Hi, I’m Daniel Thurman

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  • Killtopia Volume 5 Is Live on Kickstarter

    Killtopia, the stylish ultra-violent cyberpunk comic from author/creator Dave Cook is on it’s fifth and final installment. This volume, as in the previous four, is being funded via Kickstarter. Killtopia Volume 5’s Kickstarter page is now live. As of the writing of this article, the comic is already past the halfway point for funding.

    The first Killtopia volume was funded back in March of 2018 and introduced the world to a violent yet high-concept storyline with memorable characters and wild art design. The series has since been a success having successfully funded the subsequent volumes. Killtopia Volume 5 seems poised to continue the tradition of the Killtopia universe while also saying goodbye to it for now, sadly.

    This campaign is for the fifth and final Killtopia book – a 55-page epic finale that completes our story of Mech hunters in Neo Tokyo.  We’re running this campaign to help us fund production of the book, including art, colouring, lettering and printing. With your help, we’ll ship in June 2023.

    –Kickstarter

    If the Kickstarter for Killtopia Volume 5 is sucessful, which seems pretty likely, the creators aim to have the comic in your hands by June of 2023.

    A Page from Killtopia Volume 5 from its Kickstarter page proudly displaying it’s chaotically beautiful art style.

    It’s hard to believe that the fifth and final volume of Killtopia is on its way. It seems like it hasn’t been very long at all since we got our first taste of the delightfully abysmal gore that Neo Tokyo had to offer.

    If Killtopia Volume 5 being the final entry in the series makes you sad, not to worry. Dave Cook has another comic series called BPM: Beatdowns Per Minute. BPM takes place in the same universe as Killtopia, albeit in the past of that world.

    Killtopia Volume 5 won’t be the last you see of the series. It’s being adapted into an animated TV series as well. The series is being developed by California-based startup Voltaku. So that’s something to keep an eye out for.

  • Killtopia Comic to Be Adapted As an Animated TV Series

    Back in 2018, writer Dave Cook and artist Craig Paton debuted Killtopia, a delightfully over-the-top violent comic that takes place in a futuristic Japanese mega-city where pop culture is taken to the extreme. The first three volumes of the comic were successfully funded on Kickstarter and the series has gone on to receive widespread critical acclaim for it’s gritty action, beautiful art, and it’s unique video game and anime-inspired plot.

    Now, US studio Voltaku is going to adapt the comic series into an animated TV show, powered by Epic’s Unreal Engine. The series is planned to consist of eight twenty-minute episodes to bring the chaotic dystopia of Killtopia to life on the screen.

    When Killtopia launches, it’s going to look like nothing that’s been seen on TV before. Our world is garish and vibrant, where hype, fandom and pop culture rule the day, which is the perfect launching pad for big stories. I’ve always wanted to see something so colourful and abstract depicted in a 3D world. With Voltaku’s help, I think we’re going to blow people away.

    -Dave Cook, BHP Comics Press Release

    To get the Killtopia animated series started, Voltaku received an Epic Megagrant from Epic Games to get the project going. The Megagrant program was put into place by Epic Games to help give aspiring game developers, media creators, and startups funding to get their projects off the ground utilizing the company’s Unreal Engine.

    Killtopia
    Killtopia’s unique mix of dystopian themes and pop culture should adapt rather well to the screen.

    Of course, considering the fact that the series is going to be created in Unreal Engine, we have to wonder if there is the possibility of Killtopia becoming a video game at some point. It seems entirely possible. Given Cook’s background as a games writer and Killtopia’s penchant for wearing its video game influences on its sleeve, it wouldn’t surprise us if this is something that is planned further down the pipeline. It certainly is one step closer in that direction and that’s pretty exciting in our opinion.

    We’ll have more info on this series as it develops. And keep an eye out for our much-overdue reviews of Killtopia volumes 1-3 coming to the site soon.