MANDRILL P.I. Vol. 1: Noir Urban Fantasy in a Cartoon World
Created by Christopher Brimmage
A hardboiled detective uncovers a plot full of corruption & MAD SCIENCE. If he can learn to rely on his friends, then he MIGHT survive.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
An Update from The Printer
12 days ago
– Tue, Dec 10, 2024 at 07:12:41 AM
Hello Again!
I've been working behind the scenes with my printer, Printlore, to get these books printed and shipped. And though I had hoped to receive them before the middle of the month, I have news that has me excited nevertheless!
I received confirmation from Sam at Printlore that the ship carrying the books departs today, which means it will be hitting port right around Christmas. Sam says she expects some delays at the port due to the holiday, but we are hoping for final delivery to my place by January 5th. Once books hit port, I will receive an estimated timeline for customs clearance. Once cleared, a LTL carrier will be picking up the product and delivering to me--at which point I will be immediately repacking the books and shipping out orders to get them to you ASAP.
I'm super excited to get the books into your hands. This is my first time working with Printlore (and printing a TPB overseas), and I've learned a ton about the process, all of which will streamline it for future projects. Thanks so much for the support on this project and for hanging in there while we waited for the books to print and ship!
-Chris
And now, my favorite part of these updates: recommending projects by other creators! Click the project image to check it out.
GORILLA MY DREAMS TEAM-UP by BIG TIM STILES
My friend Tim is back with another installment of his amazing series, Gorilla My Dreams. If you're into MANDRILL P.I., then you will absolutely love the work he does with his primate superhero, Knockaround-Guy!
In this issue, Tim throws two of Australia's greatest superheroes on a collision course with everyone's favourite public domain characters; Dorothy and her Gang from Oz!
Knockaround-Guy joins forces with Torn in an adventure that takes them through the streets and underbelly of Struggle-Town, to prevent Dot's murderous plans!
Here's this issue's plot: The Wicked Witch - Eminent Thropp - is dead. She was murdered by Lucifer Bim-Bom, leaving her disciples looking for answers. Eminent Thropp's flying-monkeys go seeking a new “witch” to follow and settle on the closest thing they can find - Billabong - and bring her to Struggle Town. Meanwhile new characters - Dot, Strawman, Tinny, and Bert - go looking to exact revenge on Bim-Bom. On their search for him, Dot and her gang capture Knockaround-Guy and interrogate him. Meanwhile Torn is on a quest of his own - to find out where the hell Billabong got to…
My friend Ben returns with another issue of Shark of War--the comic where the action hero is a Great White Shark! This is one of those books with such a fantastic premise, you wish you would have thought of it.
What this issue is about: Shark of War is missing and feared dead! Meanwhile, his friend and helper, Marisa, has been captured by the Coastal Cartel. Navy SEAL LTJG Trent Calder is determined to find out what's happened to the Shark of War and rescue the girl he likes, even if it means defying the US Navy, invading a mad scientist's secret lab full of monstrosities, and confronting a NEW Shark of War!
Digital Rewards Sent!
about 2 months ago
– Fri, Oct 25, 2024 at 03:08:24 PM
Check your inbox, because digital rewards have been sent!
I sent out digital rewards today!
Everyone who finished their survey should have received an email from Backerkit with links to your digital rewards. Huzzah! If you misplaced your survey link, you can get it by clicking here:
If you didn't receive your digital rewards, the email may have landed in your spam folder. If you can't find it, please message me on Kickstarter or email me at [email protected], and I'll get them to you right away. And if you're missing anything from your digital rewards, please don't hesitate to email me and I'll get it fixed right away!
The physical editions have been ordered from Printlore. I'll be back soon with an update on timing for when these are expected to arrive at my place.
I'm super excited with our progress, and I can't wait to send you your physical rewards! -Chris
Surveys Incoming!
2 months ago
– Tue, Oct 08, 2024 at 02:06:56 PM
Good News: BackerKit has approved the fulfillment survey!
