Month: June 2025

Crusade Comics’ Latest Crowdfunding Campaign Ends Next Week with All Black & White Pages Complete & Into the Coloring & Lettering Stage

Gatecrasher Indiegogo Closes Wednesday, July 2nd:

https://igg.me/at/SHI-GATECRASER/x/20487910#/

 

Kickstarter Ends Thursday, July 3rd:

http://kck.st/4hBIuNZ

With Crusade Comics finalizing Shi: Gatecrasher’s colors and lettering, the 56-page graphic novel crowdfunding campaign comes to a glorious end next week. Crusade’s  #NoFanLeftBehind campaign partnership policy allows mutual beneficiary perks and Stretch Goals to backers on both Indiegogo and Kickstarter campaigns. Total returns for Shi: Gatecrasher on both crowdfunding platforms now stand over $211,000.00 allowing Crusade to announce its next Free Stretch Goal reward to all backers who chose a physical perk.  

THE FOLLOWING STRETCH GOALS HAVE ALREADY BEEN UNLOCKED AND ARE FREE TO ALL OUR BACKERS WHO HAVE CHOSEN A PHYSICAL PERK! 

• STRETCH GOAL: EXPAND SHI: GATECRASHER FROM 48 TO 56 PAGES: 
• STRETCH GOAL: FREE GATECRASHER DIGITAL EDITION TO ALL BACKERS WHO PLEDGE FOR A PHYSICAL PERK
• STRETCH GOAL: SHI, LADY DEATH & TARPE MILLS B/W TRADING CARD!
• STRETCH GOAL: “EVERYBODY CHARLESTON” MINI PRINT!
• STRETCH GOAL: STAN SAKAI USAGI/SHI TRADING CARD!
• STRETCH GOAL: ART THIBERT SHI EDITION TRADING CARD!
• STRETCH GOAL: BILLY TUCCI SHI/RAN TRADING CARD!
• “EVERYBODY CHARLESTON ROUGH CUT EDITION TRADING CARD!
• STRETCH GOAL: IRENE STRYCHALSKI TRADING CARD!
• STRETCH GOAL:  RAN DEBUT BOOKMARK!
• STRETCH GOAL: ROB LIEFELD EDITION ACTUAL METAL TRADINGCARD!
• STRETCH GOAL: RAN ORIGINAL ART TRADING CARD
• STRETCH GOAL: SHI: GATECRASHER COMIC-SIZED, ONE-SHEET 2025 CALENDAR
• STRETCH GOAL: RAN WAY OF THE WARRIOR #1 “WHAT IF?” COVER TRADING CARD

In Gatecrasher, Ana Ishikawa, (allied with RAN, Shi-creator Billy Tucci’s original concept for SHI) finds herself trapped within comic book time and must battle through a cartoonist’s history to find her way back to her daughter, Hotaru.

Starting in 1928, Shi: Gatecrasher takes the reader on an amazing adventure across comics’ incredible decades, trends, and genres. A funny book fantasy that sees Ana and Ran encountering, war, westerns, horror, apes, nazis, space vixens, superheroes, romance, robots, dinosaurs, crime, and you guessed it, zombie bad girls!

Based on the Story by Tucci, scripter J.C. Vaughn and editor Steven Peros, Gatecrasher is illustrated by Tucci, Leandro Oliveira, Fred Benes and Brian Miller with lettering by Mindy Lopkin.  Gatecrasher is literally the “destroy all monsters” of comic book character collision!

Gatecrasher also features several striking variant covers by comic book greats, Art Thibert, Renie Strychalski and Tucci.

And as a bonus, four-color legends also join #TeamShi with multi-Eisner award winner, Stan Sakai and superstar Rob Liefeld lending their extraordinary talents as they cover Shi for the very first time!

“Again, THANK YOU for all your amazing support.” Stated Tucci. “The book will be off to the printers in a few weeks and at month’s end we will launch our next project, Ran: Revenge of the Warrior!”

 

HEROES CON 2025 REPORT & TUCCI ATTENDS THE GARDEN STATE COMIC CON THIS WEEKEND!

