Comics for Marriage Equality

 

Goal: $8,500

 

Due date: Friday, March 16

 

Why it’s good: The 2012 campaign is only starting to take shape, but Minnesotans have known for months now that the marriage amendment on the ballot will be a central issue. Raighne Hogan of comic design studio 2D Cloud is joining the fight against a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage by creating Little Heart, an anthology in which more than two dozen artists tackle the proposed amendment from their own perspectives. The video on the project’s page offers a quick preview of the book’s variety of styles and subjects, as well as the quality of the art and the sincere and meaningful nature of the content. Little Heart not only gives talented people a chance to speak on an important and relevant topic, but also pays them for their work–one of the chief costs the Kickstarter seeks to fund.

 

Rewards: Donating smaller amounts earns you a copy of Little Heart itself as well as prints by some of the featured artists, but the higher reward levels are where things get interesting. $250 or more buys a “Date With an Artist”: drinks and conversation with one of the Little Heart creators.

 

Why Kickstarter: Little Heart isn’t Hogan’s first Kickstarter venture; he’s used the site before for previous anthologies. “Anytime you tackle a project with Kickstarter, it creates a bit of an awareness campaign for that project,” Hogan says. He advises that it’s important to be smart as well as persistent in publicizing a Kickstarter: “Trying to drum up support on this project is all about trying to find the right angle to present the idea and to present it to the right people to help you spread awareness. You also try not to be spamming people with this stuff.” Promoting a project isn’t just about social media, Hogan continues–getting in touch directly with bloggers and other creators who might be interested is also essential. And don’t get greedy, he adds: “The funds that you are going to raise may look a bit like a shoestring budget. Be comfortable with that.”

 

Last word: ”Since Little Heart’s inception, the project has grown. The issue itself is bigger than Minnesota.”