The true story of the life and death of anarchist Buenaventura Durruti - as told by Ringo Award nominated Comic Creator Brenton Lengel
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Last Chance to Back Durruti #3! NEW PREMIUMS: Signed Convention Passes! FINAL Durruti Paintings 50% Off!
about 1 year ago
– Fri, Feb 14, 2025 at 03:47:50 PM
Hey folks,
First off: So, if you are one of the people who has yet to receive Durruti #2, please feel free to reach out via PM and/or email me directly at "SnowWhiteZombie" "at" "G00gl3 Mail" "Dot" "Com".
If you have already PM'd us via this page, and we haven't replied, don't worry. We saw your PM's and I'm handling it personally.
Thanks for your patience and support. I wanted this done before the end of the campaign, but it turns out life had other ideas. :/
Last Chance To Back Durruti #3:
We DID it! Because of YOUR support our first two stretch goals have been unlocked! And everyone who gave at least at $10+ (Not including shipping, but including add-ons) gets a sticker with this nifty new design:
We also have SIX High-End Premiums to help us get that last $900 including four new ones!
They Are:
1-of-1 Convention Passes:
If you haven't already figured it out, I LOVE making merch, and I approach art and life in the same way I approached my 2008 Thru-Hike of the Appalachian Trail: No matter what, everything has to have at least TWO purposes.
In the spirit of this, here are FOUR of my previous passes to comic conventions. These are 1-of-1, and they come signed in oil-based silver paint so the signature won't rub off.
The crowning jewel is the Ringo Awards Pass specifying that I am a nominee. They also come with a certificate of authenticity AND (excepting the Exhibitor pass) a free lanyard!
You can pick them up as add-ons. Prices run from $90-$15.
Durruti Portrait Oil On Artist's Paper 50% Off
First off this incredible THREE PORTRAIT SET has already sold, so if you wanted it? You are sh1t out of luck. :p
However, the $200 "Durruti in Green" portrait set is now just $100! But only for the next 17 hours. After that the price for these one-of-a-kind portraits goes back up.
Finally: There is exactly ONE Durruti Propaganda Poster left. It's $75. Grab it now because there likely won't be anymore, as I got them from the CNT, and I don't speak Spanish :P
This is a terrific book, from another Scout Comics creator...well CREATORS. Great Husband & Wife Duo. The campaign is over but you can still preorder their book.
The Few And Cursed
Felip Cagno really needs no introduction. His powerhouse series is on its 11th chapter. If you like spooky-post apocalyptic westerns, go grab it!
The Little Mermaid and the Pirate Queen
Kat & Co. are fellow Ringo Nominees, and it's so awesome to see them succeed with this steamy romance comic just in time for Valentines!
Update: Final Orders for Durruti #2 + Durruti #3 is LIVE.
about 1 year ago
– Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 07:04:04 PM
Comrades,
This is Brenton Lengel. I don't know if enough of you saw my last few updates and emails before launch. If you didn't, the long and short of it is, I was forced by circumstances to launch Durruti #3 earlier than I would have liked.
As I said in previous emails, I REALLY wanted all of your orders in your hands before I put this out, but because of scheduling conflicts and getting the rug pulled out from under me by life multiple times in the last year alone, I just couldn't get the orders shipped all by myself in the available time.
While the point of kickstarter is not necessarily to buy rewards but instead make these projects happen...it still absolutely SUCKS to not get your stuff in a reasonable amount of time.
I take full responsibility for the absolute crawl things are currently at work/ Durruti #2.
I have started a patreon to help pay someone to help me with fulfillment and so that this NEVER happens again.
You guys put alot of trust in me, and it kills me that a few of you are still missing your books.
I will be sending out emails soon to those whose books have yet to ship. You will be getting tracking numbers for ALL of them.
If you want to wait for your previous order to arrive I totally get that. However, please do remember that this is STILL a historic kickstarter that you don't want to miss. Especially since I got overwhelmed.
