The official graphic novel for the movie adaptation of Dune has been launched via Kickstarter. This has already raised questions among fans, as the Kickstarter is being run by Legendary Comics, rather than a cash-strapped indie outfit.
The publisher states on its Kickstarter page that there is little risk in backing the project due to the fact that the graphic novel has already been completed, and so some fans are wondering why a publisher the size of Legendary Comics has felt the need to launch the project via Kickstarter in the first place.
"Eight months after the movie release, and Kickstarter both puzzle me," says one commenter on the project's page. Another asks, "Why is this a Kickstarter? Did Legendary run out of money?"
The answer, according to a representative, is not that the studio is unable to fund the comic, but instead that it is using the Kickstarter project to produce extra content. "The graphic novel is certainly being released into retail," says a spokesperson from the publishing company Rocketship Entertainment who has partnered with Legendary Comics to create the graphic novel. "But campaigns like these are the only way we can give back extras to the fans like the free stretch goals or many of the other items that will be made in very limited supply and are exclusive to this campaign, or be able to offer this many variant covers!"
For those investing their hard-earned cash in order to back the campaign, there are a wide array of options to choose from. They range from a $15 pledge that guarantees you a copy of the graphic novel in PDF form (as well as a mobile/desktop wallpaper) to a whopping $2500 tier that, among other things, will add a character of your likeness into the novel itself.
Established in 2010, Legendary Comics is a sister company to Legendary Pictures, the movie production studio known for producing a wide array of films including Christopher Nolan's Batman series, Jurassic World, and Denis Villeneuve's Dune. In the past, the graphic novel publisher has worked on a number of projects linked to Legendary's big-screen adaptations such as Godzilla: Aftershock, Pacific Rim: Aftermath, and Skull Island: The Birth of Kong but to name a few.
Denis Villeneuve's movie adaptation of Dune was released in theatres last week and has since set new pandemic records for Warner Bros. With Dune part 2 all but confirmed, make sure to check out our review of the sci-fi epic in which we awarded it a 7/10.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter