Bingo Love: A Black Queer romance graphic novella
Bingo Love is an 80 page graphic novella that revolves around Hazel Johnson and Mari McCray, two thirteen year old Black girls who, in no time, become the best of friends. As their relationship grows, they discover their deep love for one another, but the timing couldn’t be worse. Two girls in love are bound to be star-crossed in 1963, and their families forbid them from seeing each other again.
Not only do the young women have to endure the pain of separation, but they’re also both married off to men they don’t love. They seem destined to live apart, permanently cut off from one another, but fate — and bingo — have another plan for them. Nearly fifty years later, Hazel and Mari once again see each other across a bingo hall, and all their feelings come flooding back.
Let’s travel to 1963 when Hazel first met the love of her life, Mari…
Hazel and Mari’s love lasts a lifetime…
We need your help to bring Bingo Love to life. We are currently deep in the creative process, but this awesome creative team needs to be paid for the outstanding work that they’re doing. On top of that, we want to get Bingo Love into as many hands as possible. Our goal is to raise $19,999 to pay for the creative team, printing, shipping and making these pretty great tiers and stretch goals a reality, and frankly, we need your help for that. Have a look at our rewards, we’re positive you’ll find something there that will get us to our goal and beyond it!
Thank you!
Pull out your bingo cards and markers everyone, it’s time to play BINGO!!!!
B9: Our undying gratitude for supporting Bingo Love, plus digital wallpaper.
G54: DIGITAL DRM-FREE PDF. A PDF of Bingo Love + our undying gratitude.
I23: LIMITED DAYTIME BINGO SESSION!!! Free shipping for domestic and reduced shipping for international shipping. Softcover copy of Bingo Love **Also includes digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
N41: Softcover copy of Bingo Love featuring Jenn St-Onge’s cover. **Also includes digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
Jenn St-Onge’s cover
O70: Softcover copy of Bingo Love featuring Genevieve Eft’s variant cover, featuring Hazel and Mari in their 60’s. **Also includes digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
Geneveive Eft’s variant cover
I17: Softcover copy of Bingo Love featuring Nilah Magruder’s variant cover, featuring Hazel and Mari as teenagers. **Also includes digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
Nilah Magruder’s variant cover
G60: Softcover copy of Bingo Love featuring Carla McNeil’s variant cover, featuring Hazel and Mari in their 80’s. **Also includes digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
Carla “Speed” McNeil’s cover
B12: 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna J. Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra. **Also includes softcover of Bingo Love + digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
Shauna J. Grant’s Maldives honeymoon postcard
G50: Library giveaway! Get 2 Softcover Bingo Love copies and give 1 away to the library of your choice.
N39: A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton.
**Also includes 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
O67: ***RETAILER OPTION*** Six (6) softcover copies of Bingo Love.
I26: Are you a Time period collector? Get Nilah Magruder variant + Genevieve Eft variant + Carla McNeil variant
**Also includes A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton+ 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
B1: Cameo!!! Our artist Jenn St-Onge will draw a cameo of you, so you’ll appear in Bingo Love. **Also includes A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton+ 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
G58: Script Review. Get ONE script up to 22 pages reviewed by Erica Schultz (Charmed, M3) **Also includes A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton+ 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
O73: Script Review. Get ONE script up to 22 pages reviewed by Al Ewing (The Ultimates, U.S. Avengers) **Also includes A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton+ 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
I29: Script Review. Get ONE script up to 22 pages reviewed by Shawn Pryor (Cash and Carrie, F.O.R.C.E.) **Also includes A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton+ 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
N33: Asia Kendrick-Horton commission!!! (Limited to a 1 person with a colored background) **Also includes A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton+ 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
B4: Portfolio Review. Get ONE portfolio reviewed by Dark Horse’s Patrick Thorpe. **Also includes A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton+ 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
O71: Portfolio Review. Get ONE portfolio reviewed by Top Cow’s Bryan Edward Hill + a 60 minute Skype session with you. **Also includes A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton+ 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
G49: THIRTY (30) minute Skype session with Steve Orlando (Midnighter & Apollo, Virgil). **Also includes A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton+ 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
I27: THIRTY (30) minute Skype session with Kelly Sue DeConnick (Bitch Planet, Captain Marvel). **Also includes A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton+ 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
N30: THIRTY (30) minute Skype session with Scott Snyder (All-Star Batman, Wytches). **Also includes A 1×1 hard enamel pin designed by Asia Kendrick-Horton+ 4 Honeymoon Limited Edition Postcards from artists: Shauna Grant, Meredith McClaren, Christina “Steenz” Stewart & Juan Ferreyra + Softcover copy of Bingo Love + Digital PDF of Bingo Love + digital wallpaper and our undying gratitude**
You asked for add-ons, well here they are!!!
