PaperFilms launch DENVER Kickstarter campaign

by paperfilms | Feb 10, 2014 | News

Well folks, the time has come to stop teasing and share with you an unique effort we’re planning with our newest (and 6th overall) Kickstarter project, DENVER.  This is a different project from us, not in the sense of the story, but the approach we are taking with this book (see some of the notes, as this will have a soundtrack, multiple prints, etc.).

Below you will find the press release for DENVER, some preview pages and the link to participate in the campaign.  If you have participated in the past, or new to our projects, you know we take 100% pride in delivering each and every backer their money’s worth.  So if you can participate, we’d love to see you on board!  If you do participate, we’d also love to see you help us spread the love around by posting some of the upcoming interviews, PR push and the Kickstarter itself.  We’ve made the home page banner a direct link to access the DENVER campaign so worse case, just send them to the PaperFilms website.

Thanks again everyone!  Your support of our madness is never forgotten!!!

DENVER Campaign:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1397702842/denver-a-72-page-mature-audience-original-graphic

Press Release:

For Immediate Release:

PaperFilms Launches Sixth Graphic Novel Kickstarter Campaign for DENVER original graphic novel and soundtrack

February 10, 2014 — PaperFilms announced today a Kickstarter campaign to fund the original graphic novel DENVER, written by New York Times bestselling writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray and illustrated by Pier Brito. The story is set after the world’s oceans have risen, most of humanity has perished and only one city has survived the disaster: the mile high city of Denver, Colorado. Max Flynn, a loyal Coast Border Guard, protects America’s last city and regulates new citizens seeking refuge there–until an extreme group of individuals brings betrayal and blackmail and Max is forced to go against everything he has stood for in order to save the woman he loves.

DENVER is a Kickstarter Exclusive, 72-page Mature Audiences graphic novel and the sixth Kickstarter campaign for PaperFilms. Palmiotti, Gray and frequent contributor Amanda Conner (Harley Quinn) launched PaperFilms in 2012 to create a company for “creators skilled in world building, screenwriting, intellectual property development, video game development, illustration, editorial experience and much more” as part of their efforts to own and develop their own characters for various media, while also nurturing a community for like-minded comic book creators. The company has successfully funded five books for Kickstarter: QUEEN CRAB, FORAGER, WEAPON OF GOD, RETROVIRUS and SEX AND VIOLENCE.

DENVER is another creative collaboration for fan favorite writers Palmiotti and Gray who have co-written comics for Marvel, DC and Image. The Kickstarter campaign features prints by Connor, award-winning cover artist and regular PaperFilms contributor Dave Johnson (100 BULLETS), as well as John Cebollero (DEEP DRAG), graphic designer Dan Panosian (JOHN TIFFANY) and Palmiotti. Additionally, Connor will provide a secret variant cover for DENVER pledges. The book is lettered and designed by PaperFilms regular Bill Tortolini.

While many of creators participating in the DENVER campaign are regular PaperFilms contributors, there are also some very notable new creative voices. DENVER is the first American graphic novel illustrated by Pier Brito. “During New York Comic Con, we were looking for someone that could capture the book’s epic scope and world-building, and at the same time express Max Flynn’s emotional journey in the story,” said Palmiotti. “After one look at Pier’s portfolio, we told him we had the perfect project for him. His storytelling skills are amazing and his work on this book was everything we were looking for.”

This Kickstarter campaign will be the first PaperFilms graphic novel to have a soundtrack inspired by the book. “I had been wanting to work with Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray for quite some time, so when they asked me to come on board to compose music inspired by DENVER I couldn’t have been more excited,” said film and multimedia composer Hans Karl. “The story is intense and enthralling, and the early preview pages of art by Pier Brito are stunning! The world these three have created for DENVER is all at once scary, enticing and surreal.”

“Hans Karl and I met a few times at the Long Beach Comic Con over the years and we would swap stories about our favorite music and comics we enjoyed,” said Palmiotti. “With DENVER, we had the idea of creating an original soundtrack based on the art. Hans was given the script and art and went to work creating what we think is the perfect accompaniment to the book. Like the city itself, presented in the graphic novel, the choice of sound and music is both haunting and beautiful. I also wanted an original song for the ending of the soundtrack and we approached singer songwriter Carrie Johnson to see what she could do. Together, they knocked it our of the park and we are able to offer the soundtrack to the backers of the Kickstarter campaign to accompany the book.”

“Our goal with DENVER is to evolve, challenge ourselves, and take risks with the material,” said Gray. “It’s a visually stunning book. I can’t stop looking at Pier’s artwork and can’t wait to introduce his work to an American audience.”

Pier Brito was born in Uruguay in 1974. He has worked as an inker for Marvel Comics (Daredevil, Silver Surfer, Sabretooth & Mystique), DC Comics (LOBO) and various other publishers in Europe and South America. In 2011, Spanish publisher Glenát released CONTRARRELOJ, a time travel-themed comedic graphic novel which Brito illustrated. In July 2014 Brito’s graphic novel LOGOUT will be released for the Spanish audience. He currently lives and works in Amsterdam.

Justin Gray is an accomplished author who has written for every major American comic book publisher. In addition to writing graphic novels and comic books, he has also contributed to several best-selling video games, animated properties, and children’s fiction. Outside of the publishing world, Justin has been a fossil hunter, micro-photographer specializing of 20 million year old insects and plants preserved in amber, and an advocate for Victims Assistance of Westchester, a not-for-profit organization that assists victims of crime.

Hans Karl is a film and multimedia composer. His music can be heard in documentaries, animated shorts, indie films, commercial jingles and various other creative media projects. In addition to his scoring work, he has also released several albums in various music genres. Currently, he has been creating a collection of original music library tracks. Hans Karl resides in Los Angeles. Reach him at: www.hanskarlmusic.com

Jimmy Palmiotti is a multi-award-winning writer and comic artist and the co-founder of Event Comics, Black Bull Media, Marvel Knights, and Paperfilms, where he currently partners with Amanda Conner and Justin Gray. Together they have created and co-created: MONOLITH, 21 DOWN, THE RESISTANCE, and THE TWILIGHT EXPERIMENT for DC Comics as well as THE NEW WEST, THE PRO, GATECRASHER, BEAUTIFUL KILLER, ASH, CLOUDBURST, TRIGGER GIRL 6, SPLATTERMAN, THRILL SEEKER, TRAILBLAZER, BALLERINA, and the TV series, PAINKILLER JANE. Palmiotti’s other comics work includes POWER GIRL and JONAH HEX for DC Comics, THE LAST RESORT for IDW Publishing, BACK TO BROOKLYN for Image Comics, SPARTACUS for Devils Due, and TIME BOMB for Radical Comics. He has NEW WEST in development at New Regency films. He is currently writing ALL-STAR WESTERN and BATWING for DC Comics’ the New 52, in addition to co-writing the # 1 best-selling HARLEY QUINN comic series with his wife and frequent collaborator Amanda Connor. He has successfully funded five graphic novels via Kickstarter through Paperfilms.