 

 

Convention season is heating up as Gatecrasher’s Tucci and editor Jason Odom attended this past weekend’s Heroes Con in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Heroes is undoubtably one of the best comic conventions in the entire world.” Stated Tucci. “With the emphasis always on “comics,” it is refreshing that this convention is one of the largest, friendliest and most importantly, ‘truest” comic cons that has never deferred from its roots. I want to thank owner Shelton Drum, his staff and everyone who stopped by the booth for their amazing support. 2026 will be our 25^th Heroes Con and we cannot wait to return with some very special anniversary specials!”

Bill Prince’s amazing Shi Tattoo!

Heroes Con Annual Gathering of Veterans and U.S. Servicemen and Women

Billy Tucci Returns to This Weekend’s Garden State Comic Fest!

Billy Tucci (with son William in tow) will be a guest at this weekend’s GSCF (https://www.gardenstatecomicfest.com) taking place at the Codey Arena in West Orange, New Jersey. One of Crusade’s favorite comic cons, promoter Dave O’Hare and staff put on one of the most fun and dynamic convention experiences filled with A-list comic book talent and a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. Crusade Comics will be offering original artwork, comics, prints and merchandise.

CRUSADE COMICS RELEASES LIMITED, REMASTERED, SHI: WAY OF THE WARRIOR #5 30^TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

LIMITED TO UNDER 100 COPIES, BILLY TUCCI’S FAVORITE SHI COMIC OF ALL TIME OFFERED EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH WWW.BILLYTUCCI.COM FEATURING SPECIAL “BLACK METAL” EDITION COVER BY THE LEGENDARY MARC SILVESTRI!

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR SPECIAL EDITION:

Store

Shi: Way Of The Warrior #5 was the comic that launched a small, self-published “hot” title into the stratosphere of historical stand-alone issues. The book literally “turned a page in comics’ history” that spawned a multitude of imitators, including Eidos Interactive’s Tomb Raider. WOTW #5 also garnered much critical acclaim and led Shi towards several mainstream crossovers, (amongst them being Marvel’s Daredevil and Wolverine), action figures, statues, apparel, millions of comics sold and multiple Eisner-Award nods. 

The release of Shi #5 was not just critically acclaimed by fans and reviewers alike; it also boasted Crusade Comic’s first “variant cover”, featuring artwork by the legendary Marc Silverstri.

Crusade is offering just four very limited specials of Shi: Way of the Warrior #5 “TUCCI TROOPER EDITIONS”exclusively through www.billytucci.com.

Shi: Way of the Warrior #5 30th Anniversary Celebration Tucci Variant – $30

Now, to celebrate its 30th Anniversary, we have recolored and updated Billy’s original cover for this variant.Limited to just 75 numbered issues and signed by Shi-creator Billy Tucci.

Shi: Way of the Warrior #5 30th Anniversary Celebration Silvestri Variant – $35

The variant’s variant! Celebrating Shi #5 with variant cover by Marc Silvestri (recolored by Wes Hartman), this close-up cover in his iconic style is certainly still a showstopper! Limited to just 75 numbered issues and signed by Billy Tucci.

Shi: Way of the Warrior #5 30th Anniversary Celebration Tucci “Aqua Foil” Edition$60

The limited “Aqua Foil” edition with foil cover provides flowing colorful effects, reminiscent of moving water, perfect for the theme of this stunning, fan favorite cover by Billy Tucci. Limited to just 30 numbered issues and signed by Billy Tucci.

Shi: Way of the Warrior #5 30th Anniversary Celebration Silvestri Black MetalEdition –

$100

With actual “ceramic” steel cover, featuring Marc Silvestri’s fantastic Shi face coming out of the glistening darkness, this metal edition is not to be missed! Limited to only 15 numbered issues and signed by Billy Tucci.