And now for some…
****should we surpass these goals, I have other great goodies in store, including another digital story from a DC Comics writer!!****
Writer Tee Franklin (Nailbiter’s The Outfit, Love is Love) might be new to creating comics, but she’s definitely not new to being queer, disabled and Black. Tee Franklin’s voice in comics has been loud when it comes to the lack of representation in comics, which led her to create several inclusive #BlackComicsMonth panels at NYCC. Now writing comics of her own, Franklin hopes to change the game with her unique voice and show that inclusion is needed in comics through her publishing company, Inclusive Press.
Artist Jenn St-Onge (Jem and The Misfits, Finding Molly) aka “Princess Jem” is the Canadian illustrator/comic artist behind IDW’s Jem & the Misfits and Emet Comics’ Finding Molly series. She’s the princess of coffee-loving cat ladies and currently lives just outside Toronto, Ontario, with her husband, four cats, and one doggo.She’s a dedicated cat lady who adores Legend of Zelda, Bioshock, and Silent Hill.
Colorist Joy San (Rumble for Toronto Comix) is a Filipina Canadian freelance illustrator. Her work revolves around illustrating the amazing in all that is ordinary and mundane, whether in editorial illustration, comics, or animation. When not illustrating or drawing comics, she enjoy hiking, vlogging, and hunting for bakeries.
Cardinal Rae is a letterer whose projects include Rose (Image), Coming of the Supermen (DC), Tracy Queen, Pack (Oneshi Press), and others.
Editor Erica Schultz (Charmed, M3) is a comic book writer, letterer, and editor. She is best known for her work with comic book publisher Dynamite Entertainment on Charmed and the Swords of Sorrow series, participation in DC Comics’ first Writers Workshop, and her creator-owned crime series, M3.
“Bingo Love is the young, tender love story that brown queer women have never been allowed to have. This is the coming of age story that 10 and 15 year old baby-queer me needed.” – Vita Ayala (Our Work Fills The Pews)
“I’m backing Bingo Love because Tee Franklin’s delivering a fresh, charming story of adolescent love with adorable, fluid art from Jenn St-Onge and Joy San. And if you care about representation, here’s a great opportunity to step up. The world needs more stories with African American girl heroes of all different kinds, and Bingo Love is leading the charge.” – Greg Pak (Kingsway West, Totally Awesome Hulk)
“Bingo Love is a dose of pure sweetness, about overcoming hardship without relying on tragedy, with beautiful, bright art to boot!” – Tini Howard (The Skeptics, Power Rangers: Pink)
On behalf of the entire creative team, we’d like to thank every single one of you for stopping by, pledging, sharing, and just being you. We hope that you enjoy our project and it warms your soul.
Love is Love is Love is Love. Everyone should be free to love and not be afraid, shamed, and punished to love whomever they choose.
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me via email: Tee@TeeFranklin.com
Kickstarter video thanks to the super talented Lucia Retamales !!
As you all know with every project there are risks and challenges, and this project is no different. We are printing overseas and barring anything being held up with customs, the books and rewards will be in your hand before the end of the year.
Being disabled it will take a bit of a longer time to get things shipped as I am not capable of handling things like everyone else in regards to lifting, standing, etc. I plan on hiring a team of individuals to assist in this project so that everything will be running smoothly. I don’t want my disability to get in the way of you all receiving this beautiful love story.
Everyone will be notified of the process, practically every step of the way including any setbacks. We thank you all for investing in Bingo Love!