First Creator-Owned Whatnot Comic, Ninja Funk #1, Has 105,000 Orders

One month after Whatnot Publishing revealed their first release, Alpha Betas #1, had over 45,000 copies ordered, and a few days after announcing their imprint partnership with Heavy Metal,  they are at it again. Whatnot Publishing’s second release and their first creator-owned series, Ninja Funk #1, by writing duo JPG Paras & Steve Schuitt with artist Alex Riegel, reached an astonishing 105,000 orders between Diamond Comics Distributors and retailer exclusive covers after FOC. 

According to Michael Calero and Kevin Roditeli, Co-Publishers at Whatnot Publishing, the success of Ninja Funk can be attributed to a handful of key elements. Beginning with an intriguing premise: Ninja Funk is a genre-bending story described as “Guardians of the Galaxy meets Borderlands as a motley crew of electronic musicians fights to restore their dying planet…” Add to that the artwork of series illustrator Alex Riegel combined with a selection of covers from talents like David Mack, Kevin Eastman, Tyler Kirkham, and BossLogic, then finally the Whatnot app platform itself. The marketplace is filled with comic enthusiasts and sellers whose excitement for this project has helped propel its awareness into the larger comic community. 

Ninja Funk is the passion project of a comic book retailer. John-Paul George Ringo Paras aka JPG, co-creator of Ninja Funk, was a retailer for many years before he became a premium seller on the Whatnot app, and now a writer with Whatnot Publishing. “I went from working 15 hours a day as a retailer to now passionately working 24 hours a day as a creator. I live and breathe Ninja Funk, even when I’m dreaming. Being a retailer, I wanted everyone around me to have the greatest experience. Now, being a creator, I am the one having the greatest experience. I’m thankful to Jack DeMayo and the Whatnot Publishing team for believing in it.”

Jack DeMayo, Director of Whatnot Originals and Whatnot Comics Marketing, adds: “Whatnot has become a platform that gives creators the ability to reach customers and fans in a truly unique way. It goes beyond just being a selling platform and has become a place for creators to chase their dreams. Watching JPG chase his dreams has been astounding for our team and an inspiration to the whole community.”

Ninja Funk #1 is planned to release on November 2nd and will be followed by Quested #1 and Wesley Snipes’ The Exiled #1 in December and January respectively. This will complete Whatnot Publishing’s first quarter of releases. 

NINJA FUNK #1 (OF 4) CVR A MACK (MR)
WHATNOT PUBLISHING
SEP222085
SEP222086 – NINJA FUNK #1 (OF 4) CVR B RIEGEL (MR) – 4.99
SEP222087 – NINJA FUNK #1 (OF 4) CVR C KIRKHAM LAZERWOLF VAR (MR) – 4.99
SEP222088 – NINJA FUNK #1 (OF 4) CVR D CORMACK POKEMON HOMAGE (MR) – 4.99
SEP222089 – NINJA FUNK #1 (OF 4) CVR E MAHFOOD LAUNCH (MR) – 4.99
SEP222090 – NINJA FUNK #1 (OF 4) CVR F 10 COPY UNLOCK FLEECS (MR) – 4.99
SEP222091 – NINJA FUNK #1 (OF 4) CVR G 25 COPY UNLOCK KIRKHAM (MR) – 4.99
SEP222092 – NINJA FUNK #1 (OF 4) CVR H 50 COPY UNLOCK CREEES (MR) – 4.99
SEP222093 – NINJA FUNK #1 (OF 4) CVR I 100 COPY EASTMAN VAR (MR)
SEP222094 – NINJA FUNK #1 (OF 4) CVR J 250 COPY BOSSLOGIC VAR (MR)
(W) JPG, Steve Schuitt (A) Alex Riegel (CA) David Mack
David Mack, known for his work on Marvel’s Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and for co-creating their series Echo, delivers a beautiful watercolor variant for the premier of Ninja Funk!
Frequency-Bending Warrior DJs. Cyborg Housecats. The Broken Rhythm of the Universe. This is a comic like you’ve never seen before!
A fun, high stakes adventure weaved together with face-melting beats, Ninja Funk follows a ragtag band of misfits as they attempt to save a universe that’s off-key.
In Shops: Nov 02, 2022
SRP: 4.99