Comic Matters received an e-mail this week that definitely needed sharing.

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Cover of "Break the Walls"

On the heels of publishing two volumes of the comic book anthology Unite and Take Over: Stories inspired by the Songs of The Smiths, I have set my sights on another iconic band formed in the 80s, The Pixies.  The premise of Break the Walls: Stories Inspired by the Songs of the Pixies is “What is the story that plays in your head when you listen to your favorite Pixies song?”.  I’ve assembled 8 different creative teams to put their stories down on paper.  I am planning to release Break the Walls in time for the San Diego Comic-con International  (http://www.comic-con.org/cci/index.php) this July.

In order to pay for some of the production costs, I have set up a Kickstarter campaign (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/756324374/break-the-walls-comic-stories-inspired-by-the-pixi) that includes some interesting rewards for people who pledge.  In addition to traditional Kickstarter rewards like copies of the comic, prints and original art, I have worked with the creators to provide special rewards.  For a pledge of $50, Henry Barajas, co-writer for the story Number 13, will personalize (up to 6 greeting cards) and mail them for you. Want to send Grandma a card but forgot how to write without using a keyboard? Want to confess your love to someone but need someone else to do it for you?  Want to tell your parents that dropped out of college and you are pursuing your dream of being a professional video game player?  Henry can help you out.  There is also a pledge level that you can get a Break the Walls “concert t-shirt” that lists the conventions the creators will be attending over the next year.  Backers who pledge for the t-shirt by June 24th for also get their names on the t-shirt.  For a $150 pledge, backers can have lunch with Brian Miller and myself on the Saturday of San Diego Comic-con International (July 14).  Comic-con tickets, travel and accommodations are NOT provided, but a tasty lunch away from the crowds is.  You can ask Brian questions about his experiences working with some of the industry greats, get a portfolio review or just enjoy the calm before heading back to Comic-con.  All the previous mentioned levels include a copy of the book signed by cover artist Brian Miller and your name on the acknowledgements page of the comic.

The creators who worked on the book all are huge fans of the Smiths.  Joshua Hale Fialkov, who wrote a story based on “Velouria”, wears a different Pixies t-shirt almost every day and even named his daughter after a Pixies song.  “Those kind of raw emotions seem bring out the creative energy” said Brian Miller, cover artist and writer of the “Planet of Sound” story, talking about how the Pixies influenced him.  The Pixies moved Ryan Cody, artist for the “Velouria” story and writer for the “Debaser” story, to sell his prized drawing table to get the money to attend the 2005 Boise Idaho reunion show and drive 36 hours round-trip to see them.  Their passion is reflected in their stories.  The book hasn’t been published yet and already we are receiving an outpouring of support.  Richard Jones, manager for the Pixies, sent an email of support for the project and even posted a link to it on their Pixies Facebook page.  We could use your support, too.

Those interested in pledging to our project can go to http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/756324374/break-the-walls-comic-stories-inspired-by-the-pixi .  Copies of the two Unite and Take Over graphic novels are available through comic book stores and Amazon.

Thank you for your support!

Shawn Demumbrum, SpazDog Press

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Now, I know a few guys working on this project. They’re all great guys and if you’ve been to any comic book related events in Tucson recently, like the Tucson Comic Con or Free Comic Book day, you probably met them there. Support if you can. This seems to be a great project on the rise.

In addition to writing for the column “Comic Matters” for the Tucson Citizen website, Bobby Acosta is also a 5th Grade Elementary school teacher, frequenter of local comic book shop Heroes & Villains, and explorer of the importance of comics. He recommends each and every comic he writes about. Contact him at comicmatters@gmail.com

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