Tales From The Quarantine: An Evolving Deep Dive

This page is a living document that aims to track the timeline of the TFTQ campaign, including reporting upon the crowdfunder from comic news sites, and some insights into Frazer Brown, the man at the center of all this controversy.

about the 'Tales from the quarantine' Kickstarter

"EVERYBODY HAS A TALE TO TELL. THESE ARE THEIRS. 400 Artists and Writers from 60 countries create THE ANTHOLOGY OF THE DECADE."Tales From The Quarantine is a controversial 'charity' comic anthology Kickstarter created by Frazer Brown and funded in 2020 in the height of lockdown. The proceeds were to go to the 'LYR Fund' (a 'charity' started by Frazer), NHS Charities, and The Hero Initiative.It is a very ambitious Kickstarter, boasting rewards that included hardback and softback omnibuses, a shorter floppy version, several variant cover floppies, a poster, trading cards, and a theme song that would be pressed on vinyl records. All with a goal of £13k.The campaign ended up raising £37k, with promises that the profits will be donated to the charities. It has delivered the floppies, trading cards, and posters, but the omnibus editions and vinyls are nowhere to be seen.There is a digital version of the omnibus, but it contains nowhere near the amount of content promised by the campaign.There's not even been any proof of donation of profits.

Key Dates

These are the key dates from the Campaign, primarily Frazer's kickstarter updates, but also including emails sent to contributors. Outside reporting will be included in the full timeline + commentary when it is ready.

2020

  • 26th August - TFTQ Kickstarter is launched with a funding goal of £13k despite some ambitious rewards. It is fully funded within 24 hours.

  • 28th September 2020 - The first day Frazer promises backers they'll always hear the news about TFTQ first.

  • 1st October - The first day Frazer says they'll be adding "news, more backer updates, and news" on the Red Cabin Comics Twitter account (4 days since promising that backers will hear first)

  • 9th October - TFTQ's Kickstarter Campaign ends, raising about £37k in pledges from about 850 backers. The first schedule is released, suggesting that April 2021 will be when rewards are shipped out, allowing for unforeseen issues.

  • 19th November - Frazer claims that 98% of the pages have been handed in, with the rest expected over Christmas.

  • 24th November - Frazer aims to have surveys out by the end of the month.

  • 21st December - Frazer decides to bring in more creatives (32 days after claiming 98% of the pages had been handed in). TFTQ is described as a 'one-off' thing. Finishing touches are being put on 'all the elements of the campaign' over the next few weeks.

2021

  • 28th June - Test Surveys have gone out

  • 4th July - Surveys have gone out (217 days after surveys were initially going to be sent out) in batches.

  • 8th July - Some people have not received surveys. Surveys are going to be locked down the 31st of July

  • 9th September - Backerkit surveys are now locked (41 days after originally intended). The delay is due to issues with surveys being sent out to backers via BackerKit.

  • 3rd October - Frazer says Addresses are going to be locked down at the end of October as shipping will start at the end of November.

  • 17th November - Addresses are locked down. We are, in Frazer's words, in the 'end game'.

  • 29th November - Frazer repeats that books will be sent out at the end of November, even though some pages were missed from colour correction process. Frazer promises photos of items as they arrive.

  • 21st December - Frazer was in hospital, but is back. He is on bed rest until the 2nd of January 2022. Books have not arrived yet. Floppies are due in the next two weeks. The posters have arrived. Photos are provided.

2022

  • 7th February - Collectors' Edition merchandise arrives.

  • 9th February - Photos of the trading card sets are shown

  • 11th February - The Anthology's Theme Song is provided to backers as a YouTube link.

  • 5th March - Frazer claims that Paperback Omnibuses will arrive this month, but floppies will arrive first. Hardcovers will be arriving at the end of March, to ship in May. Digital will still be released with the omnibus shipping.

  • 5th March - Frazer states there's now two more books planned for TFTQ (440 days after describing TFTQ as a one-off) and a DOCUMENTARY about the 'Making Of', with an IMDB page created for it.

