Fundraising, Part Deux. This time, you get more than a Thank You.

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8 months ago, DBD readers met DBD's year goal 2008 Fundraising goal of $20K in just 24 hours.
I had to stop it because you met the goal so fast! On that amazing day, $20K was deposited to pay for one year of DBD, as my main job covered the rest of the year's costs of $26K.

In that Fundraiser I said if I could increase business and volume in both jobs, I can ask for less.

Unfortunately, technology finally ended my main job not more than a week after the Fundraiser, which left DBD my only income.

You all know I have continued DBD through some tough times, but I cannot escape economics. And to be honest, I am glad to be doing DBD fulltime for you, however grimly arrived at. But a fulltime DBD requires that other $15,336 be found somewhere (DBD is at 8 months right now).

You didn't sign on to this. You met what was asked for in 24 hours flat. You met a goal that I said would carry DBD for a year. And now, not only do I have to ask again, but there must be a Fundraiser every year. In a time of free content, DBD will live or die by its value to its readers every day, every month, every year.

1031 people came through in the last Fundraiser; according to 'The Long Tail' theory of internet readers, there's usually a core 1% that come through for internet publishers. All donations are critical, and I also ask again of that '1000'. Look what Leonidas did with the 300-except I don't have a 6-pack, I'm not a leader, and the thought of all of you in G-strings frankly worries me a bit.

But we share the same beliefs, I think.

The site's been redone, there's a forum coming up, there's an email subscription, searchable archives, new avatars, a new DBD banner that shows the strip in a popup (so you have more advertising space on your own blog),twitter, free Wowio DBD ebooks, and when you donate to DBD you receive pdfs of never released drawings of DBD's start back in 1998 (yes, 2 years before DBD went up), examples of just how different Jan, Damon, Sam, and Zed were before 2001.

Depending on which of the 4 Donation Levels you select, there is also a DBD Playing Card deck, Sam posters, plus Original DBD hand-written script sheets complete with hand-signed strips that derive from those scripts.

That was the carrot, now for the stick, and...I don't have a stick. I'll still try & get DBD out.

I think you can tell from the strip that I'm something of a minimalist. I drive a Honda that was new when Arsenio was hot. My first vacation in 12 years, and I go to Iraq to research for the characters. This isn't for sympathy, but clarity. I love doing DBD. Every hard-earned dollar you send here is for one purpose-to make it possible for me to improve and continue DBD for you (and me!).

In a PC correct era, DBD's characters speak with you on issues you find important. PC still rules the MSM, whether newspapers, the networks, or well-funded 'pundits'. DBD connects with people directly, the only comic where the readers are the source and the feature. You might depend on DBD, but the reality is DBD depends on you.

Help keep our voice out there. In one day, all of you got DBD more than halfway through 2008. Again, whatever amount is donated, I'll give directly back in DBD strips.

And yes. This time I will leave the Fundraiser up for a month, not a day.           


Chris Muir

Fundraising, Part Deux.

Donation Levels to saving DBD's bacon in 2008.