New Kickstarter by Alex Lupp for Sand

 

Sand: Genesis Vol. 1 Hardcover Collection

Twin gods have accidentally created a new world! Now what?! 4 stories, 8 artists, 1 epic fantasy in the making!

 

 

 

What is Sand?

Sand is a series of fantasy comics set on a desert world made imperfect by twin gods. It is the story of a sibling searching for their lost twin. It is the story of a boy with red eyes confronting his destiny. And, ultimately, it is the story of a world looking to be made whole. 

So far I have self-published 5 issues, all written by me (Alex Lupp), and each illustrated by a different artist. The first 4 issues comprise the first volume (Genesis), while the fifth issue is the start of the second volume (Reunion), which should run for a total of 6 issues. Beyond that is a third volume, which might run for 8 issues. That puts us at a total of 24 planned issues, and three volumes. 

For the time being each issue is illustrated by a different artist. This started as a matter of practicality, but has become a part of the identity of this project. As the story becomes more focused on characters & locations, the plan is to have some artists return and have them illustrate several consecutive issues. For example, while the second volume is planned for six issues, it should only feature four artists, with one artist illustrating the final three issues.

The Hardcover (Genesis)

This is the first volume of Sand. It collects the first four issues, illustrated by Jade Lee, Erin Lisette, Margaret Huey, and Raven Warner. It also includes reproductions of three art prints featuring highlights of this world, illustrated by Angela Hsieh, Nika, and Cat Caro (Study of Monsters). Plus a whole new cover & logo by Jade Zhang, and interior design by Neil Brideu. 

The four issues collected in this volume, alongside the additional art, backmatter, and character designs, introduce the world of Sand, as well as the characters who will play a role in the story to come. It is both prequel and worldbuilding anthology. 

144 pages // 6.625" × 10.25"

Genesis #1: The Tale of Luc & San

"It begins with an unanswerable question, a moment of light dispelling darkness and birthing life. Behemoths, Beacons, and Feys - a pantheon of celestial beings destined to shape the rest of creation. Now, if only they could figure out where to begin. Enter the twins, Luc & San. Hailed as luminaries, veritable geniuses - will they discover the spark of a new world before their sibling rivalry snuffs it out?"

Illustrated by Jade Lee, this issue was originally self-published in 2017, and features the creation of the world of Sand! Jade retuned in 2023 for a brief four-page epilogue, which better connects this first tale to the stories ahead, and is collected in this volume.

Genesis #2: Of Wolf & Prey

"Kayla Red Eyes, the First Explorer, describes the world of Sand as a desolate place full of dangerous creatures like Dune Dragons and Sand Wolves. In such an unforgiving place, can a newborn Sand Eater find any safety - any sanctuary?"

Illustrated by Erin Lisette, this issue was originally self-published in 2023, and features a story of unlikely animal friendship, as well as a field guide told from the perspective of Kayla Red Eyes. 

Genesis #3: Eyes of Red

"Before the Republic brought order and long before the Great Oasis, a child was born upon the shore of a river. She is named Kayla, and her red eyes prophesize a great destiny. But the road is long and heavy with tragedy. How much hurt can anyone accept before taking matters into their own hands?"

Illustrated by Margaret Huey, this issue was originally self-published in 2025, and features the tragic story of Kayla Red Eyes, the first human explorer of Sand, as well as a continuation of the field guide from Of Wolf & Prey. 

Genesis #4: Twin Blades

"Rayko is the son & heir of a powerful Senatorial family in the Oasis Republic. Bryn is the daughter & heir of the greatest Sand Nomad caravan. Their futures have been written for them. But what if they don't have to be? What if a pair of blades can change everything for them and for the world of Sand?"

Illustrated by Raven Warner, this issue was self-published in 2024, and features the first swashbuckling adventure of Bryn & Rayko, as well as our introduction to Jona, the protagonist of the rest of the series. Set about fourteen years before the start of the second volume, this story introduces the final pieces of the puzzle.

The Prints

"The God Tree, born from the heart of a fallen red star, it is a place of sanctuary for all creatures on the world of Sand. It is captured here at the peak of its glory."

Illustrated by Angela Hsieh.

"These are the characters of Genesis, the pillars upon which the world of Sand is built."

Illustrated by Nika.

"Bryn & Rayko’s Caravan. Sand Eater Caravans are the means by which trade & transport occur on the world of Sand. This is the greatest of them, and it is so much more - a home, a refuge & a place of rebellion."

Illustrated by Cat Caro (Study of Monsters).

