Self-storage has worked its way into the pop-culture lexicon the last few years by way of reality-television series like Storage Wars and, most recently, two storage-themed horror movies. Now writer Wes Locher is using self-storage as a backdrop for his science-fiction/comedy comic book UNIT 44.
The premise of the comic is to answer the question: What happens when Area 51 employees, Agent Gibson and Agent Hatch, forget to pay the rent on the facilitys off-site storage unit and the super-secret contents are sold at public auction? When an alien invasion threatens Earth, the agents must recover an item from the unit to stop the imminent threat.
Locher and artist Eduardo Jimenez launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the first issue of what Locher envisions as a four-issue miniseries. With a goal of raising $2,000, the campaign raised more than $2,700. It actually raised 53 percent of its funding goal in the first 24 hours, according to the source. Donors will receive special UNIT 44-related items depending on how much money they contributed.
The money raised will fund the creation of the art and physical printing of the first 22-page issue. The first five pages are viewable on Lochers Kickstarter Web page.
Ive written comics in a lot of different genres, but I really wanted do something fun, Locher said. I think the medium needs more of that.
Locher said he came up with the idea while watching an episode of Storage Wars, describing the comic-book series as Storage Wars meets Men in Black. I got to write a funny story about Area 51, aliens and government conspiracies, and now people are paying to read it, he said. I need a time machine so I can go high five 14-year-old me.
Sources:
- Gonna Geek: Area 51! Conspiracy! Storage Units! Humor!
- Kickstarter: UNIT 44 - Issue #1: Area 51! Conspiracy! Humor!