It's super important that you complete your survey ASAP when you see it show up in your inbox. Among other things, this is how I'll know what name to use in the "thank you" section in the back of the book (and, of course, where to send your rewards...).
I'm going to need to set a deadline ofOctober 15 if you want to ensure your name gets placed in the"thank you" section in the back of the digitalversion (if you don't respond by then, I'll just use your first name or Kickstarter handle--no worries!); feel free to reach out if getting it done by then will be a problem.
Just a heads up that the first thing BackerKit requires is something called a Smoke Test, which is where a random 5% of backers across all pledge levels get the survey link. This is to ensure that it works properly.
Thus, some of you will receive the email with a special link to your BackerKit survey immediately, while the rest of you will get yours about a day later. Please check your spam/junk boxes if you don't see the email in your Inbox in the next couple days.
Also, there’s no need to create a BackerKit account to fill out your survey. Just click the link to fill out the survey when you receive the email. Answer the questions about your rewards, provide shipping information (if you chose physical items), and purchase add-on items if there are any that you fancy.
Please fill out the survey as soon as you see it come through. This way I can begin fulfilling orders right away.
Thanks again for backing this book! We're on track to fulfill the digital rewards before the end of the month. I can't wait to send them your way!
-Chris
We did it!
3 months ago
– Sun, Sep 15, 2024 at 05:54:53 PM
We did it. 136 backers. 133% funded. Thank you so much!!!
We couldn't have done any of this without your support and enthusiasm. This campaign has been incredible, and it's all because of you.
So, what's next? The first thing is to fix “errored” pledges.
Over the next couple weeks, Kickstarter will process the funds. They will also try and correct what they term “errored” pledges. This generally happens when a backer's credit card has expired and needs to be updated.
Kickstarter gives us just a few days to correct these pledges, so make sure to update those or you will not be able to receive your rewards. And that's no fun!
As I write this, there are 9 people with errored pledges, so please check your inboxes in case you received a message from Kickstarter.
(Please message me if you have any issues correcting your pledge. I want to ensure you get all your rewards.)
The Timeline:
Once the funds are processed, you’ll be receiving a Backerkit survey that will collect the address where you’d like us to ship your books, as well as the name you’d like to see appear in the special “Thank You” page at the back of the digital edition. You'll also have the chance to add any other add-ons you'd like to grab before the art heads to print.
When you receive those surveys, please respond ASAP. Once those surveys are back, I’ll email the digital rewards. Meanwhile, I’ll send the book off to the printer to get them into your hands ASAP. I’ll keep you posted along the way.
One last thing...
THANKS AGAIN!
This campaign exceeded my wildest expectations, and it's all thanks to your support. I can't wait to share MANDRILL P.I. with you.
But before I sign off on this email, it's time to get to my favorite part: recommending projects you should check out!
5E HORROR RPG by BIG TIM STILES
My friend Tim is back with more ridiculously cool 5E RPG content.
This project combines two of his RPG zines, Killer Clowns and Night of the Living Dead into print editions.
This is a 5E mini-campaign, which will see your players barricading themselves inside a farmstead to escape from a rabid horde intent on eating their brains.
If you're familiar with the film, Night of the Living Dead's zombies are slightly different than the ones we've gotten used to in 5E. So, Tim has come up with over a dozen new zombie types, wielding weapons, making noise, and bringing so many other horror's to the table. These zombies are 100% compatible to throw into ANY 5E game.
Nobody can deny that we all desperately need more deadly clowns and other carnival horrors to play with in our Tabletop RPGs! For any adventurer, the fear of grinning death may be a terrifying foe. Of course, in the 5E setting, the variety of dark circus creatures is... should we say... limited.
UNTIL NOW!
This is where Cirque du Nocturne: KILLER CLOWNS comes into play.
Wouldn't it be great if you had over a dozen new circus freaks, all with varying difficulty ratings, that you could utilise to really mess with your players? Each one is based on the 5E rules and adds a fresh dimension to your experiences.
