A Kickstarter project is always time sensitive, but this one is even more so than most: Time Sensitive #1, a new comic book by writer Joshua Rubin and artist Jorge Coelho, is on Kickstarter until October 9. And the good news is: it’s already funded, and the book is done and ready to go.
“I know how frustrating it is when campaigns get delayed,” Rubin told Comic Book Club over email. “I wanted to respect people’s trust. Issue #1 is completely finished, so the moment it’s funded, we can go straight to print. And Jorge is already deep into drawing Issue #2, so we’re not just promising — we’re actually building the series as we go.”
In the book, a detective’s wife vanishes at a Los Angeles gas station, along with every trace of their life together. And nobody remembers anything except for him and a mysterious teenage girl. To find out more about the project… Well, you can listen to our podcast interview with Rubin. But if you want some insight into the Kickstarter, and what it’s like tackling the final days of a project like this, read on.
Comic Book Club: First of all, congrats on funding the project… Does this offer some relief, or does it now feel like the pressure is on?
Joshua Rabin: Thanks! Honestly, it’s both. There’s this huge relief — after years of writing inside massive studio machines, finally putting something really personal into the world and having people actually show up for it is overwhelming in the best way. But at the same time, I’ve realized this is just the beginning. Funding means we can print the book, which is incredible, but now the real pressure is on to build Strange Land Comics into something sustainable.
You’ve got backers at, I believe, every level, but I think it’s always interesting to see what people are interested in, once you launch a project. So, any surprises?
Totally. I didn’t think anyone would spring for the Complete Collection at $1,000 — and then someone did, right out of the gate! That blew my mind. (My dad also backed at that level, which I love, though I’m not sure he actually wants all those comics, plus five art prints plus, getting drawn into Issue #2!)
I was also surprised how few people picked just one variant cover. Instead, tons of people went for one of the “all covers” tiers. It made me laugh — the paralysis of choice is real, and it gave me a window into the collector mindset on Kickstarter. It’s really not about either/or.
But honestly, every tier has found its audience, which is amazing to see.
There are a few stretch goals you’re getting close to (as of this writing)… I’m curious about the $30,000 one, which will bring on Jeff Powell for a “Pro Design Book Upgrade.” What does this mean, practically?
It means the book will look and feel like a premium, bookshelf-worthy comic. Jeff Powell is a legendary designer — he’s worked with Image, Skybound, BOOM! — and he’ll elevate the whole package with professional lettering, layout, and design polish. It’s the difference between a comic that feels indie DIY and one that feels like it belongs right next to the books from the biggest publishers.
I love that you already have issue #1 done, and have a plan for issue #2 – that’s so important in terms of the actual fulfillment step that many creators don’t think about… Why was this important to you?
Because as a backer myself, I know how frustrating it is when campaigns get delayed. I wanted to respect people’s trust. Issue #1 is completely finished, so the moment it’s funded, we can go straight to print. And Jorge is already deep into drawing Issue #2, so we’re not just promising — we’re actually building the series as we go. The plan is to release a new issue every three months until the full six-issue series is done, and then collect it all as a trade paperback in early 2027.
You’ve got a few weeks left on the Kickstarter (again, as of this writing). What are your plans? And how often are you refreshing the page? Be honest.
Ha — I refresh the page way too often. It’s like a compulsion. A better endorphin rush than social media, that’s for sure! But the bigger plan is to keep rolling out new content each week: behind-the-scenes videos, stretch goal reveals — and a big surprise if we get past the $30k mark. I can’t say too much yet, but let’s just say we’ve got a variant cover artist lined up whose style is unlike anything else in comics right now. You’re not gonna want to miss this.
Time Sensitive is on Kickstarter until October 9.
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