Editing 1055: Kickstarter

{{comic
| number    = 1055
| date      = May 14, 2012
| title     = Kickstarter
| image     = kickstarter.png
| titletext = If you pledge more than $50 you'll get on the VIP list and have first dibs on a slot on ANY of the pledge levels in the actual campaign.
}}

==Explanation==
{{w|Kickstarter}} is a platform for funding projects in which anyone can give money at any level of funding starting usually as low as $10. Funding at different levels gets you different perks, e.g. If the Kickstarter is for a book, a large donation makes you eligible for a signed copy.

In this comic, [[Black Hat]] is attempting to game the system by raising money to work on the perfect Kickstarter pitch. He appears to have gained no money, but has only started the scheme that day. The title text is an attempt to entice people to pledge a larger amount, by guaranteeing a more prestigious pledge level during the actual campaign. This is a scam for (even more) gullible people, as anyone can give any amount of money; there are no limits on pledge levels - or, at least, it may have been that way at the time of this comic's publication. Kickstarter does actually allow campaign hosts to designate a finite amount of higher-tier rewards, so if a wealthy person knew in advance that they would want to guarantee a specific reward from a pledge level, this VIP-list-first-dibs offer may have been desirable.

This has actually been done via [http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/kickstarter-campaign an indiegogo campaign]. There are a number of similarities to the comic (the black hat, $5,000 vs $500 goal), so Baron von Husk may have got the idea from xkcd.

==Transcript==
:[A kickstarter page with zero donations, a target of $5,000 (and no money raised), and 90 days to go.]
:[Black Hat has posted a video and a description of his project, the first lines of which are visible.]
:Time was, anyone with a webcam and an idea could raise boatloads of cash on Kickstarter. But with increased popularity comes tougher competition. Now, to get support, you need a really standout video or compelling write-up. I have an idea for a Kickstarter campaign that could raise millions, but I need your help to craft the perfect pitch. If I raise $5,000, I'll be able to devote the

{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Black Hat]]
[[Category:Comics with color]]