How to Lose a Crowdfunding Audience With One Simple Trick: Cash Grab and Comicsgate

A DRUNKEN STAR IS BORN
In 2018 a group of YouTubers lead by by Ethan Van Sciver (a former professional comic book artis at Marvel and DC Comics) began crowdfunding comic books on the Indiegogo.com platform. This group used the hashtag #Comicsgate as form of branding and group identification. A popular character that emerged from Van Sciver's YouTube program was "Cecil" a persona garbed in a mask and played as a sort of drunken riff on Dom Deluise. Cecil would frequently drink himself into a stupor on YouTube Livestreams. Cecil soon started his own YouTube Channel. Cecil discussed creating a comic book with comedic commentator Nerkish, but Nerkish withdrew from the project when Ethan Van Sciver attempted to pressure Nerkish into moderating or censoring edgy humor in Nerkish's discord server. The project titled "Cash Grab" was temporarily shelved.

BETRAYAL IN COMICSGATE BECOMES A THEME, ALL OVER AGAIN AND AGAIN
Around the summer of 2018 Ethan Van Sciver persuaded artist Doug TenNapel to come create YouTube content and a graphic novel for the Comicsgate audience. Readers likely remember TenNapel from the world famous Earth Worm Jim games, Veggie Tales, and his numerous graphic novels. Doug became a quick fan favorite on Comicsgate YouTube programs and launched and delivered a graphic novel - "BigFoot Bill". TenNapel followed up Bigfoot Bill with an equally successful sequel. Reader's can browse and purchase TenNapel's work at https://doug-tennapel-comic-library.myshopify.com/

After some time TenNapel began to chafe at some of the issues he saw in the performative environment of Comicsgate YouTube. TenNapel is an outspoken Christian, and appeared completely opposed to diluting expressions of his faith or principles to accomodate what he percieved as a secular merchandising movement. TenNapel separated himself from Van Sciver, and quickly became "Enemy Number One" of Comicsgate who had branded him with the moniker of "Dirtworm Doug" or "Tapeworm Doug" - a riff on "Earthworm Jim". Some friction previously been brewing when Van Sciver raged at TenNapel for the offense of failing to thank him at a public forum. TenNapel was acused of "exploiting" Comicsgate - while he (TenNapel) had ironically delivered two high quality graphic novels while the other luminaries of Comicsgate made more YouTube programs.

THE RETURN OF CASHGRAB, NOW WITH DIRTWORM DUG(TENNAPEL)
Cecil was heavily critical of the departure of TenNapel from Comicsgate, and ridiculed Doug to the delight of the Comcisgate audience. In November of 2019 in YouTube livestream with Evan Van Sciver, Cecil floated the idea of creating a short comic strip to viciously parody TenNapel. Doug would be depicted as cartoon tapeworm taken in a by kindly village of earthworms, who finally had to be expelled from the village and returned to the "ass of a dog" to restore peace. Van Sciver was giddy with laughter at the idea of crudely mocking TenNapel and urged Cecil to offer the story as a companion book to "Cash Grab." A short clip of the conversation can be heard below but it not safe for work, or young viewers.

CECIL LAUNCHES HIS CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN
Cecil launced his Cash Grab graphic novel centered on the exploits of a fictionalized Cecil, along with an optional Dirtworm Dug comic book. The book was quickly funded and between the intial campaign and a "2nd Chance Campaign" that ran from October through November of 2023, recorded 5,094 backer (numbers derived from backerkit.com). The parody book cover - contains character that correspond to Doug TenNapel (the worm), Ethan Van Sciver (the frog), and Cecil (the centipede). Delivery of the books to backers was reportedly delayed to personal issues in Ceci's life but has been completed.

CASH GRAB TWO, KICKED OFF INDIEGOGO
On September 30, 2024 Cecil announced the launch of the campaign for Cash Grab, and then on October 2, 2024 he tweeted out "Censorship is in full effect at Indiegogo. Cash Grab 2 has been booted from the site for "wrong think"." You can view the Tweet here. Indiegogo sent a message that Cecil's account did not comply with the terms of service. The message that Cecil shared did not substantially detail what aspect of the terms of service had been violated.

CASH GRAB ON FUNDMYCOMIC.COM
On November 4th Cecil relaunched the campaign on the platform Fund My Comic, the campaign can be viewed at Cash Grab 2 - "Orange is the New Fat.". Some of the images and jokes in the preview pages featured on the campaign pages on Fund My Comic, may have pushed the limits of content guidelines at Indiegogo. Indiegogo has a politically progressive slant (American). As of December 26th 2024 Cash Grab 2 has 610 backers, compared to a total of 4,480 backers for the first Cash Grab Campaign. This is approximately 14% of the backers of the first campaign. The "leaders" of Comicsgate has made a point of only running and backing campaigns on Indiegogo.com, so there may be some resistance from Comicsgate loyalists. It is likely that Van Sciver will run a close out YouTube program for Cecil, which may shake out a few hundred more backers for the campaign before it closes. Cash Grab 2 is the most funded comic book project on Fund My Comic to date.

DOUG TENNAPEL GETS THE LAST LAUGH?
Doug TenNapel, sometimes called "Smuglas" by Comicsgate may have a well deserved last laugh. TenNapel is not vindicitve, and appeared to be friendly to Cecil when the two were guests of a mutual friend - in September of 2023 TenNapel Tweeted

That book has AIDS but Cecil and I will definitely have a blast. No online caca should spoil real life guy time.

Doug's overall condemnation of Comicsgate has not changed and in January 2024 he said:

The #comicsgate brand is akin to the biggest pedo-movement in comics, no real writer or artist would shame their business with this mark of no talent and no values.

TenNapel can forgiven for enjoying a reasonable chuckle at Cecil's expense.

Posted using The BBH Project

Posted Using InLeo Alpha