The following is an interview with Iolanda Zanfardino on launching a Kickstarter campaign for the comic book, No Saints Nor Poets #1. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Zanfardino about the creative process of bringing the story and characters to life on the page, the incredible backer rewards available through the campaign, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: You recently launched a Kickstarter campaign for your comic book, No Saints Nor Poets #1. What can you tell us about the premise of this adventure/romance story?
Iolanda Zanfardino: No Saints Nor Poets is a fun adventure-romance story about identity and pride, faith and cynicism, illegal motor-gondola races, turbulent love affairs, carnivals, sea monsters, and social barriers.
This is what you can expect to see in issue #1:
After their beloved city of Serena sinks into the dark waters of the lagoon, leaving it half-submerged, a charming two-bit con artist and a disenchanted former priest reinvent themselves as delivery men working on the razor’s edge, bordering between sanctity and blasphemy on their motorized gondolas. As they fight for a brighter future, they soon realize that their past is not too far behind them.
BD: This marks the very first title from publisher Tightrope Press! What do you feel will come to define a Tightrope press title?
IZ: We think that the world right now absolutely needs LGBTQIA+ stories. Especially those where the characters’ sex orientation is not the main theme of the narrative. Someone can be a sea monster hunter, a former priest, a jester, a noble, a lover: just a person, without focusing on their sexuality alone.
Our stories will discuss society, realistic relationships, faith, finding yourself and discovering what really matters to you, tormented and passionate love, class differences, and fantastic worlds full of possibilities: stories that can make people feel seen and, why not, stories that simply make people emotional or have a good laugh.
People deserve them. We would humbly like to try to tell one of those with No Saints Nor Poets, and, if possible, to tell many others in the future.
BD: At Fanbase Press, our #StoriesMatter initiative endeavors to highlight the impact that stories can have on audiences of various mediums. How do you feel that this story may connect with and impact readers?
IZ: As we previously mentioned, we think that, now more than ever, we have a moral duty to show the world that the LGBTQIA+ community wants and needs representation, but can also do so by fighting sea monsters armed with nothing but tridents and faith!
The world needs and deserves queer stories.
BD: Why do you feel that crowdfunding has been such a valuable resource to ensuring the success of today’s comic book creators?
IZ: The situation in the comic book market is delicate and quite difficult at the moment. Crowdfunding is allowing authors like me, who have always worked in the market of major publishers previously, to tell stories that are close to their hearts, even in a difficult world like this. You can reach readers directly, without the message being affected by market difficulties. Communication with backers is also much more direct. It’s always nice to receive support and reviews of our work!
BD: In light of the Kickstarter campaign, are there any specific backer reward tiers that you are most excited to share?
IZ: In this second campaign, for issue #2, we will also offer the chance to catch up on issue #1 both a digitally and physically!
We will have a two-prints set with a naked version of the main cover, by Martina Belli, and my variant cover.
We’re also proud to offer NSFW variant covers of our beloved protagonists. We know that Kickstarter is the paradise of kinky variant covers, but they usually feature disheveled ladies only. As far as we’re concerned, it’s time for boys to shine on NSFW covers, too!
BD: Lastly, what is the best way for our readers to find more information about No Saints Nor Poets #1 and to support your Kickstarter campaign?
IZ: The Kickstarter page for NSNP #1-2 is already live!
So, please, if you can support us by following the page:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tightropepress/no-saints-nor-poets-1-and-2
If you’d like updates on Tightrope Press news on various social networks instead, here are all the useful links:
https://linktr.ee/tightrope.press
