UM is a magical girl comic about Eugenée, a Black, nonbinary, aspiring birth-worker who finds themself mixed up in a millennia-old conflict between the powers that be and a faction of cosmic, shamanic midwives.  UM Vol.1 is intended for readers 18+.

UM is an ongoing webcomic, updated most Saturdays at https://um.the-comic.org . buttercup mixes mysticism, superhero tropes, and slice-of-life drama into a compelling narrative. With UM , buttercup seeks to craft a text with the essence of the storied history of resistance within the African Diaspora against global imperialism using imaginative play and science-fantasy as a liberation praxis, and a foundation for realizing Black continuity into the distant future.

Radiator Comics is thrilled to publish Volume One, which collects the first six chapters of the webcomic, along with minicomics that support Eugenée’s story. This first volume is edited by Jamila Rowser ( Washday Diaries ) and Steenz ( Heart of the City ).

UM is a layered, sincere, funny, and daring comic that is so much fun to read. Readers will gasp and marvel as the comic leaps across time—from prehistory to modern metropolises—and maneuvers seamlessly between moods—from intimate drama, to superhero adventure, to ecstatic humor! Every page is a testament to the hard work and attention to visual and narrative detail from buttercup, Jamila, and Steenz!

You can be part of the effort to bring this visually stunning and mind-expanding comic to print by contributing to this Crowdfundr campaign!

When buttercup first began working on UM, they completed much of the early chapters and minis at a one-page-per-day rate, giving the art a snappy personality, but absent the polish or color harmony of later chapters. buttercup and the editorial team worked to specially update the art for Volume One to better reflect the current style! By supporting this work you can be one of the first to lay eyes on the subtle, expressive, cohesive new look!

Radiator Comics is raising funds to offset the cost of the production of the book. We split the net profits of sales from each book 50/50 with buttercup, and have worked out an agreement with them on appropriate compensation for the original art reward tiers. Jamila Rowser and Steenz have both been paid for their editing work.

35% Artist Compensation

33% Editorial Work

22% Printing & Shipping

10% Fees & Taxes

• August 2023 - Editing with Jamila Rowser & Steenz commences!
• March 2024 - Our crowdfunding campaign launches!
• April 2024 - Our crowdfunding campaign concludes, fully funded thanks to you! Editing concludes!
• May, 2024 - UM Vol.1 is sent to the printer!
• June 2024 - buttercup & Neil make the behind-the-scenes UM Zine! 
• July 2024 - Books ship from printer!
• August 2024 - Books arrive in Miami, and we start shipping out rewards to backers (that’s YOU!)
• September 2024 - UM Vol.1 debuts at the Small Press Expo in Bethesda, MD!
  

buttercup has been working diligently with Jamila Rowser and Steenz on edits to Volume One since August, and we are nearing completion of all work on the book. We have experience getting a book to print, having published three books and eight comics. We have set realistic turn-around times for production, and expect to meet them.

This is the fourth crowdfunding campaign Radiator Comics has run. We have always met our funding goal, and have always delivered our promised product. When delays have occurred, we have communicated them clearly to our backers.

This is a pre-order campaign for our UM Vol.1 Backers (except for the Thank You Card Level) are the first people who will receive copies of the book! Once the book is in production, buttercup and Neil will work on a fun behind the scenes zine that will serve as a great companion to the comic. Limited higher-tier rewards include specialized UM-themed digital illustrations and animations!

If you are interested in previous Radiator Comics titles, you can add them to your pre-order through the Radiator Comics Bundle. Stores, libraries and educational institutions can take advantage of our wholesale tier and get a special 50% discount on copies.

Thank you to all who pledge, and to everyone who takes the time to read about, subscribe to, share, or tell friends and family about this campaign! We can’t wait to share future updates and get this book into production!

Crowdfundr video by buttercup. View the video on YouTube for closed captioning.