As an avid D&D player, it's super fun to get your hands on creative takes on the genre that feel balanced while also supplying incredibly fun monsters to fight.
We've funded! And stretch goals are here :)
3 months ago
– Mon, Sep 09, 2024 at 04:31:07 AM
We've funded!
The secret word is: Hooray!
Thank you!
I'm blown away by the support for this little cartoon mandrill. You are AMAZING.
But we have 5 days left in the campaign! And it doesn't shut down just because we've met the initial funding goal.
All it means is that publication is now guaranteed. Which is SO exciting, and something for which I’m so appreciative. Thanks to YOU, this cartoon noir tale can continue.
AND THAT MEANS IT'S STRETCH GOAL TIME!
But first, as a special thank you, I'm bringing back 1 more slot of the $100 discount to get yourself drawn into Issue #7 as a zombified pirate! I've had quite a few people ask me to open another slot, and I'm incredibly excited to do so.
On app: go to the "Manage" tab in Kickstarter, click the "..." tab at the top right, and then click "Edit Reward." Click on the reward titled "Early Bird: You Drawn Into Issue 7" and update your reward to this tier.
On desktop: click the "Manage your pledge" tab at the top, click "change your pledge," and then scroll down until you can click on the reward titled "Early Bird: You Drawn Into Issue 7" and update your reward to this tier.
AND NOW, ON TO THE STRETCH GOALS!
That's right! When we pass $5,550, all physical backers will receive this campaign's bookmark featuring art from the AMAZING Carlos Trigo. We're already closing in on it, so keep spreading the word about the project. And when we get to 105 backers, all backer names will be listed in the back of the digital edition (we're only 7 backers away!).
There are many more where these came from, so let's pass these goals and move on to the next ones :)
Thank you again for backing MANDRILL P.I.! I'll be back soon with another update, but until then, my favorite part of these updates: highlighting other projects you may be interested in.
-Chris
DETECTIVE POTATOES: LORD OF THE BEAN by BRET JULIANO
My friend Bret is back with another installment of his amazing all-ages novels, Detective Potatoes. This series is a delight, and you should totally check it out!
What it's about: Detective Mickie Potatoes is on a high-stakes case! When Leo, the notorious Dust Bunny Mafia boss, needs his help, Mickie plunges headfirst into a dangerous world of rat mobsters, a missing priceless espresso bean, and a valuable hostage. Mickie must use his street smarts and detective skills to outsmart the rats, recover the elusive giant bean, and save the day. Can he crack the case before it's too late? Prepare for a hilarious, action-packed adventure filled with twists, turns, and plenty of surprises that will warm your heart!
Aaron is back with another fantastic supernatural horror, this one following his protagonist's investigation that implicates the Vatican and its practices rites of exorcisms.
AMOR PATRIS (previous titled The Grey Man), is a supernatural/horror event series. After arriving at the Anderson farm, Sheriff Rees finds only blood, death, and madness. Continuing his investigation in the horrific deaths, Rees seeks advice and help from their local priest. Together they find information about a father-and-son team, performing unsanctioned exorcisms across America.
Hey, if you're here, then you've got a love for anthropomorphic characters in an unusual setting. Bad Wabbit definitely fits this profile, and you should check it out!
What it's about: Humans have all but destroyed the planet with their pollution and war. Amidst the gradual decline of the human species, Anthros, animals that have evolved to have human-like qualities emerged, are slowly becoming the dominant species on the planet.
Hundreds of years after the extinction of mankind, the power-hungry Pangolin Empire rules over a ruthless, dying world, unwilling to allow the healing of the planet as they horde resources. A world on the verge of death cries for a champion that will heal it and free it from the grasp of tyranny.
Bad Wabbit is the ongoing redemption story of an alcoholic, antisocial, rabbit in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian future that struggles with a very traumatic past. Shanghaied by the beautiful pirate queen Foxy Fox, the events that follow will launch Wabbit and his porcine pal Toxic Pig down a path that will not only change Wabbit, but his world in profound ways.
