Iron Circus Comics
{{short description|American graphic novel publisher}}
{{Infobox publisher
| name = Iron Circus Comics
| image = IronCircusLogo.png
| genre = Erotica
Fantasy
Science fiction
| imprints = Smut Peddler
| founded = 2007
| founder = C. Spike Trotman
| headquarters = Chicago, Illinois
| distribution = Consortium Book Sales & Distribution{{cite web |title=Consortium - Iron Circus Comics |url=https://www.cbsd.com/search/?publisher=iron-circus-comics |website=CBSD}}
| publications = Graphic novels
| owner = C. Spike Trotman
| website ={{URL|http://www.ironcircus.com}}
}}
Iron Circus Comics is an American graphic novel publisher founded in 2007 by C. Spike Trotman. Based in Chicago, it is known for publishing the Smut Peddler line of "lady-centric porn"{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/redeye/culture/ct-redeye-c2e2-iron-circus-comics-20180326-story.html|title=Iron Circus Comics brings diversity to the comic book market|last=Jackson|first=Cheryl V.|website=RedEye Chicago|date=5 April 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-09}} anthologies and graphic novels, and for its pioneering use of crowd-funding sites such as Kickstarter to finance graphic novel publishing, raising over $1 million in revenue through the platform in its first decade.{{Cite web|url=http://www.comicsbeat.com/spike-trotmans-iron-circus-comics-has-raised-1-million-on-kickstarter-and-to-celebrate-theyre-having-a-sale/|title=Spike Trotman's Iron Circus Comics has raised $1 million on Kickstarter..and to celebrate they're having a sale|last=MacDonald|first=Heidi|date=2017-10-24|website=The Beat|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://boingboing.net/2018/04/14/spike-trotman-powerhouse-pion.html|title=Spike Trotman, powerhouse pioneer of indie comics|website=Boing Boing|date=14 April 2018|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-09}}
History
Trotman founded the company in 2007 to publish print editions of her webcomic Templar, Arizona. In 2009, the company began using the then-new service KickStarter as a tool to finance publication of graphic novels.{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/09/01/641655715/from-a-read-along-record-to-a-profane-tarot-the-year-s-quirkiest-crowdfunded-com|title=From A Read-Along Record To A Profane Tarot: The Year's Quirkiest Crowdfunded Comics|newspaper=NPR|date=September 2018|language=en|access-date=2019-01-09|last1=Lehoczky|first1=Etelka}}
In 2012, Iron Circus published Smut Peddler, a 340-page anthology of erotic comics created by women (or creative teams that included women). Iron Circus financed the book's publication with $80,000 in donations and pre-orders through KickStarter.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hmqz56sf0c1owmf/AAAHu7_1KbkA8frM-4q1Q3u-a/About%20Iron%20Circus?dl=0&preview=IronCircus-FactSheet.docx&subfolder_nav_tracking=1|title=About Iron Circus|website=Dropbox|language=en|access-date=2019-01-09}} Another Smut Peddler volume followed in 2014. Since then, Iron Circus has published both graphic novels and themed anthologies under the "Smut Peddler Presents" banner, including Yes, Roya by Emilee Denich; My Monster Boyfriend; and Sex Machine.
Other books Iron Circus has published include anthologies Sleep of Reason, New World, Tim'rous Beastie, and FTL, Y'All!: Tales from the Age of the $200 Warp Drive, and graphic novels The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal by E.K. Weaver, Letters for Lucardo by Otava Heikkilä, As the Crow Files by Melanie Gillman, Emperor of the Food Chain by David Malki, Crossplay by Niki Smith, and Rice Boy by Evan Dahm.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/spike-trotman-iron-circus-interview/|title=Spike Trotman's Iron Circus Is Taking Over Comics with Smut and Sci-Fi|date=2018-01-18|website=CBR|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-09}}
In 2016, Iron Circus and Image Comics began co-sponsoring the "Creators for Creators" publishing grant, an award given annually to an independent cartoonist, consisting of funds to produce an original graphic novel.{{Cite web|url=http://comicsalliance.com/image-comics-iron-circus-creators-for-creators-grant/|title=Image And Iron Circus Announce The 'Creators For Creators' Grant|last=Sims|first=Chris|website=ComicsAlliance|language=en|access-date=2019-01-18}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/12/24/the-bleeding-cool-top-100-power-list-2018-countdown-66-70/|website=Bleeding Cool|title=The Bleeding Cool Top 100 Power List 2018 Countdown|author= Rich Johnston|date=24 December 2018|access-date=2019-01-09}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/03/06/m-deans-young-wins-initial-30000-creators-creators-grant/|website=Bleeding Cool|title=M. Dean's "I Am Young" Wins Initial $30,000 Creators For Creators Comics Grant|author= Rich Johnston|date=6 March 2017|access-date=2019-01-09}} The program was on hiatus as of 2021.{{Cite web|url=http://creatorsforcreators.org/submissions-2/|title=Submissions – Creators for Creators}}
In March 2020, it was announced that Iron Circus was producing an animated short film based on Tracy J. Butler's Lackadaisy with the original creator involved.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/iron-circus-comics-moves-animation-lackadaisy-1284611|title=Iron Circus Comics Moves Into Animation With 'Lackadaisy'|website=The Hollywood Reporter|last=McMillan|first=Graeme|date=16 March 2020|access-date=2020-03-16}} On March 29, 2023, the 27-minute short film released on YouTube.{{cite video|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vffu6FG4YP4|title=Lackadaisy (Pilot)|author=Lackadaisy|publisher=YouTube|date=March 29, 2023|access-date=March 29, 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.ironcircus.com}}
- {{gcdb publisher|id=8869|title=Iron Circus Comics}}
{{Comic book publishers in North America navbox}}
Category:Comic book publishing companies of the United States