Creator Spotlight: Microcosm Publishing's 100th Kickstarter Campaign
With 100 campaigns under their belt, Microcosm Publishing isn't just a repeat creator. They're a Kickstarter Pro.

One hundred campaigns. That's not a typo.
Microcosm Publishing recently launched their 100th Kickstarter campaign — “The Underground Is Bigger than the Mainstream” — a zine about finding purpose and the life-saving magic of pursuing your meaning, whatever that happens to be.
Since 2010, this Portland-based publisher has turned crowdfunding into an art form. They've built a business without outside investors, helped normalize crowdfunding in traditional publishing, and created tools that support other indie publishers. Along the way, they've proven that unconventional, radical, and overlooked ideas also belong on Kickstarter.
We caught up with the team to talk about reaching this milestone, their unique relationship with Kickstarter, and what they've learned from 15 years of campaigns.
What makes this 100th campaign moment feel particularly significant?
"Honestly, it's thinking about our relationship with Kickstarter that does it for me. When we started we were tiny and scrappy and you all gave us this tool that helped us hang on and grow, and always treated us with trust and respect. It feels a little weird to write like this about a business... We do business with a lot of companies, and our relationship with Kickstarter is unique." - Elly Blue
What made you see Kickstarter as a solution back in 2010?
"We're a traditional publisher, but one of the 'traditions' in our field is for publishers to bring outside funding sources to the business, and we don't have that. Because of how the industry works, often the printer's bill comes due months before we get paid. So when we first found out about Kickstarter in 2010, we were stoked." - EB
The 100-Campaign Mindset
This milestone wasn’t about going big. It was about being consistent.
“Each campaign gave us feedback, reach, and sustainability. We’ve built our business without outside investors. Kickstarter is part of that strategy. It works—because we keep showing up.” - EB
Their advice to fellow creators?
- Don’t treat campaigns like isolated events. Build momentum between them.
- Make the platform part of your process, not just a one-time launchpad.
A Campaign That Reflects a Catalog
“The Underground Is Bigger than the Mainstream” isn’t just a retrospective. Built like a time capsule with attitude, the campaign bundles zines and books that distill Microcosm’s core: permission to publish, the urgency to create, and the joy of doing things your own way.
This milestone campaign also has a "choose your microcosm" tier where backers can put together custom bundles of microcosm's books from the archives of zines making this project and Kickstarter … DIY.
It’s also deeply meta. A celebration of 100 campaigns, yes, but also a wink to anyone watching from the sidelines. Because if Microcosm has proven anything, it’s that small ideas, weird ideas, overlooked ideas—they belong here too.
Want to start your first campaign?
Microcosm’s 100th Kickstarter is live now. It’s a celebration, and it’s also a signal.
You don’t need to wait until everything is perfect. You just need to start.