You can always cancel your pledge if I don't deliver (I will) and if you somehow get charged before then I will return 100% of your money after the campaign closes.
If you are one of the few who still don't have your durruti #2 rewards PLEASE reach out to me directly on here and I'll be certain to put you to the top of the list.
Solidarity,
-Brent
ALSO: whether you have or haven't gotten your book, please do consider giving to the patreon. There's lots of awesome benefits and you can get express fulfillmment for just $5 a month on ALL of mine and Autononmous Collective's books, starting with SWZA #5, NPCs #1, and Durruti #3.
The extra money will help me hire the necessary help. Even if you don't give, you will STILL get your books sooner than you otherwise would, so please consider giving, or if you an't give, please follow as even non-paid members help to attract paid members.
Currently I'm trying to get the patreon up to $500 a month and we're more than halfway there! That will enable a small start with fulfillment help. Ultimately I will need it up to $2000, and things can REALLY start moving at $4000.
There are currently just a bit above 2000 people on my mailing list, so if every one of you gave just $2 a month, we'd already be moving towards lightspeed.
Mae Culpa, I am doing everything that i can to make this right.
If you didn't please go back and pre-follow. It is critical to making sure the KS algorithm treats us well. Yes, it will help, even if you don't get the book.
There. Now I can brag about the mainstream coverage we've gotten in Bleeding Cool! Probably the second most prestigious comic site on the whole dang internet!
We would not be here without each and every one of you. That is a responsibility that I take seriously. I’m constantly pushing myself creatively, but it has become painfully clear to me that greater success breeds greater obstacles.
You may have noticed that the last few kickstarters have taken significantly longer than normal. I certainly have, and I don’t accept it. Here’s why it’s happening, and what I’m doing to fix it.
Why So Long Between Issues?
The fact of the matter is that in a scant five years my comic career has gone from ONE 44 page double issue to this:
It’s absolutely the third best thing to ever happento me (Behind marrying my wife and having my son) but the fact is, I’m not simply sending you SWZA issue by issue anymore. With THREE DIFFERENT series, a graphic novel and a TON of super-high quality merchandise…I and Autonomous Collective have hit a wall.
This is a very small operation, and most of the heavy lifting is done by me. The orders we have are so large and intricate that between con appearances, kick-starters, writing new issues and being a full-time dad and husband, I can't depend on volunteer labor.
Meaning I need to either hire someone to help me, OR pay a contractor.
However, this requires money. Money I don’t have. I could try to find a high-paying job, but if I do that I may be able to pay for fulfillment help, but THEN that job takes over my life and I have to slow down writing, funding, and publishing new issues.
So it’s a horrible catch-22: If I solve the money problem, things stay slow. If I keep throwing everything into doing it alone things *still* stay slow.
The answer to one problem makes the other problem worse.
Now, I don't ever take anything lying down...so I've spent the last few months working towards a solution, that’ll work for everyone. Here it is:
I have started a Patreon. Technically I’ve had one for a while but never did anything with it because I was so focused on the kickstarters and didn't really have a reason to ask for monthly support.
However, now I do and so--that changes today.
The puzzle that I’ve been trying to solve is that I need regular, predictable income to supplement the kickstarters, and I need to do this WITHOUT piling more and more work on my plate.
ie: It doesn't make sense to get money to fulfill campaigns faster, if I have to work so hard on it those campaigns still stay slow.
As Patreon allows individuals to engage in mutual aid to creators they support with a set monthly amount, you can keep me going, get some really cool benefits AND get your books sooner.
The money from this Patreon will be used to speed up fulfillment for everyone.
AFTER Durruti #2 fulfillment finishes, the express fulfillment kicks in.
Durruti is still my #1 priority at the moment. If you haven't gotten your book, you're at the top of my list.
Starting with NPCs #1, SWZA #5, and Durruti #3 those who give $5 or more per month will get their books FIRST regardless of how complicated their order is.
