The Kickstarter for the all-readers graphic novel
CASH + CARRIE – BOOK TWO: SUMMER SLEUTHS is live!
CASH + CARRIE – Book Two: “Summer Sleuths” is a new creator-owned original graphic novel currently campaigning on Kickstarter. In the summer of 2015, Cash + Carrie launched as a single issue all-readers mystery comic on Kickstarter with success. Shawn Pryor put together a full volume (Book One) with co-creator Giulie Speziani that was released in the fall of 2016 from Action Lab Entertainment. Since Cash + Carrie hopped on the scene in 2015, there’s been a LOT of all-readers mystery comics that have emerged, and it’s time for Cash + Carrie to get back into the game in all new adventures!
Currently, with 11 days remaining, the campaign is a little over 60% funded and could use your help in helping it reach the finish line a success. That’s where you can come in as a backer of the campaign to make printing and fulfillment of rewards a breeze! We’ve backed it because it is an incredible series that appeals to young and old alike. It’s a series which NEEDS to continue and be put out in the hands of younger readers and families who want a true all-ages title which will inspire reading, creativity, and reignite those special moments of parents & children embracing something together which they will all enjoy for years to come!
The Story
The all-readers graphic novel CASH & CARRIE returns! The first book was published by Action Lab Entertainment back in 2016. In this second book, the kids go on a trip to Summer Camp Sobol. Because nothing bad could ever happen at a cabin in the words! Except when campers go missing, Bigfoot might actually exist, and the ingredients in the coleslaw are… questionable. Middle school detective duo Cash & Carrie must survive with no WiFi and poor mosquito repellent in order to solve these mysteries.
CASH & CARRIE – BOOK TWO contains 96 pages of all-new stories and content featuring up-and-coming talents. Creator/writer Shawn Pryor comments, “There’s a need for fun, inclusive, all-readers graphic novels and CASH & CARRIE fill it. It’s because of creating CASH & CARRIE in 2015 that I didn’t quit making comics when I was at the lowest point of my creative career. Now, I’m more determined than ever, and I want to see CASH & CARRIE in the hands of every kid and reader in the world. Thank you again for supporting CASH & CARRIE.”
The creators are aiming to reach $8,000 by November 27, 2018 at 11:59 PM EST. They have stretch goals that go to $12,000; if they reach $12,000, they’ll add more pages to the OGN as well.
Help them make CASH & CARRIE – BOOK TWO a reality!
BOOK TWO STORIES AND CREATIVE TEAM:
Big Foot, Small Sneakers, written by Giulie Speziani with art by Marcus Kwame Anderson. Lettering by Justin Birch.
Bull’s-Eye! Written by Giulie Speziani with art by Marcus Kwame Anderson. Lettering by Justin Birch.
Lunch Lady Has The Last Laugh, written by Giulie Speziani with art by Marcus Kwame Anderson. Lettering by Justin Birch.
A Yet To Be Titled Culinary Mystery written by Shawn Pryor, Chris Ludden and Ginger Dee, with art and lettering by Chris Ludden and Ginger Dee.
Mason Middle Messenger: Summer Edition written by Shawn Pryor, with art by Tressina Bowling. Lettering by Justin Birch.
PINUPS FEATURING THE ARTWORK OF:
Penny Candy Studios
Justin Stewart
Anntonia Jackson
Alex Robinson
Pizzaface
Corey Fields
Ken Kirk
Sean Causley & Matt Herms
PopCultHQ had the privilege of discussing the new CASH + CARRIE original graphic novel with the co-creator of the series, Shawn Pryor, to learn more about this unique, captivating, and wildly fun new series destined to make its way into the comic book market. This is a campaign not to be missed and a project PopCultHQ supports, is currently backing, and is excited to share with you. It’s time to learn about, and get excited for, CASH + CARRIE – Book Two: “Summer Sleuths”!
PopCultHQ’s Creator Spotlight:
Shawn Pryor
of CASH + CARRIE
Book Two: “Summer Sleuths”
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PopCultHQ: When I grew up, there were Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries that kids read. Even moreso for me was the Encyclopedia Brown series, focusing on a young detective taking you along for the crime-solving. With the success of Cash + Carrie Book One: Sleuth 101 and now your latest project, Cash + Carrie Book Two: Summer Sleuths, what do you see as the appeal with the mystery genre for all-ages readers?
Shawn Pryor: I’ve always found the mystery genre for kids to be a lot of fun, and before Cash + Carrie had its initial pilot Kickstarter in 2015 (a single issue comic), the genre was very underused, in my opinion. Fast forward to today and there are a nice amount of mystery comics for kids at many of the major comic publishers, as well as the book pubs that have their own graphic novel imprints.
Kids and kids at heart who read Cash + Carrie enjoy seeing themselves when they read it and they revel in the fact that they can be heroes and solve problems without wearing a cape or mask. That, and I was a very big fan of a procedural cartoon called “Fillmore” that took place in a middle school and had a very inclusive cast with topical and fun stories. It was honestly ahead of its time, and I try to bring that kind of energy with every volume that we create.