These three prints are currently only available for sale in person at festivals (including the risograph version of the Cast Print). This Kickstarter offers postcard-sized versions of these prints for sale, or as bonuses for the early bird pledges. They are also reproduced in the hardcover collection.

The New Issue (Reunion #1)

"Jona is a young boy who lives with his adoptive parents, Bryn & Rayko, among the dunes of Sand. It is a peaceful, if not always easy, life. However, his red eyes always heralded a great destiny, one which he can no longer be sheltered from when a blue star streaks across the night sky.

Now, alongside his trusty steed Tok, he must reluctantly embark upon a journey that will at last resolve what twin gods began eons ago when they accidentally made this world of Sand.

Will this journey bring new friends, or new enemies? And most important of all, what lies at the bottom of the crater formed by the mysterious blue star?"

Illustrated by C. A. P. Ward, this issue was self-published in 2026, and is the beginning of the second volume, Reunion. With the stage set in the previous volume, Genesis, this is where the threads start to come together. What will Jona find beyond the blue horizon?

24 pages // 6.625" × 10.25"

The Creators

Alex Lupp is the writer behind the world of Sand. Born in Bucharest, Romania, he found himself flung across the ocean at the tender age of thirteen. Landing in the Washington DC area, he has since somehow lived everywhere in the surrounding parts of VA & MD except the city itself. Along the way came comics, and a life long interest in experiencing and telling stories.

Jade Lee (they/them) is a multidisciplinary creature who can be found carving lino blocks and dyeing with plant parts around the wilds of Baltimore. Their practice is driven by a curiosity to learn more skills as well as a perpetual self-reminder to slow down, and learn from the natural world around them - from observing birds in migration to identifying mushrooms in the woods.

Erin Lisette is a cartoonist as well as an apparel and merchandise designer native to Washington DC. She is inspired by nature, food, and fun characters that make her laugh! Erin most enjoys illustrating comics about whimsical characters living in magical worlds. When she’s not illustrating comics she’s drawing detailed pictures of food she enjoys eating.

Margaret Huey is an artist and educator working out of Baltimore, MD, who loved the chance to lend her lifelong interest in the prehistoric to Eyes of Red. When not making art or teaching, you can find her performing as DIETANIUM for Super Art Fight, the greatest live art competition in the known universe.

Raven Warner is a Baltimore-based illustrator who loves to draw stories full of friendship, intrigue, and fantastical worlds.

Angela Hsieh is a Taiwanese American author, illustrator, and all-around nature enthusiast. Her debut middle grade fantasy graphic novel, Lu and Ren's Guide to Geozoology, has appeared on multiple "Best Book of 2025" lists. She has 1.5 cats.

Nika is an artist and writer based in the DC area. When she's not working on her upcoming sci-fi graphic novel, she can be found on her couch binge-reading romantic fantasy webtoons.

Cat Caro is a nonbinary comicker and illustrator living in Baltimore, Maryland. When not drawing weird critters, they enjoy hunting for rocks and fossils, and cuddling their two spoiled cats, Tadpole and Caterpillar.

Jade Zhang is a new generation queer Chinese-Canadian illustrator and comic artist based in Toronto. She tells stories about magic, memory, and the occasional eldritch horror.

Neil Brideu is a self-publishing cartoonist and freelance book designer. Neil spends most of his time running the minicomics distro, Radiator Comics.

C. A. P. Ward is a queer black cartoonist and illustrator working on heartfelt genre stories. They like vibrant colors, unusual paneling, and overburdening their characters. When they aren’t drawing they can be found longboarding around the illustrious east coast potholes.

The Campaign

With 5 issues already self-published, you might wonder why even do a fundraiser? Because, while I have been able to fund the single issues so far, both in terms of paying artists & funding the printing costs, things get more complicated when reprinting older issues. And, yes, my stock of those older issues is running out! 

So this campaign is about helping me take that next step. The collected edition! This cannot happen without you!

And not just any collected edition, but a hardcover with a fabric spine. Something that does justice to the work of the eight artists who have worked on Sand so far, but can also act as a comprehensive introduction and worldbuilding guide for future issues. 

The goal covers printing expenses, Kickstarter fees, and taxes. Any extra campaign funds beyond 100% will go directly into the next issues. Yes, Reunion #2 is well underway, and #3 is planned out. So far everything has been funded from my personal savings, or sales at festivals. If all goes well we can continue putting out 1-2 issues per year, but more money means we can speed up that timeline!

Any add-on items will be shipped with Genesis Vol. 1 Hardcover Edition and Reunion #1 once both have been received from the printers. 

