About the story...

‘There's no shame in asking for help but can you pay the price?’

When a wave of immigration descended on London in the 1950s the locals pushed back and soon the windows of guesthouses were plastered with the mandate ‘No Blacks, No Dogs, No Irish’. But not so in Shepherd’s Bush. In this pocket of West London all were welcome and so grew a community of differing cultures and a new home for many. Some say there was no where safer for a girl alone, in the small hours than The Bush. But bad things happen everywhere and a girl in trouble here knows where to go for help. Not to the Coppers, the police don’t give two hoots. Not to the gangsters, they'll turn on you in flash. No, those in the know will whisper their troubles and turn to local matriarch, Mammy Magee.

‘When you’re a lost girl and you’ve trouble with nowhere to turn Mammy Magee will fix it.

Her singular girls will aid no matter what and all Mammy asks is that you return the favour... One day’

Inspired by my family history the world of SHELTER will mix folk-horror with cultural mythology and urban unease. A community of stories of the trials faced by the immigrant women of West London. These women however are not just housewives, girlfriends or mothers. This is a world where the supernatural rubs shoulders with the mundane. Where whisper networks and the old ways control local governance and only that will see you through.

In each SHELTER story we’ll follow a local in trouble, seeking shelter and aid from Mammy and her very special girls to see what path their troubles will take. It’s a world where bright, free futures clash with the old ways and tradition. With stories of city life and vengeful ancient spirits. Of healing witchcraft and the threat of gossip. Of the true meaning of family and surviving in a patriarchal world.

SHELTER: Early Doors

In EARLY DOORS, the 1st of the SHELTER stories, we'll follow Ealga Culhoun who has fled her life in Ireland and onto the boats for London. She arrives in Shepherds Bush at the tail end of '69 when the world has begun to move in new directions and all was changing in this pocket of London. Luckily Ealga has landed on her feet thanks to her British cousin Tommy, who's set her up with a bedsit and a barmaid’s job at the local pub. For a wee while all seems to be go swimmingly. But soon Ealga learns that everything has it’s cost and finds herself seeking shelter at Mammy Magee’s. Will she be willing to pay the price for Mammy’s help and avenge herself in the process?

The Funding Goal:

Told over 33 pages of Watercolour and Carbon artwork, this comic will be a one-off print run and prequel to the wider SHELTER project that's due for development with the support of ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND once EARLY DOORS is completed. This campaign is simply to raise funds for the print costs, pay the creators involved, campaign costs and get this story out into the world with your help.  Advance copies are only available outside of the UK by supporting this Crowdfundr or by joining my Patreon. 

Every backer will get an exclusive playlist to go with the story. As a Print Edition backer you will also have your name in the 'thank you' pages and your signed comic shipped as soon as possible. Shipping times will vary depending on your location and choice of rewards but once printed EARLY DOORS will be aimed to be sent during November '22 - January '23.

As this is an entirely self funded comic any additional funding over the target will be considered creator fees to help me continue to create comics. If the campaign is successful EARLY DOORS will only be available from my Crowdfundr store, via my website or from me at conventions.  

Rewards and Add-ons:

EARLY DOORS is fully written with artwork & lettering currently in production. You will be part of it’s creation by coming onboard during the production stage and get glimpses into the processes behind the comic. Once completed I have an excellent printer lined up for the physical books, Comic Printing UK, who have beautifully produced many comics I’ve worked on including the Hardcover edition of BARKING, my acclaimed debut graphic novel and IND-XED, the smash-hit crowdfunded Lo-Fi Sci-Fi with writer Fraser Campbell.

Both of those comics are available signed as add-ons for backers, including exclusive and very limited copies of the sold out BARKING 1st edition Hardbacks. Just 15 available!

Additional rewards include these specially commissioned collectables... 

• 'How To Build A Free Woman' risograph Zine series, created as part of developing SHELTER - only 25 available!
• A  fold-out A3 poster by the UK's finest cartoonist Mark Stafford - Design showcased below!
• A set of 4 'Tart Card' postcards by myself and 3 of my favourite creators - Cartoonist Russell Mark Olson, Artist Ian Banks, Cartoonist Sarah Gordon and myself - Designs to be revealed during the campaign! (Guaranteed special)
• Plus a very limited number of 'Brigit's Fix' - Individually concocted, hand written cures for your life’s ailments replete with an original Carbon drawing - only 5 available!

About Lucy...

I launched the campaign for my debit graphic novel BARKING in 2018 with crowdfunding publisher Unbound. Building an audience from scratch I raised over £13K including 350+ backers, a co-commission from The Lakes International Comic Art Festival and support using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. BARKING has since received awards and critical acclaim, winning the 'Break Out Artist' in the Broken Frontier Awards 2019 with the 1st Edition Hardbacks all but sold out within a year. 

Since then I have been commissioned to create pin-ups for Department of Truth's 'Wild Fictions' (Image / Tiny Onion Studios), the Cyber Punk smash hit Killtopia (BHP Comics), Madame Dragonfly twice for Black Hammer (Dark Horse Comics) and recently I wrote and drew a 10 page comic about my favourite duplicitous witch for Jeff Lemire.

I have created commissions for a number of crowdfunded anthologies including Hey, Amateur! for Shelly Bond, Metallic Dynamite with Jordan Thomas and Black Cat with John Reppion for Skrawl Magazine #1 amongst others and was the artist on SWEENY TODD & I with Dan Watters for RAZORBLADES (coming soon from Image) and the break-out one shot IND-XED with Fraser Campbell.

EARLY DOORS will be my first self published story since BARKING and one that I am very excited to tell. I do hope you'll join my backers and help bring this original folk-horror to life.
Thanks in advance! Lucy