https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/949359839/grim-n-gritty-1?ref=home_location
Ever wonder what cartoons would be like if they weren’t for kids anymore? Grim n’ Gritty takes the same concept that superhero comics have mainly done for the last 30 years: make something that was meant for kids entertainment dark, adult and edgy. Grim n’ Gritty #1 is the first issue of a planned 8-issue miniseries (though we both have interest in continuing after). Grim n’ Gritty #1 introduces readers to Sid the Squirrel and Animanhattan. Animanhattan was once the beacon of hope and ideal city for cartoons, but now, crime and corruption run rampant throughout the city. Only the cynical and embittered Sid seems to have a handle on the madness at play. Sid is quickly called to investigate the apparent suicide of a high-profile cartoon named Goofus Goose. As this is happening, he quickly runs into the kid-sidekick Scout, who has been sent 30 years into the future. Now Sid has to raise a confused child while trying to investigate a murder.
The major inception of Grim n’ Gritty was to satirize the overly dark comics of recent days. In particular, DC’s New 52 made me reflect about how sadly comics have gone away from a kid-friendly market. I have always been a fan of cartoons, in particular Daffy Duck cartoons, and thought that this inspired genius of kids entertainment has never been sullied by people trying to darken what was already appealing. I found the idea of making cartoons become suddenly dark and serious to be so amusing that I immediately worked to develop this into a storyline. I began imagining how to make contemporary and to darken numerous amusing classic cartoon characters. For most of the characters introduced, I used the typical “dark” addition used to characters ranging from obsession, drug addiction, and inclination to be more violent.
Finding the right artist for Grim n’ Gritty was difficult. Many artists were eager to draw a comic that welcomed stylized drawing and absurd concepts, but few captured the correct blending of Sin City artstyle and Chuck Jones cartoons. Luckily I found Luis Chichon, an incredibly talented Spanish artist who creates lush beautiful artwork that captures everything that I have envisioned for Grim n’ Gritty and more. Furthermore, Luis delighted at the challenge I have put on him cramming in hundreds of references to cartoons and all other forms of pop culture that is in Grim n’ Gritty as Easter Eggs.
Right now we are looking to get the funding necessary to pay for Luis’ amazing artwork, we have several great prizes, including T-shirts, coffee mugs and oil paintings for high investors. Any contribution helps a long way in making a lifelong ambition of ours become a reality.