 

TCAF answers! from Alex Lupp

 by Mike Rhode

A few local cartoonists were selected to attend TCAF in Canada this year - it's a curated show, and not a lottery like SPX is. I think it has invited guests and people who apply to exhibit. I reached out to ask about their experiences. Alex's profile interview is here and when I saw him recently at Fantom Comics, he said new issues of Sand are coming.

How did you get selected for this show? Did you have to apply?

I did have to apply and was selected. TCAF is a curated show, and from what I can tell a lot of thought goes into that decision making process. I also applied last year, and was not selected, but that rejection came with an email explaining their decision. This is relatively rare in my experience. They specifically took the pains to explain that they reviewed my work and would consider me a stronger applicant this year, and encouraged me to apply again. These application processes can often be fairly opaque, so that small touch truly went a long way. 

Was this your first time?

Yes and no. I've been to TCAF many times starting in 2015, but all prior times it was either as a table helper, with maybe one comic on the table, or just attending for fun. Even though this was my fifth TCAF, it was the first where I applied by myself and was accepted. 

 

 Why do you go to TCAF so often? It's got to be a fairly expensive trip from the DC-area....

 

 Initially it was because my partner at the time was accepted to table, and I tagged along to help out & cover the event for my blog at the time (now defunct for years). That fist time I just fell in love with the show & Toronto, so tagged along again in 2017 & 2019. It's really one of the premier shows of its type & size. Finally in 2022 I went for fun, and it was honestly part of what motivated me to return to Sand and finish writing the story. There was a hiatus of six years between the first issue and the second, which was then finished the following year in 2023. After all that, I was fully motivated to be accepted on my own, and so here we are!

How was the experience? How does it compare to SPX or other local cons?

TCAF is always a great time. Comics are frequently a solitary experience, so these periodic pilgrimages we undertake to shows like TCAF are a good reminder that we're not alone on this creative journey. 

TCAF is in many ways very similar to SPX, but with some clear advantages. Whether previously when it was located in the Toronto Reference Library or this year at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, TCAF has always been located fairly centrally in Toronto. It is also free to attend. All of which makes it much easier to attend and makes for a very diverse & receptive audience. It is also much more carefully curated, while the SPX lottery feels very arbitrary. I've only ever tabled at SPX thanks to being able to share a space with friends. I've never won the lottery myself, meanwhile it feels like other creators are there every year. 

That said, I live about five minutes away from SPX, so it will always have a special place in my heart. 

 

 

How were your sales? Did you reach a new audience?

Sales were okay. I reached the minimum amount where they didn't feel bad, but I definitely had higher hopes. It was actually somewhat shocking that I did better at Zenkaikon, a smaller anime show in Lancaster, PA. Some of this might have been due to the general uncertainty of the times, or maybe just that I was located at the back of the smaller room, which may have impacted foot traffic. It also did not help that I was in the room that literally had a waterfall spring from the ceiling. My own table was not damaged, but some were, and from what I understand TCAF intends to refund table fees for those individuals. It is worth noting that this was TCAF's first time in a new space, and clearly that came with some growing pains. 

That said, it's always great to engage with a new audience, and see their excitement for your work. One person in particular returned on the second day to buy all of my comics, after buying & reading one the day before. How can that not feel great? 

How did Canadians react to Americans in light of the current administration's misbehavior to our ally?

People were exceptionally friendly. It was actually impressive how little the current administration's misbehavior actually impacted things. There were some remarks for sure, but all in good jest like people mentioning the Trump/Musk breakup. It was also interesting to note that I did have a couple of expats come by my table, and mention that they specifically left the US due to the volatility of the past several years. You hear people joke about that, but I was surprised to see it manifest. 

Lastly, I did attend a baseball game while I was in Toronto (and specifically as a Nats fan enjoyed seeing the Phillies lose to the Blue Jays), but was genuinely surprised at the amount of people genuinely clapping after the American anthem played. I would have expected either a lack of response, or even booing. 

Meet a Local Comics Writer: A Chat with Alex Lupp (updated)

Alex Lupp flanked by collaborators Erin Lisette and Jade Lee

by Mike Rhode

This past weekend the second comic in Alex Lupp's Sand universe debuted at Fantom Comics. Sand is written by Lupp and illustrated by people he contracts with for the work, so far his friends Jade Lee (the first one) and Erin Lisette (the new one). I hope to feature interviews with all three. Alex is the first before his travelling to MICE to sell the book this current weekend. UPDATED with a Square City question at the end.