The official Crusade Comics webstore is also offering the SHI: Way of the Warrior #5 Print-Pair, ($40.00 US). Featuring the cover prints of both variant covers of Shi #5 by Billy Tucci’s and Marc Silvestri’s. All signed by Billy Tucci.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR SPECIAL EDITION:

Store

About Billy Tucci

Inkpot Award recipient Billy Tucci is a cartoonist best known for his modern-day samurai saga Shi. Through his company, Crusade Fine Arts, Shi has been printed in five languages and sold more than 3 million comic books. The graduate of New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology contributed to the Eisner Award Winning, Comics For Ukraine: Sun Flower Seeds and Love Is Love. Billy has also earned the prestigious Diamond Comics Gem Award and his DC Comics’ graphic novel, Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion, was awarded the Military Writers Society of America Gold Medal. The Lost Battalion featured the real-life 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which was comprised of Japanese American soldiers. His earnest retelling of the Christmas story in A Child Is Born has quietly turned into an international blockbuster, winning the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award.  Billy’s critically acclaimed Miss Fury: Joy Division saw the return of the Golden Age Iconfor Dynamite Comics. His Crusade Comics has recently released a series of new Shi graphic novels, Return of the Warrior, Haikyo, and Sakura. Crusade as also released the collected editions, Shi: Omnibus Vol. Senryaku Omnibus, Shi: Way of the Warrior Original Art Edition via Kickstarter and Indiegogo uniting backers from over fifty countries and bringing Crusade Comics’ crowdfunding campaign totals to over $1,750,000.00. 

For Additional Information: 

Deborah Tucci

Crusade Fine Arts, Ltd.

support@billytucci.com

You can find Billy Tucci on Twitter, Facebook @billytucci and Instagram @billy_tucci

Visit https://www.billytucci.com.

Last Weeks To Pledge For Crusade Comics’ Latest Crowdfunding Campaign As It Nears Press Time

 

Kickstarter Exclusive Campaign Can Be Found Here:

http://kck.st/4hBIuNZ

 And On Indiegogo Indemand Here:

https://igg.me/at/SHI-GATECRASER/x/20487910#/

As Crusade Comics begins wrapping up their latest crowdfunding comic, Billy Tucci and crew have begun sharing page-by-page samples of the creative process from pencil roughs, to finishes to color. 

In Gatecrasher, Ana Ishikawa, (allied with RAN, Shi-creator Billy Tucci’s original concept for SHI) finds herself trapped within comic book time and must battle through a cartoonist’s history to find her way back to her daughter, Hotaru.

Starting in 1928, Shi: Gatecrasher takes the reader on an amazing adventure across comics’ incredible decades, trends, and genres. A funny book fantasy that sees Ana and Ran encountering, war, westerns, horror, apes, nazis, space vixens, superheroes, romance, robots, dinosaurs, crime, and you guessed it, zombie bad girls!

Based on the Story by Tucci, scripter J.C. Vaughn and editor Steven Peros, Gatecrasher is illustrated by Tucci, Leandro Oliveira, Fred Benes and Brian Miller with lettering by Mindy Lopkin.  Gatecrasher is literally the “destroy all monsters” of comic book character collision!

Here is a sample Work-In-ProgressI “evolution” of a Shi: Gatecrasher page.  This is one of the early pages of the comic where Ana Ishikawa begins her four-color journey into the past. Here we see drifting off through the comic book time and altering portal gate before she “lands” in 1928.

This page begins with a basic rough by Billy Tucci off of Gatecrasher J.C. Vaughn’s script, this is the page that will be printed in the Shi: Gatecrasher Rough Cut Edition. Then it is “finished” more like polished or “inked” with pencils (for this book, I prefer the pencils to color process as it gives the page a really nice “watercolor” feel) by Leandro Oliviera and Tucci (particularly the face and hair).  

Lastly, colorist extraordinaire Brian Miller and his team at Hi-Fi Colour and Design apply their digital paints bringing the page to its full color glory. Just a few more details are needed before sending it over to letterer Mindy Lopkin to complete! “I am very, very proud of just how beautiful this book is coming out.” Stated Tucci. “And I will continue sharing more complete pages (with all their varying art styles that complement the various decade Ana travels through) in our campaign updates next week.

