Tales of the Earthbound

Threat Quotient

You work hard for what money and time off you get. But when you relax to escape from the hassles and tedium of the daily grind, all you can find are inferior remakes, propaganda about how evil you are, and attempts to brainwash you, thinly disguised as formulaic entertainment.

If you continue feeding the Beast, it will continue ramming vile garbage down your throat. Conversely, if you don’t support healthy alternatives, they will starve and disappear.

Virtual Pulp has always esteemed the good, the beautiful, and the true while crafting compelling stories. Now we’re bringing that tradition with us into the medium of comics. But we’re not imitating what has been done in the past…and certainly not pushing the narratives found in what’s being produced now.

Threat Quotient is a 108 page tour de force of strong visual storytelling with relevant stakes and relatable characters, scripted by a multiple bestselling author. It’s a story you can go back to as years go by, and re-experience the fun you had the very first time. For young people you care about, this book can be a gateway to a love of reading, as comics were for generations. And you don’t have to wait for your own print copy-you can start reading it online now, for free!

Making Visual Storytelling Great Again

Threat Quotient is the first graphic novel in Tales of the Earthbound–a series of epic ensemble superhero adventures in perfect-bound print editions. However, it’s available to start reading online now. Reclaim that lost joy of comics, and begin the adventure now!

Frequently Asked Questions

What age group is this for?

Back in the day you could have summed it up as “PG13” but today it seems kids have seen as much, or worse, as what adults indulge in. That said, it’s written from an adult perspective but is still accessible to young readers. There is some violence (hero punches villain), but no sex, nudity, or F-bombs.

Is the interior black & white?

Nope, full color. B&W is cheaper to print, but color fits this project better.

Why superheroes?

Superheroes can be fun. Recent mainstream comics and film adaptations notwithstanding, the genre CAN be done right.

Why a comic book?

“Sequential art” is an American art form which is accessible to almost everybody. It’s a powerful medium, but not nearly as expensive or collaborative as film.

Why are you sharing it online for free?

To hook you. The hope is that by sharing the content for free, word will spread that this book exists. We want readers to enjoy it so much, they’ll buy their own physical copy when we crowdfund. And tell others about it.

How much will the print edition cost?

That depends on a few factors which are constantly in flux. Making comics is not cheap. We are not owned by a mega-conglomerate that can afford to order enormous print runs to get bulk discounts, or operate at a loss because they’re essentially just a content farm for Hollywood. At minimum, we must earn enough to cover the costs of the artwork, printing, shipping, etc. Even better would be to turn a profit that can be used to seed the next project. With all that in mind, we will strive to make Threat Quotient as affordable as possible–especially for backers of the crowdfunding campaign.