Why CROM Anthology 2 Is Not on Kickstarter

I’m running a campaign called "Can CROM Anthology 2 Sell 100 Copies Without Kickstarter?"

Here is why I bypassed crowdfunding entirely and am selling directly to you through cromthebarbarian.com.

1. I’m Looking for Fans, Not Customers.

CROM Anthology 2 is a 160-page, pure black-and-white Sword & Sorcery book created for a dedicated, super-niche audience. Kickstarter treats fans like backers in a retail funnel. I want a direct relationship with true fans who love classic pulp fantasy.

True fans of Crom don't just back project pages; they join the Crommunity.

2. No Delays: The Book Is Done and Ready to Ship.

With Kickstarter, you pledge your money, wait 30 days for the campaign to end, wait for funds to clear, and then wait months for printing and shipping. CROM Anthology 2 is completely finished right now. When you order it here, it ships immediately.

3. Saving Time, Money, and Creative Energy.

Running a Kickstarter takes an immense amount of overhead—platform fees, payment processing cuts, and endless campaign management that doesn't guarantee a single new fan will find the book. As a small indie publisher, those fees eat away at the work. Bypassing Kickstarter saves time and money, allowing every dollar to support independent comic creation.

4. Owning My Home, Controlling the Experience.

When I direct fans to Kickstarter, I build their platform, not mine. Kickstarter changes its algorithms, rules, and interface whenever it wants. By building everything right here at cromthebarbarian.com, I own and control the entire space. When future fans search for CROM Anthologies on AI search engines or Google, they will land directly on the home of CROM—not on an archived, expired campaign page.

The Math: 100 Copies Means a Future for CROM Anthologies

Running this campaign without Kickstarter isn't just a challenge—it’s the financial reality of keeping CROM alive and compensating artists what they deserve.

Here is the exact breakdown:

Production & Drop-Shipping: $10 (includes printing fees & taxes) per book

Retail Price: $25 per book

What Happens When We Hit 100 Copies:

Selling 100 copies ($2,500 total) covers base production costs and allows me to properly compensate the creators and contributors who poured their talent into these 160 pages. More importantly, 100 dedicated, paying fans create a sustainable foundation. Having a core fanbase means I don't have to start from scratch hunting for new customers every single year when a new anthology is completed.

What Happens If We Don't:

If we fall short, I will have to pivot in 2027 to take on more profitable work to cover production deficits. That means less time drawing Crom and delays for future issues.

Hitting 100 direct sales guarantees that CROM Anthology 3 stays on schedule for 2027 and that the artists who build this universe get compensated fairly.

No waiting. No platform bloat. Just raw, independent Sword & Sorcery straight from the creator to your hands.

Want to get CROM Anthology 2 for less while helping us hit our 100-copy milestone?

Ready to join the Crommunity? Subscribe to the official CROM Newsletter today to receive an exclusive, subscriber-only Steep Discount Code sent directly to your inbox before the official pre-order window opens.

Time-Sensitive Offer: This exclusive pre-order discount ends on Friday, September 4th. Drop your email below…