$10
PDF book
28 claimed
One PDF copy of Moistly Harmless
$25
Book
224 claimed
One softcover copy of the book. Includes a PDF copy.
$5
Mini print
71 claimed
4x6 print. Scroll down to MINI PRINTS section below to see in greater detail. Let us know your selection at hello@wearezoop.com.
$50
Digital avatar commission
8 / 15 claimed
A digital avatar for use on social media, drawn especially for you by author and artist Ethan Kocak. Includes one person and one critter. Add-on one additional critter for $10 (limit 2/avatar). Includes a PDF copy of the book.
$175
Book + portrait commission
3 / 5 claimed
One softcover copy of the book, plus one custom portrait commission, drawn especially for you by author and artist Ethan Kocak. Includes up to 4 people and/or critters. Add-on one additional person or critter for $10. Includes a PDF copy of the book.
$15
Fire Belly Newt Pin
19 claimed
1.5" soft enamel pin designed by Ethan Kocak
$15
Mudpuppy Pin
12 claimed
1.5" soft enamel pin designed by Ethan Kocak
$40
Book + Pin
12 claimed
One softcover copy of the book + one 1.5" soft enamel pin. Includes a PDF copy of the book. If you'd like to switch to the Mudpuppy pin, write us with that request at hello@wearezoop.com.
$50
Book + Both Pins
9 claimed
One softcover copy of the book + both 1.5" soft enamel pins. Includes a PDF copy of the book.
$25
Mug
13 claimed
One "Taricha extra-sleepy time tea" stainless steel mug + a 2-oz tea sample by Traveller Tea Shop
$50
Book + Mug
3 claimed
One softcover copy of the book + one "Taricha extra-sleepy time tea" stainless steel mug and 2-oz tea sample by Traveller Tea Shop. Includes a PDF copy of the book
$70
Book + Mug + Both Pins
4 claimed
One softcover copy of the book + one "Taricha extra-sleepy time tea" stainless steel mug and 2-oz tea sample by Traveller Tea Shop + both 1.5" soft enamel pins. Includes a PDF copy of the book
$1
Tip Jar
251 claimed
We appreciate salamanders, and also you! Add a little something extra for us hard workin' creators and administrators. You can increase in increments of $1 by simply pressing '+' in the quantity field during checkout until you reach your desired amount. Much appreciated!
$10
Additional critter for avatar or portrait commission
13 claimed
Only available for backers of digital avatar or portrait commission tiers. Limit 2 per digital avatar.
$3
Digital cross-stitch pattern
8 claimed
Digital pattern for "Cute as a Newt" cross-stitch designed by artist Arielle Milstein-Brennan
$10
DIY cross-stitch kit
14 / 50 claimed
DIY kit for "Cute as a Newt" cross-stitch designed by artist Arielle Milstein-Brennan. Includes 3-inch wooden hoop, fabric, needle, thread, pattern, and directions.
$17
Does it Fart?
20 claimed
Hardcover book
$16
Believe it or Snot
20 claimed
Hardcover book
$16
True or Poo
21 claimed
Hardcover book
$35
Book + signed bookplate
100 / 100 claimed
One softcover copy of the book + one bookplate signed by author and artist Ethan Kocak. Includes a PDF copy of the book.
$75
Digital avatar + book
15 / 15 claimed
One softcover copy of the book, plus a digital avatar for use on social media, drawn especially for you by author and artist Ethan Kocak. Includes one person and one critter. Add-on one additional critter for $10 (limit 2/avatar). Includes a PDF copy of the book.
My name is Ethan Kocak. I’m best known professionally for illustrating the NYT bestselling science comedy book “DOES IT FART?” as well as the webcomic “Black Mudpuppy.” I’m also a huge nerd obsessed with newts and salamanders and have been observing, keeping and breeding them for something like 30 years now. And that is why I want to make this book.
