On Monday, June 7th 2021, new Graphic Novel, Slow City Blues, launched via groundbreaking new crowdfunding platform Zoop to critical and Comic Industry acclaim. The 5 issue crime noir graphic novel is the brainchild of Writer/Creator Sam Haine, comics mainstay John Livesay (Avengers, Spiderman, Batman, The Flash) with Pencils from Shawn Moll (Venom, She-Hulk, Outsiders) and Colors by David Baron (Batman, Justice League, Green Arrow) letterer Thomas Mauer, and story consultant Artisha Mann Cooper. It Tells the story of Detective John Loris, who gets trapped inside his imagination after a horrible accident causes him to try and take his own life. John instead ends up in Slow City, a construct of his mind’s eye, a place where anything is possible – except a way out. There, he must battle his deeply-rooted inner demons and examine who he truly was before entering this purgatory.
The project originally landed at IMAGE comics but due to COVID delays, the creative team pivoted to find a new avenue for distributing their work. They partnered with new crowdfunding platform ZOOP, from the creators behind the record breaking campaign for Keanu Reeves comic BRZRKR, to be the first product available at launch on June 7th. COVID highlighted the fragility of the established publishing and distribution process for comics. Zoop alleviates this problem by creating the only turnkey, end to end, direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform and service provider for creators of all kinds. Unlike any other crowdfunding platform, Zoop handles EVERYTHING from admin, pre-order, production, fulfillment, marketing, and more, so publishers and creators can focus on creating more of what their fans want.
Slow City Blues launched with a heavy hitter roster of variant cover artists unmatched for a first-time title including legendary artist David Finch, Paul Pope, Derrick Chew, Doug Mahnke, Brett Booth, Julian Totino Tedesco, Francesco Mattina, Yasmine Putri, Howard Porter, Phillip Tan, Cary Nord, Pat Olliffe, and Randy Green. It has garnered critical and industry acclaim. Below are some of the comments from critics and comics industry titans!
Jim Starlin (Creator of Marvel’s Thanos, Infinity Gauntlet Saga, Ominous Press’ Dreadstar)
“The rich story and complex characters will keep you immersed to the very end.The violence and satire top off the kind of novel you can’t put down as each issue’s cliff hanger makes you want to find out what happens next!”
Aaron Couch (The Hollywood Reporter)
“Slow City Blues is a strange, imaginative tale with art to match. It’s not quite like anything else I’m reading!”
Coy Jandreau (Collider.com/CoyCast)
“Slow City Blues is the Neon Noir detective on the edge drama you never knew you wanted but absolutely need. It’s one part Brad Pitt’s ‘Cool World’ two parts Kurt Russell’s ‘Big Trouble in little China’ with a nice heaping helping of comic book references. SCB is what indie comics are all about”
Darick Robertson (co-creator of THE BOYS & HAPPY!):
“John and Moof are an amazing unlikely duo in a fantastical world with intriguing, bizarre, and original characters. The artwork is excellent and immerses you in this Heavy Metal through-the-looking-glass environment of humanoid animals and crazy creatures.”
Steve Orlando (Batman, X-Men, Wonder Woman):
“SLOW CITY BLUES is a wild ride, championed by the Sam Spade antihero of an anthropomorphic plant and animal world, a gonzo Adult Swim vision of ROGER RABBIT world of drinks, sex, and violence. It’s high-octane action satire!”
David F. Walker (Writer/Co-Creator BITTER ROOT)
“[Slow City Blues] is very cool. It’s insane (in the best way).
Jimmy Palmiotti (Harley Quinn, co-founder of Marvel Knights)
“Slow City Blues is a visually beautiful and disturbingly fun book that keeps the reader wondering where it is going next with every page turn. Worldbuilding at its best.”
Slow City Blues is available now for purchase at https://zoop.gg/c/slowcityblues with early bird specials and incentives still available.
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