PopCultHQ: With your first volume, the book featured a number of stories by different featured creative talent and additional pin-ups, which saw the single issues combined into the first book. This time around, though Summer Sleuths will feature a number of stories within, with Book Two you are putting out the new volume in its entirety. What made you decide to go all-out with this latest book?
Pryor: It just makes sense to make this book have more of an original graphic novel feel because it allows us to fully tell the stories that we want. The main story in Book Two is a summer camp mystery, and to confine that to one single issue comic or a series of single issue comics would honestly do disservice to the story.
I also wanted to give co-creator Giulie Speziani a chance to write a bigger feature for Cash + Carrie. Giulie has helped give so much life to these characters, so when she said that she wanted to do a big summer camp mystery, I was completely game for it. She’s able to bring fantastic voices to not only Cash + Carrie, but also the other characters, kid or adult, that interact with them. And it doesn’t hurt that we also get to feature the artwork of Marcus Kwame Anderson, as well as have larger stories that feature the artwork of Chris Ludden & Ginger Dee, and Tressina Bowling.
Plus, some of the most popular graphic novels for kids (Smile, Amulet, El Deafo, Dog Man, Hilda) are sold in a complete volume which makes it easier for everyone to purchase and find without the hassle of trying to find single issues. I want to make it easy for everyone to be able to find, purchase, and support Cash + Carrie. We also live in a content-binge society so being able to have everything you need right in front of you without having to wait is an added bonus.
PopCultHQ: What appeals to you the most about writing an all-ages story and/or to an all-ages audience?
Pryor: The fact that we make the kids in each Cash + Carrie story we create sound and look like kids. You would be surprised at the number of kids and adult who have come to my tables at conventions, see Cash + Carrie and ask “if it’s safe for kids” or they say “they’ve bought books that were meant for kids but had the dialogue of a bunch of 30-somethings.” We have fun making this book and get joy from the fact that kids can relate to the characters.
PopCultHQ: For readers unfamiliar with Cash + Carrie, how easy is it for a newcomer to pick up the essence of the title by beginning with this second volume?
Pryor: It’s pretty easy to pick up on, and in the Kickstarter we even have a tier that allows you to also get the first book if you don’t have it. But for those that don’t know who Cash & Carrie are:
Cash + Carrie is about two middle school detectives, Dallas Cash and Inez Carrie. Dallas is an tenacious techie who believes in the supernatural and Inez bases her crime solving skills in realism, and is also captain of the wrestling team.
Together, they are best friends who attempt to solve mysteries anywhere, and anytime. Inspirations for Cash + Carrie include Disney’s animated series Fillmore, Scooby Doo, Gravity Falls, and the X-Files. Cash + Carrie is an inclusive series on the page and behind the scenes, and is for readers young and old.
PopCultHQ: For readers familiar with the first volume, are there any nods, or perhaps even Easter eggs, in this second book for fans to be on the lookout for in Summer Sleuths?
Pryor: Some minor characters in the first volume get more time on the page in volume two, and we are also bringing back “The Mason Middle Messenger” which was a very popular segement in the first book which showed readers things that the other kids in the C+C universe are getting into, as well as being able to see what Cash & Carrie do outside of solving mysteries.
PopCultHQ: What would it mean for you, either personally or professionally, to have this second book published?
Pryor: I know that I’ve said this a number of times to different people, but there’s a need for fun, inclusive, all-readers graphic novels and CASH & CARRIE fills that need. It’s because of creating CASH & CARRIE in 2015 that I didn’t quit making comics when I was at the lowest point of my creative career. Now, I’m more determined than ever, and I want to see CASH & CARRIE in the hands of every kid and reader in the world.
And for the Book Two Kickstarter, our crowdfunding goal is $8,000, but we’ve set stretch goals at $4,000 (book), $8,000 (free digital comics), $10,000 (sticker sets) and if we reach $12,000 we’ll put 12 additional pages in Book Two. We also have a lot of cool and fun tiers to check out, and as of October 30th we’re adding a Cash + Carrie plushie set tier, and Custom Cash + Carrie Funko Pop tier as well!
PopCultHQ: Upon successfully funding this campaign, what would you say is your projected timeline of getting the book to the printers and the Kickstarter rewards fulfilled?
Pryor: The goal is to have all of production on the book completed by March 2019 and have all of the rewards shipped out by May of 2019.
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Backers have the possibility to not only get the softcover print volume or digital edition of Cash + Carrie Book Two, but can also select additional rewards featuring everyone’s favorite middle school detectives. Here are the available tiers:
Special thanks goes out to Shawn for making the time to speak with us at PopCultHQ. Be sure to get on-board with CASH + CARRIE – Book Two: “Summer Sleuths” live NOW on Kickstarter! At a little over 60% funded, now is the time to join the over 140 backers already supporting this creator-owned project. Let’s make CASH + CARRIE – Book Two: “Summer Sleuths” a reality and continue to bring this brilliant project into the hands of kids and the homes of families everywhere!
Writer – Shawn Pryor
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