Imagine an anthology comics like Dark Horse Presents got together with a shared-world scifi/fantasy book like, say, Metatropolis. And they had a love child. And that love child got together at a groovy orgy with Elfquest, Chickenhare, Grickle, Castle Waiting, Bone … well, you get the idea. Just like that, but a lot more kid-friendly than this overly graphic and extended metaphor. What you end up with is something that looks like this:
Still with me? OK, let's switch metaphors now, because unlike the genetic hybrid of complicated multigenerational comics procreation Cartozia Tales continues to evolve with each and every issue, as the core creators trade storylines and characters amongst themselves (if you are still attached to last paragraph's sexytimes analogy, you might think of adding Spiegelman's Narrative Corpse to the orgy you've concocted in your sick and sordid imagination).
But wait: there's more! In addition to a terrific team of core contributors to this storyworld, they invited guest artists to join their world on a regular basis, folks like James Kochalka, Kevin Cannon, and Dylan Horrocks. And even these transient friends of Cartozia can and will add characters, places previously undiscovered, powers previously unimagined. And so on until comics utopia on earth is finally established and we can shake off our mundane existences for a two-bedroom cottage in Cartozia.
Heck, even if we don't quite get there, this is a project every lover of comics should support, if only to see how this grand experiment plays out. I confess to not being a neutral observer here, and not because I am fond of the book's super-smart, Isaac Cates. No, I am far from objective because I want my Cartozia Tales, and I don't see how this can go forward without the community pitching in to let this universe take flight into the future.
Need more? Isaac and company have an awesome assortment of premiums available—original art, commissions, and fun goodies and extras. Want to see more? Explore the Cartozia website at cartozia.com.