Indie Comic 'Rippaverse' Praised on Joe Rogan Experience
The independent comic book line Rippaverse, created by Eric July, received a significant endorsement on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. The shoutout highlighted the project as a major success story for independent creators seeking to build audiences outside of mainstream publishing houses.
- The initial fundraising campaign for Rippaverse's first comic, "Isom #1," launched in July 2022 with a goal of $100,000 and went on to raise over $3.7 million. - Creator Eric July is a musician, YouTuber, and libertarian political commentator who was the frontman for the rap-metal band BackWordz and is a contributor for Blaze Media. - The Joe Rogan Experience mention occurred during episode #2457, where guest Michael Malice highlighted Rippaverse as a prime example of independent creators successfully bypassing traditional publishers like Marvel and DC. - Rippaverse utilizes a direct-to-customer pre-order model for its graphic novels, which are set in a shared universe centered around the fictional city of Florespark, Texas. - The company has enlisted veteran comic book creators, such as writer Chuck Dixon, to produce additional titles within the Rippaverse, including "Alphacore." - Beyond publishing its own titles, the company has launched RippaSend, a fulfillment and distribution service aimed at assisting other independent comic creators. - The company states a commitment to respecting the customer and maintaining canon and continuity as part of its "Code of Ethics" printed in each book. - In January 2025, July reported that an unnamed artist agency managing over a dozen artists pulled out of 15 planned Rippaverse projects, citing unspecified "controversies."
