Following his multi-crowdfunding platform success with Shi: Return of the Warrior, writer/artist Billy Tucci has successful launched its follow-up, Shi: Haikyo. This latest installment picks up right where Return of the Warrior left off, with Ana Ishikawa’s daughter kidnapped by a “Shi” copycat killer.

Unlike many comic characters, Ana has aged since the original heyday of Shi in the 1990s.

“I didn’t want her to still be in her 20s,” Tucci said. “Now she’s in her 40s, she’s divorced, she has a daughter. She’s experienced life’s ups and downs, and she’s worked hard to build a life for herself, her father, and her daughter. Then came the events of Shi: Return of the Warrior,” which threw all of that into jeopardy.  

Thus far, the reappearance of his most famous character has been met with broad-based support. As they eclipsed the Indiegogo campaign’s first stretch goal, Tucci expanded the story of Shi: Haikyo to 56 pages, but he said that fans shouldn’t expect a delay.

“We’re very close to finished with the whole issue, even while the campaign is ongoing,” Tucci told Scoop. “I’ve just redrawn pages in the mid-40s, and my finisher, Gardenio Lima, is right behind me. Brian and Kristy Miler at Hi-Fi are following right along on colors, and letterer Mindy Lopkin has kept up with us the whole time.”

The campaign includes Tucci’s first cosplay cover (featuring Joanie Brosas), his first glow in the dark cover, and a “rough cut” edition, which is reproduced from his unfinished (but still fairly detailed) pencil art.

“Taken directly from my original pencil roughs, the Rough Cut Edition highlights writer Steven Peros’ script coupled with my art in its rawest form. Mindy Lopkin’s lettering will also differ from the final product as it contains all the first draft dialogue and word balloon placement,” he said.