“MOISTLY HARMLESS” is a book I’ve had in my head for a long time; part field guide, part memoir, and all about my favorite subject. I want to cover how you can look for and find salamanders in the wild, why they need protection now more than ever and how best to care for captive specimens. But I want to do this book my way, which means with humor and in comic book format. This will be something unique and fun but also packed full of accurate, up to date scientific information.
And also lots of silly cartoons.
Ethan Kocak is a cartoonist, illustrator and herpetoculturist. He is most known for Does It Fart? which was an international and NYT best seller. He is cohost of the herpetology podcast Squamates, creator of the webcomic Black Mudpuppy and Punch Everyone. While his career is drawing cartoons, his hobby has been keeping and breeding reptiles and amphibians for the last 30 years, especially salamanders.
Arras Wiedorn (Owner, Endangered Art Books) has a passion for bringing science and beauty to the world. In 2015 she published the collaborative art book Losing Altitude, highlighting endangered birds from around the world, and recently completed her master’s degree (MSc Biology, TAMUCC 2021). She is thrilled to be helping Ethan bring some love to amphibians through Moistly Harmless.
The book will feature guest art from scientific illustrator and paleoartist Gabriel Ugueto (@SerpenIllus) and comic artists Jessi Sheron (@JessiSheron, creator of The Sea In You), Jon Rosenberg (@JonRosenberg, creator of Scenes From A Multiverse), Rosemary Mosco (@RosemaryMosco, creator of Bird and Moon Comics), and Abby Howard (@AbbyHoward, creator of The Last Halloween and co-founder of Black Tabby Games)
Taricha “extra-sleepy time” tea blended by Traveller Tea Shop (@TravellerTea)
“Cute as a Newt” cross stitch designed by artist Arielle Milstein-Brennan (@arielleishere)
“Ethan is like the They Might Be Giants of webcomics.”
- Jessi Sheron, Creator of The Sea in You, Iron Circus Comics
"You wouldn't think it's possible to build a viable brand around salamanders. You'd be right, but Ethan comes close."
- K.B. Spangler, Author
If you don’t love newts already, buy this book. If you do love newts already, DEFINITELY buy this book. There is no greater champion of the humble salamander than Kocak.
- Ursula Vernon, Author of Dragonbreath
"I don't know what pull quotes are..."
- Josh Grosvent, The Show KROCK CNY
$12,500 - Upgrade the book to be in beautiful full color (the initial goal funds a black and white book)
$13,000 - One pin design (fire belly newt)
$14,000 - Taricha “extra sleepy-time tea” mug and tea sample
$14,500 - Second pin design (mudpuppy)
The book is currently about 50% written and thumbnailed. The main writing pieces that need to be finished are research-related and need to be checked for scientific accuracy. The art will take approximately six months to complete from sketches to finalization.
Production times are highly variable at the moment, particularly due to paper shortages, but may take up to several months. We hope to start shipping books around 3-4 months after completion of the art. Other merchandise such as prints, pins, and mugs will go into production right away after the campaign, and so orders without physical copies of Moistly Harmless may ship sooner.
Now that we've unlocked the Stretch Goal that makes the entire book in color, Ethan has sent an example of a colored page to share with supporters! This isn't final, but is a little taste of what the colored book will look like :)
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.
We use Stripe for checkout because it is VERY secure. They exceed industry security standards and are trusted by thousands of companies, including Amazon, Lyft, Slack, Shopify, and Airbnb, who use Stripe's software tools to accept payments. Their interface is pre-made by them and we don't have the ability to augment it in any way. Once there, you have 15 minutes to complete the transaction by hitting the 'SAVE CARD' button.
If the campaign doesn't fund, your pre-order will be canceled, and the pending charge will disappear. You'll get an email confirmation with a summary of rewards and charges both after the initial pledge and after the actual charging of the card (try looking in your spam folder if you don't happen to see it in your inbox).
Please e-mail us at hello@wearezoop.com and we'll get right back to you!
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