Kickstarter Exclusive Campaign Updates Can Be Found Here:

http://kck.st/4hBIuNZ

 Indiegogo Campaign Updates Can Be Found Here:

https://igg.me/at/SHI-GATECRASER/x/20487910#/

Gatecrasher also features several striking variant covers by comic book greats, Art Thibert, Renie Strychalski and Tucci.

And as a bonus, four-color legends also join #TeamShi with multi-Eisner award winner, Stan Sakai and superstar Rob Liefeld lending their extraordinary talents as they cover Shi for the very first time!

“Again, THANK YOU for all your amazing support.” Continued Tucci. “The book will be off to the printers in a few weeks and at month’s end we will launch our next project, Ran: Revenge of the Warrior!”

Crusade Comics would also like to thank all former and present servicemen and women of the United States Army, Army Reserves and National Guard as they celebrate the U.S. Army’s 250th Birthday!

SHI: GATECRASHER METAL AND FOIL EDITION COVERS APPROVED & ROUGH CUT ART COMPLETE!

Final Week To Pledge For Crusade Comics’ Latest Crowdfunding Campaign As It Nears Press Time

 

Kickstarter Exclusive Campaign Can Be Found Here:

http://kck.st/4hBIuNZ

 And On Indiegogo Indemand Here:

https://igg.me/at/SHI-GATECRASER/x/20487910#/

As the 56-page Shi: Gatecrasher is full on in the color stage and approaches the ready for press phase, Shi-creator Billy Tucci and crew are hard at work putting together stretch goals and approving all special variant editions. 

With all premium foil and metal edition covers now approved for press, Crusade Comcis will be removing several of these premium books from the campaign. With each individual issue being numbered, press time for these special editions must be reserved as they are produced separately from the main edition. Crusade’s Executive Director, Deborah Tucci will also be closing down both the Kickstarter and Indiegogo campaigns in the next two weeks as she prepares to launch Billy Tucci’s next crowdfunder, Ran: Return of the Warrior.

 

 

 

ROUGH CUT EDITION ART PREPARES FOR PRESS!

Crusade also announced that all Shi: Gatecrasher Rough Cut Edition artwork is now formatted and complete and ready for lettering and production.   

 

Kickstarter Exclusive Campaign Can Be Found Here:

http://kck.st/4hBIuNZ

 And On Indiegogo Indemand Here:

https://igg.me/at/SHI-GATECRASER/x/20487910#/

CRUSADE COMICS RELEASES LIMITED, REMASTERED, SHI: WAY OF THE WARRIOR #5 30^TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

LIMITED TO UNDER 100 COPIES, BILLY TUCCI’S FAVORITE SHI COMIC OF ALL TIME OFFERED EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH WWW.BILLYTUCCI.COM FEATURING SPECIAL “BLACK METAL” EDITION COVER BY THE LEGENDARY MARC SILVESTRI!

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR SPECIAL EDITION:

Store

Shi: Way Of The Warrior #5 was the comic that launched a small, self-published “hot” title into the stratosphere of historical stand-alone issues. The book literally “turned a page in comics’ history” that spawned a multitude of imitators, including Eidos Interactive’s Tomb Raider. WOTW #5 also garnered much critical acclaim and led Shi towards several mainstream crossovers, (amongst them being Marvel’s Daredevil and Wolverine), action figures, statues, apparel, millions of comics sold and multiple Eisner-Award nods. 

The release of Shi #5 was not just critically acclaimed by fans and reviewers alike; it also boasted Crusade Comic’s first “variant cover”, featuring artwork by the legendary Marc Silverstri.

Crusade is offering just four very limited specials of Shi: Way of the Warrior #5 “TUCCI TROOPER EDITIONS”exclusively through www.billytucci.com.

Shi: Way of the Warrior #5 30th Anniversary Celebration Tucci Variant – $30

Now, to celebrate its 30th Anniversary, we have recolored and updated Billy’s original cover for this variant.Limited to just 75 numbered issues and signed by Shi-creator Billy Tucci.