For the price of less than a single cup of coffee you can help me, yourself, and most importantly, keep the life, deeds, and story of one of the world's most effective anti-fascists alive as a critical battle between fascism and liberty grows nearer.
I am aiming for $4000 a month eventually, but $500 is my goal for the month of January. As there are more than 600 of you wonderful folks, if each and every one of you of you pledges just $1 we’ll sail past that by tomorrow morning.
Thanks for everything. There are some really big announcements on the way. Keep an eye on this page.
Durruti #3 IS HERE! EXCLUSIVE COVER REVEAL + Durruti #2 Update
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Nov 14, 2024 at 03:21:38 PM
Comrades!
Thank you for so much for your support.
First off, I have been working dilligently to finish the insanely complicated fulfillment of Durruti #2's final stretch (More on that below). HOWEVER, well...you all know what happened last week.
With the looming specter of fascism growing both at home and abroad, I have been wracking my brain to find how to best foster solidarity in the present and hope for the future. The answer to that, for me, is to continue telling Durruti's story. As such, consider this a first glance at the much-awaited official announcement for Durruti #3's kickstarter campaign!
Here's the much-awaited cover reveal, and it's honestly my single favorite cover of all time:
Now, I know what you're all thinking: "WTF is The INFINITY GAUNTLET doing in a comic about Durruti?" The answer is...well, when I was first writing Durruti, during my research I found out that Franco was an absolute NUTCASE (big surprise).
In particular, during the Spanish Civil War, Franco carried around the actual severed hand of a SAINT like it was the f%*king nuclear football! He took it everywhere he went. He slept with it under his pillow. He literally died clutching it.
The hand in question was the hand of St. Theresa De Avila and...well I'd probably better just show you. Here it is:
When you add on that Durruti is quite literally "The First Avenger" and he had a real-life "crossover" with Nestor Makhno...a literal winter soldier, well. This right here was the moment that I decided the universe wanted me to tell Durruti's story, and to tell it specifically as a comic.
The book itself is gorgeous but there's just no way I can print it without your support:
As such PLEASE pre-follow the campaign. It takes a second and even if you're hard up for cash, this is a free way that you can help in the collective work of telling Durruti's story to generations who will otherwise forget about it. We're also reaching people who don't read musty history tomes like me.
All you have to do is click the link below (or on any of the images) and then click "Notify Me". It takes five seconds. Shares are also helpful and appreciated. Then come back here for the Durruti #2 update.
All the SUPER COOL swag we've created over the years.
Hey folks, welcome back. If you are one of the people who still hasn't gotten #2, it's likely that you're one of the many "one off" orders that I've been grappling with.
To be honest, the collective has grown to such a degree over the last few years (thanks in large part to your support) but one of the really difficult things is to keep all the plates spinning.
Working on THREE series instead of ONE, has stretched my personal energy and resources has increased the challenge exponentially. As such, Durruti #2 fulfillment has taken way WAY longer than I ever anticipated. People say between "Good", "Fast" and "Affordable", you have to pick two. No project can actually do all three...and boy did I learn that.
Between supply chain issues, inflation, cons, and the responsibilities of a husband and father to a six-year old boy, it has taken me longer than I consider acceptable.
However, considering just how many times life has pulled the rug out from under me during the last 2-3 years...I'm doing pretty well. FURTHER as many of you already know, when I go down, I never stay down. Not metaphorically and not literally. No matter how hard I'm kicked to the floor, I always get up and I'm always ready for more.
That said, there is a fix that I'm implementing. You will likely hear about it in my next update, so keep an eye out for that one as it will tell you precisely how you can make sure that you (and everyone else) gets their books sooner.
In the meantime please bear with me. If you have any questions about your order, message me or send an email to SnowWhiteZombie at G00g13 mail d0t com. If you want to wait until you know your package is inbound to pledge, that's okay...but either way, please pre-follow. I cannot express just how important it is.
