Fantagraphics, which suffered a "severe shortfall" in cashflow due to the illness and death of Kim Thompson earlier this year (see "R.I.P. Kim Thompson"), has launched a Kickstarter to partially fund the 39 titles in its Spring-Summer 2014 season.  Fantagraphics canceled 13 titles, a third of its planned output for Spring-Summer 2013, due to the loss of Thompson.  Now to make up its cash shortfall it’s seeking to raise $150,000 over the next month.

Backer premiums are varied, including lots of prints and autographs, special items such as Chuck Taylors illustrated by Gary Panter, and opportunities to socialize with Fantagraphics publisher Gary Groth and others.

Fantagraphics’ Spring-Summer 2014 line includes Daniel Clowes’ The Complete Eightball, collections of Peanuts, EC’s, Prince Valiant, Witzend, and other classic works; work by Peter Bagge, Jaime Hernandez, and other established talents; and original graphic novels from a range of talented creators. 

A $150,000 goal is hefty for a comic Kickstarter, but Fantagraphics probably has a good chance to pull it off, given the wide range of audiences its books attract, its knowledge of its customers through its online store, its support throughout the industry, and the circumstances.