fund 12?

If you’re wondering why I keep coming back to talking about Art and Franco’s comics let me try and explain. I like monster comics. I like violent pulp comics. I like comics written specifically for adults. But that can’t be the only thing in the industry. If there aren’t comics for kids to read the industry is going to continue to get smaller and smaller. If you’ve read Tiny Titans, Superman Family, or Patrick the Wolf Boy you know how enjoyable these comics can be. The link to the Kickstarter is here http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1197720703/aw-yeah-comics please check it out.

Kickstarter: Pariah, Missouri

I don’t think it was surprise anyone that reads That F’ing Monkey that I love westerns. There is a reason I keep a working Colt Navy revolver on my book shelf. Yesterday I received an email about a Kickstarter project that I was immediately excited about. It’s a supernatural/western comic book called Pariah, Missouri. I was excited before I even saw the art.

The Kickstarter sets up the story like this:
1857. Pariah, Missouri is a riverboat boom-town and a haven for the unscrupulous. The charismatic Hy Buchanan works undercover as a foppish cheat, and creates a rag-tag team to ferret out evil, both the corruption of man and the supernatural. His first challenge is the arrival of a duo of thespians, whose intentions are not to entertain.

Pariah, Missouri was created by Andres Salazar with art by Jose Pescador. The art is flat out gorgeous. Me talking about this isn’t enough though. Go to the Kickstarter. There is a 20 page preview pdf that you can download. I honestly don’t know how anyone could read that and not want to see more. I want to see more. I’m sorry I can’t pledge at the higher levels, because I want to see this project succeed so bad it hurts.

Monster Roll

With Halloween quickly approaching this weekend will be full of monster movies and ghost stories. Today I wanted to make sure you had seen the proof-of-concept short “Monster Roll.” The developers want to make it a feature film but something about the video makes me think it would make an incredible series. It’s over the top, tongue in cheek, B-movie greatness.

Check out the Monster Roll website for more information. The director has already announced that we’ll be seeing a Kickstarter to help the project. I want to see more of Monster Roll; six minutes just wasn’t enough.

Also since it is Halloween Weekend, everyone be safe out there tonight.



Goon Kickstarter

Eric Powell’s The Goon is an amazing comic. While people usually remember his amazing sense of humor, the Goon comic has also showed great action and incredibly touching stories. When it was first launched it was grouped with Hellboy. Even though the Goon and Hellboy did crossover, the books are very different. I don’t think there is another book anything like the Goon. As good as his story telling is Powell is an even better artist.

You may have seen a short video on the internet of an animated Goon. It’s pretty amazing. I know as soon as most people saw it, they were excited that a Goon Movie was being created. Unfortunately it isn’t actually in production. David Fincher, Eric Powell, Blur Studio, and Dark Horse funded that video themselves so they’d have proof that the Goon would work in an animated format. Despite being well received, no one has budged on bringing the Goon to the big screen. Enter Kickstarter.

It’s important to say that this Kickstarter is not going to finance an entire movie. It’s going to finance a story reel. While Brandon could chime in here with all his film school knowledge, we’re just going to call a story reel a rough edit of storyboards combined with all the recorded dialogue, sound effects, and music. Think back to all those animated movies that have cut scenes on their DVD extras. That is pretty much what you’d be seeing in the story reel.

It should come as no surprise that the kickstarter has some pretty amazing rewards too. 25 dollars will get you access to the film’s production blog. So if you like the behind the scenes stuff this is a good place to start. As you go up there are T-shirts, signed posters, PDF and printed versions of the pitch book, a limited edition Goon statue, original Eric Powell artwork, and even a screening of the story reel. The Goon needs to become a movie people, and not a watered down version either. These people are trying to make it happen and we need to help. Please check out the Kickstarter.

Project Eternity

I’m a fan of the game developer Obsidian, I’m also well aware of the bad luck they’ve had working on other people’s games. The story of their work on Knights of the Old Republic 2 is legendary. It’s a fantastic game that wasn’t finished. Sure you can find the mods to correct that now, but the studio never got to officially release the game they wanted to. I’m currently playing Fallout New Vegas and I’ve read about the things they had to cut from the game to meet the game’s deadline.

Project Eternity is going to be a game that we don’t have to worry about being released unfinished. That’s because Obsidian is currently raising money on Kickstarter to fund the game set in an original setting. It is PC only, one of the things they have complained about in their old games was making sure they were console compatible. There are 21 days left in the Kickstarter and the basic goal has already been met; currently the Kickstarter is about to reach its fourth stretch goal.

Check out the website for yourself and see the information they have on the setting. As with all Kickstarters there are a ton of different pledge options. Sadly the 5,000 dollar pledge of naming an in game Tavern has already been taken. I was just about to grab my checkbook too.

Sidekickstarter

As of late Kickstarter has been experiencing a golden age. Lots of nerdy stuff has been funded to the extreme, such as the Shadowrun Returns campaign that hit 459% funding. Well right now friend of the blog (and reason I am known as "Cake Fucker") Chris Moreno and Paul Jenkins are looking to do a new Sidekick project. 

If you don't know Sidekick it is the "Benny Hill of Superheroes" and I would suggest reading this review by comiccritique.com as they sum it up much more eloquently then I ever could. They have already hit their first goal of $5000 bones and because of that we get to see this...

Now the funding must continue so we can see Paul run through Atlanta's Olympic Centennial Park dressed in an ol' time bathing suit and Chris dressed as a Klingon at DragonCon. This must be seen.

As always Let Your F'ing Voice Be Heard! In the comments, our Facebook, or the Contact Us button. And remember if you ever meet Chris he loves signing the nastiest porn comics you can find, just tell him That F'ing Monkey sent ya.