Durruti #3 campaign inbound + SWZA & NPCs Updates + The Burning Maid
over 1 year ago
– Wed, Oct 09, 2024 at 03:35:30 PM
Hey Comrades!
First off, in case you missed the last update: Thanks to YOUR help & support, my other series (SWZA) had its THIRD Ringo Nod! Here we are, at Baltimore Comicon, one of the seven finalists for 2024!
Ultimately, we lost out...to JEFF FRIGGIN' SMITH of BONE.
As he's one of the greatest living cartoonists in the whole damn world (if not of all time) I'm beyond overjoyed that our scrappy little book is becoming the cultural powerhouse it deserves to be.
Back in 2019, no one in comics even knew who we WERE. Now, just a few years later we're getting real recognition and that's due in large part to you guys!
This only spells out good things for Durruti, as while we were not able to get him nominated this year, being in the final SEVEN will only make future nominations easier, and help more people learn about Durruti and his historical legacy.
Durruti #3
So, when I last checked in, I said we were done all of the Durruti fulfillment except for the "weird" orders...at the time I didn't realize that there were 120 weird orders!
That is absolutely NUTS but also a testament to you as the books supporters.
Please bear with me, as the project has grown beyond Autonomous Collective's ability to do everything on our own. I've been working behind the scenes on a fix for this, and the best part is, if this works, you'll be able to get your books MUCH sooner (whether you lend additional support us or not)
In the meantime I want to show you a bit of just how deep this book is. I'm talking Elden Ring levels of lore and specificity, except, in terms of Durruti's story, the lore is actually TRUE:
This is Poblenou Cemetery in Barcelona. Literally a 1-1 recreation. Notice Esteban Solomero taking his hat off as they pass a certain grave?
That is the grave of Francesc Canals i Ambrós AKA "Santet del Poblenou" Or the "Little Saint" of Poblenou)
Canales was the son of a blind rug salesman, and quickly gained a reputation for being a good person and was well-known for his mutual aid work. It was also said that he could predict the future: he reportedly saw his own death coming, and was responsible for several other "little miracles" always performed to aid Barcelona's downtrodden.
All those letters are from people who make pilgrimages to his grave to honor him and ask for aid themselves. As such, I thought there was no way our characters wouldn't show deference to the boy's memory.
The book is FULL of this stuff, and the lore and history only gets deeper as we get further in, so look for it.
SWZA #5 Production COMPLETE:
For once I got something done early digital versions of SWZA #5 will be going out over the next few days, and the book will go to the printer after Durruti #3 launches!
If you backed my THIRD series, you'll be happy to know that the book is now FULLY COLORED and is entering production. Took twice as long as I thought it would, but then I remembered: "Oh yeah, I actually made that a double issue!"
So, some of you may or may not know, but my editor Andrea Molinari is a huge part of why my books are so good. He's got a new issue of his own acclaimed horror/supernatural series: "The Shepherd".
and well, I'll just let him tell you about it:
"Hello! I’m Andrea Lorenzo Molinari, and I’m Brenton’s editor. You are familiar with my work even though you probably don’t know it. That’s because I work behind the scenes on all three of his series: Snow White Zombie Apocalypse, Durruti: Shadow of the People, and NPCs: Myth, Magic, & Retail. This effort is no burden because, like you, I am a fan of Brenton’s work.
Today I am coming to you to ask for your support on a Kickstarter campaign I’m running for my series graphic novel series The Shepherd.
The Shepherd is a guide of souls in the afterlife. If you’re wondering what my stories are like, let’s just say that my favorite book of all time is Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. So if you like ghosts and redemption stories, I’ve got you!
You heard him folks! Andrea's solo work is as top of the line as his editing, and I'm personally excited about this newest chapter. PLUS if you comment "Lengel" on the page, he'll send you a FREE digital bonus comic from the same series: The Burning Maid! Sample page BELOW.