Shi: Way of the Warrior #5 30th Anniversary Celebration Silvestri Variant – $35

The variant’s variant! Celebrating Shi #5 with variant cover by Marc Silvestri (recolored by Wes Hartman), this close-up cover in his iconic style is certainly still a showstopper! Limited to just 75 numbered issues and signed by Billy Tucci.

Shi: Way of the Warrior #5 30th Anniversary Celebration Tucci “Aqua Foil” Edition$60

The limited “Aqua Foil” edition with foil cover providing flowing colorful effects, reminiscent of moving water,perfect for the theme of this stunning, fan favorite cover by Billy Tucci. Limited to just 30 numbered issuesand signed by Billy Tucci.

Shi: Way of the Warrior #5 30th Anniversary Celebration Silvestri Black MetalEdition –

$100

With actual “ceramic” steel cover, featuring Marc Silvestri’s fantastic Shi face coming out of the glistening darkness, this metal edition is not to be missed! Limited to only 15 numbered issues and signed by Billy Tucci.

The official Crusade Comics webstore is also offering the SHI: Way of the Warrior #5 Print-Pair, ($40.00 US). Featuring the cover prints of both variant covers of Shi #5 by Billy Tucci’s and Marc Silvestri’s. All signed by Billy Tucci.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR SPECIAL EDITION:

Store

In Gatecrasher, Ana Ishikawa, (allied with RAN, Shi-creator Billy Tucci’s original concept for SHI) finds herself trapped within comic book time and must battle through a cartoonist’s history to find her way back to her daughter, Hotaru.

Starting in 1928, Shi: Gatecrasher takes the reader on an amazing adventure across comics’ incredible decades, trends, and genres. A funny book fantasy that sees Ana and Ran encountering, war, westerns, horror, apes, nazis, space vixens, superheroes, romance, robots, dinosaurs, crime, and you guessed it, zombie bad girls!

Based on the Story by Tucci, scripter J.C. Vaughn and editor Steven Peros, Gatecrasher is illustrated by Tucci, Leandro Oliveira, Fred Benes and Brian Miller with lettering by Mindy Lopkin.  Gatecrasher is literally the “destroy all monsters” of comic book character collision!

Gatecrasher features several striking variant covers by comic book greats, Art Thibert, Renie Strychalski and Tucci.

And as a bonus, four-color legends also join #TeamShi with multi-Eisner award winner, Stan Sakai and superstar Rob Liefeld lending their extraordinary talents as they cover Shi for the very first time!

Kickstarter Exclusive Campaign Can Be Found Here:

http://kck.st/4hBIuNZ

 And On Indiegogo Indemand Here:

https://igg.me/at/SHI-GATECRASER/x/20487910#/

About Billy Tucci

Inkpot Award recipient Billy Tucci is a cartoonist best known for his modern-day samurai saga Shi. Through his company, Crusade Fine Arts, Shi has been printed in five languages and sold more than 3 million comic books. The graduate of New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology contributed to the Eisner Award Winning, Comics For Ukraine: Sun Flower Seeds and Love Is Love. Billy has also earned the prestigious Diamond Comics Gem Award and his DC Comics’ graphic novel, Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion, was awarded the Military Writers Society of America Gold Medal. The Lost Battalion featured the real-life 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which was comprised of Japanese American soldiers. His earnest retelling of the Christmas story in A Child Is Born has quietly turned into an international blockbuster, winning the Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year Award.  Billy’s critically acclaimed Miss Fury: Joy Division saw the return of the Golden Age Iconfor Dynamite Comics. His Crusade Comics has recently released a series of new Shi graphic novels, Return of the Warrior, Haikyo, and Sakura. Crusade as also released the collected editions, Shi: Omnibus Vol. Senryaku Omnibus, Shi: Way of the Warrior Original Art Edition via Kickstarter and Indiegogo uniting backers from over fifty countries and bringing Crusade Comics’ crowdfunding campaign totals to over $1,750,000.00. 

For Additional Information: 

Deborah Tucci

Crusade Fine Arts, Ltd.

support@billytucci.com

You can find Billy Tucci on Twitter, Facebook @billytucci and Instagram @billy_tucci

Visit https://www.billytucci.com.