What type of comic work or cartooning do you do?

I am a writer, although I have occasionally done some work (digitally) lettering comics.

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

Being a writer it's probably easy to assume that most of my work is done on a computer, but the initial phases of brainstorming and outlining are often done by pen in a notebook. It's only later when the script begins to take shape that I switch to a computer where it's much easier (and quicker) to sift through the ideas and give them shape.

Sand art by Jade Lee

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born?

I was born in 1987 in Bucharest, Romania.

Why are you in Washington now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?

I came to the DC area in 2000, when I was 13 years old. Ever since my life has pivoted around Washington, whether going to high school in Arlington, VA, or currently being a professional (yes, day jobs are a reality of comics work). Throughout the years, I've lived in both VA but also MD, although somehow never in DC. This area is my home.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?

It's all self-taught. Easy to say for a writer (I know!), however being friends with comic artists, seeing their process and slowly absorbing as much as possible has added up over the years. Outside of that, I read a lot, and after seeing one or two example scripts in the back of comics, I thought hey I should try that too!

That said, the one invaluable experience I've had as a writer has been to letter my own comics. Having to (literally) put the words over the art myself was eye opening, and definitely helped me write better for the finished page. I suppose there is something to the Marvel style of comics writing, where dialogue is written after the art is done for each page.

Who are your influences?

The very first comic script I wrote used a nine panel format, most easily recognized as that used by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons in Watchmen, so it would be disingenuous not to recognize that influence. That said, I am an avid consumer of books, comics, movies, television and anime like Dragon Ball or Sailor Moon, and later Trigun and Cowboy Bebop, all of which left their mark in some way and certainly informed the world building of my current comic Sand. Then when it comes to desert worlds, how can we not mention Frank Herbert's Dune as well? it's all in there somewhere! Even the work of (local legend) Carla Speed McNeil has had an influence on my world building. Discovering and reading Finder about a decade ago was foundational!

Sand: Tale of Luc & San art by Jade Lee

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?

I would have pursued learning to draw. The job of a writer in comics is to be a good communicator. If you cannot convey your ideas to the artist making them come alive, then you have failed. It's taken years to better understand that side of the collaboration, and nothing could have conveyed that better than having more hands-on experience myself. It all just gives you more perspective, it's no surprise that the likes of Keith Giffen, Becky Cloonan, Jeff Lemire, or even Grant Morrison are either also known as artists or capable of drawing.

Sand art by Jade Lee

What work are you best-known for?

Sand, which currently spans two issues, with more coming soon! 

The story of Sand begins with a sibling rivalry between two twin deities that accidentally results in the creation of a world. This Tale of Luc & San is told in the first issue, which debuted all the way in 2017 at Small Press Expo (SPX), and was illustrated by Jade Lee.

This world created by the twins is called Sand because of its vast deserts, and is then explored in the succeeding issues. First in Of Wolf & Prey we learn something about the pre-human world of fauna and flora. This issue was illustrated by Erin Lisette, and debuted this year (also) at SPX.

Another two issues, Eyes of Red and Twin Blades, are planned for next year, and will cover later eras and the evolution of the world from prehistoric to complex (human) societies. Eyes of Red is currently being illustrated by Margaret Huey, and will tell the tale of Kayla Red Eyes and her journey to discover the source of life on the world of Sand. We're hoping to debut Eyes of Red in early 2024.

Windswept

What work are you most proud of?

Definitely Sand, it's my most ambitious work to date. That said, a short comic I did several years ago, Windswept, is very personal to my experience as an immigrant and roots in Romania, and deserves a special mention. It was illustrated by Emily R. Gillis, and initially featured in the Square City Anthology Sensus Obscura. It can now be found on my website for free.

What would you like to do or work on in the future?

Keeping this simple, I'd like to finish telling the tale of Sand.

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

I go for a run. Whenever I'm stuck, the repetitive exercise always seems to do the trick. I suppose it's like a form of meditation, your mind clears, and then the ideas just come bursting out. Then it's just a matter of having the discipline to write consistently so those ideas can take shape and grow.

Sand art by Erin Lisette

What do you think will be the future of your field?

Comics will never die, there is something essential about the combination of written word and visual image which uniquely speaks to the human imagination. However, how we consume comics is something that is constantly changing. There is no one source of truth, whether it's the mainstream of DC & Marvel, or webcomics, or alternative press, or indie press, etc... If we can look beyond comics as an IP farm for movies & television, there is always something exciting happening in artist alleys or indie shows.

What local cons do you attend? The Small Press Expo, Awesome Con, or others? Any comments about attending them?

