Shook! Black Women Horror Comic Creators Hit $20K Kickstarter Goal

The follow up to the comic "Shook! A Black Horror Anthology" has an award-winning team of Black women writers and artists.

Black women horror comic creators surpassed a $20,000 Kickstarter goal to fund a follow-up to the comic Shook! A Black Horror Anthology.

The second project, titled Shook Volume Two: Songs of the Dark Sirens, is being edited by Colleen Douglas and will be on shelves in January 2024, according to KPBS. The Kickstarter raised a total of $20,461 with 138 backers, according to the funding site that has branded itself as helping “bring creative projects to life.” The funding period for the second comic was from Oct. 10-Nov. 9, 2023.

Douglas, who has worked in the comic industry for nearly a decade, said about the project, according to KPBS, “It’s kind of paving the way for future possibilities, for storytelling from a Black perspective, Black women telling horror stories. And that’s what makes it so difficult. You’re pioneering. You’re basically paving the road for the rest of the cars to follow.”

Douglas said in a video on the Kickstarter page, “I am looking forward to working with sisters who have been very creative and very interesting in their approach to storytelling.” The editor said the comic will explore travel and “various topics such as stories from our childhood” and “even the quirky, unusual, and interesting perspectives that have been with us for a very long time.”

According to the “Meet the Creators” section on the Kickstarter, site Douglas – who also contributed as a writer – was joined by a host of award-winning Black women who made the project happen. Collaborators include Micheline Hess (writer, artist), Julie Anderson (artist), Alitha Martinez (artist), Rebecca Wanzo (writer), Raeghan Buchanan (writer, artist), Shake MacAudacious (writer), and Tananarive Due (writer).

Marcus H. Roberts, the creator listed under the Kickstarter, said in an update on the campaign page, “Thanks to everyone who believed in us and this project!” He added that backers helped make history possible.

The “Print Only” reward on the Kickstarter page had the most support, with 41 total backers. They will each receive a physical copy of volume two of the horror comic.

The outlet noted that the first of the two comics created a new standard for horror anthologies. Second Sight Publishing and Dark Horse Comics were responsible for the publication and distribution of the first volume, which was successfully funded around the time of the Black Lives Matter protests, according to KPBS.