Breakneck

by Mark Bertolini & James Boulton

In a world where all supervillains have been wiped out, one final villain is on the run from the world’s collected heroes - but Ethan Shade is the crappiest villain left alive!

BREAKNECK is back! The return of the critically acclaimed indie series is here, reprinting the first 4 issues along with the never-before-seen 5th issue, in an exclusive deluxe hardcover collection!

If you're a fan of The Boys, The Authority, Powers, and Invincible, Breakneck is made for you!

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Digital copy

128 pages, PDF format

$40

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Deluxe Hardcover Collection

Collects Issues #1-4 plus the never-before-seen Issue #5. 128 pages, slightly oversized (7.6" x 11")

$55

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Deluxe Hardcover Collection SIGNED

Comes with an exclusive signature page signed by Mark Bertolini. Collects Issues #1-4 plus the never...

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Retailer Bundle - ALL COPIES SIGNED

For retailers only. 3 copies of the book at wholesale pricing, all with an exclusive signature page...

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Tip Jar

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These items are only available once you have selected at least one primary Reward listed above.

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Bastard's Waltz SIGNED

Get a signed copy of Mark Bertonlini's crime/superhero trade paperback, from his personal stash

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Bigfoot Frankenstein SIGNED

Get a signed copy of Mark Bertonlini's monster/comedy mashup trade paperback, from his personal stas...

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Cauldron Magazine SIGNED

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Zoom call with Mark Bertolini

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#The Story

BREAKNECK is back! The return of the critically acclaimed indie series is here, reprinting the first 4 issues along with the never-before-seen 5th issue, in a gorgeous hardcover volume!

Enter the world of Breakneck as we follow the world’s crappiest supervillain, Ethan Shade, as he goes on the run from every superhero in the world! Does Ethan stand a chance, or will be buckle under the pressure?

With your help and funding, we can all find out together!

"Breakneck was my first-ever published work, published by 215 Ink in the year 2010. We released 3 single issues through Diamond and then a collected volume that included the 4th issue. But life got in the way, and all members of the team got busy with other pursuits, and we left Breakneck behind - but it was never far from my thoughts, and continued to be a popular book at conventions. Recently uncovering the finished 5th issue, the idea of bringing Breakneck back in a gorgeous new volume was too good to pass up! Hopefully we can introduce Breakneck to a whole new group of readers who enjoy goofball superhero antics." - Mark Bertolini

#Preview

#Testimonials

“Breakneck is impressive, and sets the stage for a compelling story to unfold. With Mark Bertolini’s witty, confident writing, and James Boulton’s distinct and atmospheric artwork, this is a comic that has more than enough to set it apart within the superhero crowd.” - John Lees, writer of Sink and The Nasty

“James Boulton’s art looks as though it’s more influenced by the current Italian New Wave that’s yielded the likes of Gipi, and his textures bring to mind David Mazzucchelli in its hyper-kinetic scratchiness. There simply aren’t enough artists taking these kind of risks in this kind of book and it makes all the difference,” - Morgan Davis, Comics Bulletin

“If you have been wondering if it is possible for an independent publisher to produce a good superhero-themed comic since the release of Robert Kirkman’s Invincible, you have undoubtedly found it in Breakneck. This comic is, without a doubt, the best independent (non-Big-Four) title I have read in a long, long time.” - Evan Henry, Men in Tights Reviews

#Bio

Mark Bertolini is a Toronto-based comic book writer with numerous published works to his name, such as Bastard’s Waltz, Bigfoot Frankenstein, and Feeder, from publishers such as Darby Pop, Action Lab, and Sumerian, with upcoming work coming from Scout and New Friday comics.

#Stretch Goals

For an initial stretch goal (amount TBD) I can offer PDFs of some of my other work, such as Bastard’s Waltz (TPB), Knowledge (TPB), and The Hand of Glory (TPB).

After that, profits from funds after costs will be divided equitably amongst each member of the creative team. No one was compensated for the work when it was first created and released, and it would be nice to be able to pay everyone for their work now - once the book is printed and shipped, of course.

#Timeline

All 5 issues and the short stories are fully completed and ready to go to print right after the campaign ends.

Printing and shipping should take around three months, so delivery of rewards is expected to be done early ‘25.

Zoop will always be here to communicate with supporters should any delays occur, if there’s confusion about delivery, or if any other concerns pop up.

Frequently asked questions

Yes! We encourage you to get more than 1 item! That could be multiple copies of the same reward, or you can mix and match rewards! There is no limit, unless otherwise stated in the reward description.

Our campaigns are for a worldwide audience unless stated otherwise in the campaign. All international orders are sold with the terms DAP (Delivered At Place). You are responsible for any duties and taxes required for the shipment's entry into your country. Our carriers may require you to pay taxes and fees related to importation and customs brokerage of your shipment -- but if your item is really low in value, it may fall under the customs de minimis of most countries. For more information, please contact USPS

Zoop does not store or keep your credit card info. Stripe simply holds the credit card info until the end of a successful campaign and then charges it. It is strictly for this one time use and won't charge it ever again.

You can either access the transaction through your account and click the cancel button, or contact us at hello@wearezoop.com and we'll cancel it for you and send back a confirmation email.

 

Cancellations of rewards or add-ons of $500 or more must be made before there are 72 hours left in the campaign. The reason for this is it can have a negative effect on the tally of the campaign. If it is a limited reward or add-on, there may not be sufficient time for someone else to purchase it, leaving the campaign possibly not funded. We ask for your courtesy of the people running the campaign when making these decisions.

Please use the notes section in the last checkout step or you could e-mail us at hello@wearezoop.com with that info during the campaign if you'd like to get it out of the way. Otherwise, we'll be reaching out to all supporters of rewards that require feedback shortly after the campaign is over.

If you want to make changes, you should first cancel your original order and then start over with a new one. If you don't do that and simply process an additional order, the way our system is currently set up you may end up being overcharged for shipping -- which we could remedy for you, but it just takes that extra step of catching it and crediting you back the extra shipping, so please try the prior way first.

Rewards are the priority items that the creators have chosen for the campaign. Add-Ons are meant to be secondary items that are 'unlocked' after you buy something from the Reward level. There are no restrictions on buying Rewards, but you can only buy Add-Ons if you've bought a Reward. Zoop sets this up under the direction of the creators. Some may choose to only have Rewards, some may choose an even balance of Rewards and Add-Ons, and others may choose to only have one or two Rewards with the rest of the items being Add-Ons.

Since we have an a la carte rewards system, shipping rates will vary from supporter to supporter. We use a weight-based calculation system in your checkout cart, though, so, after you enter your country, you'll be able to see it calculated in real time with each item you add.

No - this is it! We're essentially your in-campaign pledge manager. If you are interested in supporting these creators, this is the time to do it!  And it's the exact reason we allow you to purchase as many rewards as you want during the campaign!