I've attended or exhibited at many local shows, from the Small Press Expo to Awesome Con, or Baltimore Comic-Con. Hard not to mention DC Zine Fest or Baltimore's Hallow-Zine as well, where I've never exhibited, but deserve mention for all the amazing local talent they feature. Comics is a small community on the grand scale, and even with all its occasional bumps and bruises, it's always heartwarming to be reminded we're all in this together whenever we gather for a show or convention.

 

What comic books do you read regularly or recommend? Do you have a local store?

My local store is Fantom Comics, I've been going there since 2010 when they had a store at Pentagon City in Arlington. Their events and community have been a lynch pin of my comics experience, and easily a weekly highlight when I get my comics.

I don't even know where to start with recommendations, but how about a plug? I also do a podcast, called Double AA, with my friend & collaborator Adam Wescott. We talk about everything from comics and manga, to video games, and anime. We recently featured Atomic Robo by writer Brian Clevinger and artist Scott Wegener and River's Edge by Kyoko Okazaki. We also have an episode coming up about the manga publisher Glacier Bay Books, and the unique spot they occupy in terms of bringing indie and alternative manga to the US.

What's your favorite thing about DC?

How cosmopolitan it is. Being an immigrant, I am never too far from reconnecting to my roots, or being able to connect to something entirely new. Living here it's easy to take the cultural diversity for granted, but it's unique and should be treasured.

Least favorite?

The gentrification, it's killing the city's identity.

What monument or museum do you like to take visitors to?

The National Gallery of Art, not just because of the art collections or installations, but also their (free) screenings which vary from classic art cinema to documentaries.

How about a favorite local restaurant?

Not in DC, but Bob & Edith's in Arlington is a local staple, and the best dang diner around (I'm not saying that because I grew up around there or anything...)

Do you have a website or blog?

Where you can find my collaborators:

• Jade Lee: https://dumplingowl.com/
• Erin Lisette: https://www.tigrspoon.com/
• Margaret Huey: https://margarethuey.com/

You can also find my podcast, Double AA, on Spotify (among other places): https://open.spotify.com/show/4taL95534um97w4TO5gkQZ?si=3dcb3b82d2c4455b

Lastly, you can find my comics work on sandcomic.com.

 

How has the COVID-19 outbreak affected you, personally and professionally?

COVID is a big reason why Sand has taken longer to produce. Everything just took longer. The time in quarantine was not a magical time to create, nor was it good for collaboration. The unique mental stress brought on by a world changing pandemic froze me and many others in a statis where creation was impossible. The ongoing risk of COVID remains a factor even as we've returned to comic shows in the past year. Losing several weeks while being sick with COVID last year was hard, both for the day job, but also in terms of staying on track with creative pursuits. If there is one silver lining, it's that work from home has become possible for some, and is (maybe) being normalized as an alternative work location. Having to balance a day job and creative pursuits by night is always hard, but becomes easier when work from home is a possibility -- just the time earned back by not having to commute alone is invaluable. 

You mentioned your work in a Square City anthology. Were you a member of the Square City Comics co-op? If so can you tell us something about the group? Does it still exist?

 

 I was, and in fact a member of the "Inner" Square (basically the leadership group). I took a step back in terms of my involvement in 2019, largely because I wanted to focus on my creative output. It was just too much to help organize activities, edit the anthologies (while having a day job) and then also write my own stuff. At the same time some of the original creators behind Square City left the area, or otherwise became less involved.

With the pandemic in 2020, especially how it affected comic shows, it became harder to keep in touch or have in person events in general. After all that, I'm really not sure about the status of Square City. 

 

(editor's note: The Twitter group defined itself as "A collective of comic creators who meet in the DC Metro area." The group's Facebook page hasn't been updated since late 2018, and the same appears to be true for the Tumblr blog)

Alex Lupp, Erin Lisette and Jade Feng Lee at Fantom Comics for Sand launch party

The trio appeared for the Sand series which Alex writes and Erin and Jade have drawn an issue of. I apparently missed them at SPX. Sand: Of Wolf and Prey is the new comic by Alex and Erin. The first issue was Sand: The Tale of Luc and San by Alex and Jade. Issue three is being planned.  Erin and Alex will be at MICE next weekend.

 

 Erin has a Kickstarter for the Baby Forest Spirit plush (ie stuffed animal).

 

Erin, Alex, and Jade

 

 Jade designed the toast logo for Fantom Comics. Erin designed the new pride one.

 

Postcard for the first comic drawn by Jade