San Francisco, CA – Frankie Broadstreet, a cross-dressing grifter leads a pack of bawdy burlesque girls to avenge the murder of their friend in the jazz era of the roaring 20s. Inspired by a true story of San Francisco’s dark underworld, a group of Prohibition-era burlesque dancers pursue their friend’s murder by posing as masked bandits and knocking over the Mob’s speakeasies. The Tommy Gun Dolls is a sordid tale told in the classic Noir tradition, with roots in San Francisco’s historic Nob Hill Mansions of society’s elite class to the seedy gang-filled streets of Chinatown, through the Tenderloin and neighboring North Beach.
According to author and illustrator Daniel Cooney, “Flappers in the liberal Roaring Twenties flaunted their disdain for what was considered ‘acceptable’ behavior that redefined women’s roles at a time when social, and political turbulence following the end of World War I. The rebellious attitude toward traditional Victorian roles for women was the driving force defining the characters in my story. I don’t want to reveal too much about it, but in the spirit of noir, there are surprises and twists throughout this highly volatile tale of masked maidens, murder, mayhem and bathtub gin. If you’re a fan of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Agent Carter, shows that have an emphasis on smart and strong female lead characters, then this book is for you.” Taking visual inspiration from illustrators such as Russell Patterson, Ethel Hays and Faith Burrows, who popularized the look and lifestyle of the 1920s flapper, and the writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Dashiell Hammett, Cooney crafts a tale of mystery and suspense at The Frisky Devil speakeasy.
Graphic Novels on the Rise
According to the Wall Street Journal, the popularity of graphic novels is on the rise. Sales of graphic novels are outpacing the overall trade–book market. Digital sales of graphic novels and comics totaled $90 million in 2013, and graphic novel overall sales increased 4% to $415 million in 2014. Cooney plans to raise funds for The Tommy Gun Dolls series using a Kickstarter campaign. The novel will be released to Kickstarter backers first, followed by general release to retailers in Fall, 2015.
About the Author
Written and illustrated by Daniel Cooney, the 72 page graphic novel is the first in a three book series. Cooney is the creator of the crime fiction comic book series Valentine, The Atomic Yeti, as well as the artist and author for the instructional books Writing and Illustrating The Graphic Novel and The Complete Guide to Figure Drawing for Comics and Graphic Novels by Barron’s. Cooney studied sequential art and illustration at The School of Visual Arts earning his BFA in 1998. An instructor for the Academy of Art University, he resides in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts with his wife, Carolina, their sons, Dashiell and Dexter, and their cat Greenly Beans.
For details and link to the Kickstarter campaign (Live on May 1, 2015):
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1852361642/the-tommy-gun-dolls-a-72-page-graphic-novel
For additional information and images about Tommy Gun Dolls: http://www.tommygundolls.com/
Distributed by CrowdfundingPR
Media Contact
Company Name: The Tommy Gun Dolls
Contact Person: Daniel Cooney
Email: dancooneyart@gmail.com
Country: United States
Website: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1852361642/the-tommy-gun-dolls-a-72-page-graphic-novel
