EYES ON GOLD ARROW COMICS
Gold Arrow Comics presenting “Thrilling Picto-Fiction” and “Pop Art Heroes”: A Pleasant Surprise.
Gold Arrow Comics organized an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for their first two comics. The campaign came to my attention as one of the project suggestions when I backed another campaign. The trailer for the campaign was very interesting. It’s scripted like a movie using the art of the book. Personally, I really enjoy these kinds of trailers for books because they are unexpected.
The campaign did not reach its funding goal, when that happens the project gets canceled and you usually get refunded. It’s tricky when the project owner decides to keep the money to make the project anyways since it will be an expensive journey. As the backer you believe in the project otherwise you wouldn’t back and you trust that the project manager will fulfill all the promises made on the campaign. It’s sad to say but not everyone has the same level of integrity so there is a risk of not receiving the projects.
This publication will be a little different from the others in the “EYES ON” series. It’s my way of saying “Thank You” to Gold Arrow Comics for delivering and giving words of encouragement to keep going.
ABOUT GOLD ARROW COMICS
Gold Arrow Comics believes comics offer unrivaled dramatic possibilities. We believe they represent the most versatile, the most accessible, and still the most underrated art form of communication. They are not daunted by the economics of the industry, and when someone creates a high-quality product, people will want to buy it. They believe in well-told stories and interesting characters.
Gold Arrow Comics’s work is retro. It is classic and new at the same time. Gold Arrow Comics published its two new titles at the beginning of 2022. Their plan was to start with two titles printed in stunningly beautiful black and white and then make the jump to publishing in captivating color.
Thrilling Picto-Fiction was created and written by Marcel Bedard with art by Adan Vazquez. The main story is the adventure of Margo Capri and a short story written by Marcel Bedard and art by Giorgio Galli Titled “The Space Crusades Chapter 1 The Marauder Horde Attacks!” The short story had a whole page with blurred lettering.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Regarding Thrilling Picto-Fiction, I liked the suspense and mystery, but it was a challenge to read. The lettering was a bit too small. Pop Art Heroes was an engaging action adventure. It reminds me of Monster Island and the Fantastic 4. Most of the criticisms on the book were already given on the crowdfunding campaign page so I will not repeat them again. But one thing that I missed is the covers from the campaign. I really like them.
In the books, there are black spaces left for ads. It gives me the impression that maybe they will reprint the first issues again in the future. By then maybe it is an idea to add advertisement perks to the campaign very much like Alterna Comics used to do on their campaigns. They set up rules for the format of the ad and a deadline for delivery. It would be great to have ads in retro style in Picto-Fiction to keep the retro style. Also, make sure to determine an appropriate delivery date and post regular updates.
It’s not fair to compare the campaign with the others that did get funded. Regarding the delivery of the packages, I wish I got a tracking number but again I understand that in this instance the project owners probably went for what works best for them. Further, regarding the packaging, I agree with the criticism of the quality and the requests for future issues to be sent in a sturdier mailer.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Thrilling Picto-Fiction and Pop Art Heroes were very entertaining stories. For me, Picto-Fiction is the standout, and it would be interesting if they could explore more of the retro style and come up with more titles. But the small letters made it challenging to read making Pop Art Heroes a better reading experience.
Despite all the issues with the books, the company should be commended for delivering the products while facing challenges on the way. When it comes to crowdfunding you never know what to expect and not everyone has the same level of work ethic and commitment. Especially when it comes to newly established companies with upcoming talent you as a backer take a higher risk when you fund these projects.
I’m thrilled that Gold Arrow Comics did not give up, completed the project, and is motivated to do more work. In addition to the second issue of the inaugural titles, Gold Arrow Comics says they have an eclectic array of new titles in the works. Wishing them the best and looking forward to their new projects.
Interested in more titles? Check more COMIC BOOKS under the “EYES ON” series wherein I documented my experience with crowdfunding entertainment and shared my notes on the products I received.
My notes are all set. Let me know what you think.
See you on the next page!
We were thrilled to discover your review! THANK YOU so much for your words of encouragement, and of course for the exposure! Our first indiegogo campaign was an amazing learning experience. We have made more than our fair share of miscalculations, but quite honestly they have made us stronger as a company. We are launching the second campaign in a few weeks, and this time around we have a much better sense of what it is all about. Your constructive criticisms are very much appreciated, and they are all correct! Upcoming issues will have larger print, and we have already gone over to sturdier mailers. The blurry page was an editorial error, and not at all the fault of our awesome printers. We are working diligently to make our production and distribution more efficient and better overall. We are really pleased that you like our stories and our style. We think the second issues of POP ART HEROES and THRILLING PICTO-FICTION are really going to knock people out, and that our three new titles will surprise and please fans. We are serious about becoming a major voice in the world of indie comics, and we are having a ridiculous amount of fun doing it! Please keep checking us out, and thanks again!
Hello Gold Arrow Comics!
Keep evolving and doing good work. I’m glad you are taking in constructive criticism and improving. Feedback is how we all improve in all aspects of our work. I know it is challenging to identify constructive criticism in the sea of just malicious negative feedback.
Keep moving forward towards that goal. Never lose sight of it. Baby steps are ok:)
Wishing you all the best with your next campaign!