  • 5th April - Frazer states that things are arriving but he doesn't see the point in updating until they're shipping items out at this stage (128 days after promising photos of rewards as they arrive at his house).

  • 8th July - Books have still not arrived, but shipping is now set to start at the end of August. Michelle, a friend, is introduced as someone helping with customer service.

  • 19th September - Small items are finally being shipped at the end of the month. The rest will be shipped in October.

  • 11th October - The first date that Frazer confirms that the campaign is in 'Shipping Mode' now.

  • 26th November - We find out via Bleeding Cool that Frazer has spoken to Rich Johnson, stating that delays are due to creators pulling out and needing to be replaced, and the health issues mentioned in updates.

  • 6th December - First day that the floppy issues are confirmed to have been sent out. They're now 32 pages. The first date that a link to a digital version of the floppy issue is provided. The first day that Frazer claims that the digital version of the omnibus will be released at the end of the week (~9th December)

  • 15th December - Provides photos of the floppies, including a bashed batch.

  • 22nd December - First date that Frazer claims that 160 softcover omnibus books have been shipped. Photos of sealed parcels, but none of the actual softcovers. Hardcovers haven't arrived. The first date that Frazer confirms that he's been asking Kickstarter to refund and remove pledges from Backers who are kicking up a fuss (and he'll do it again!). First date we see Red Cabin Comic's Official 'Anti-Harassment' Policy

  • 22nd December Part 2 - Frazer sends the infamous 2636-word email 'IMPORTANT: UPDATE - TROLLS - SHIPPING' to the contributors, describing those calling TQTF a scam as 'trolls determined to destroy the project'.

2023

  • 19th January - A number of updates are sent out confirming that the variants levels have been fully shipped.

  • 23rd January - Confirms he's still sending out softcover pledges and first date that he confirms that all the softcovers should be shipped by early February.

  • 6th March - According to Frazer, fulfilment is still going on.

  • 25th March - Frazer emails contributors. It is quickly leaked. Frazer confirms that the digital version will finally be going to backers this week (94 days after 160 softcovers were shipped), stating that there wasn't enough material previously to release the digital file.

  • 12th April - Frazer finally releases the digital omnibus to backers (125 days after the date Frazer told contributors that the digital edition would be released to backers)

  • 6th July - Frazer states that all the international softcovers have been posted. First date that Hardcovers are implied to be in Frazer's possession, with them going into Storage. Completion of fulfilment should now be in August. First date that Frazer confirms that donations will be made soon from the variant and digital copy sales. He will announce it on Social Media (1017 days after promising backers that they'll always hear the news first)

  • 6th July - A bunch of variant cover tiers are fully shipped according to update titles despite this supposedly happening 167 days ago on the 19th of January.

  • 21st October - Frazer claims that 70% of shipments are now completed.

  • 5th November - Frazer locks down the Instagram accounts for Red Cabin Comics and TFTQ.

  • 6th November - Frazer locks down his Kickstarter Updates and Social Media accounts

  • 5th December - The last Kickstarter update from Frazer.

softcover omnibus

Date sent to print: 29th November 2021?
Date arrived for Distribution: October 2022? (Based on 11th October 2022 Update)
Date Shipment Complete: February 2023
Date Shipment Actually Completed: Unknown - No one has confirmed receipt of a softcover omnibus

Hardcover omnibus

Date sent to Print: 29th November 2021?
Date arrived for Distribution: June 2023? (assumed from 6th of July 2023 update)
Date Shipment Completed: Unknown
Date Shipment Actually Completed: Unknown

floppy comics

Date sent to print: 29th November 2021?
Date arrived for Distribution: Unknown
Date Shipment Completed: 19th January 2023
Date Shipment Actually Completed: 6th July 2023

digital omnibus

Date Intended for Shipping: 9th of December 2022
Date Shipped: 12th of April 2023

Vinyl records

Date sent to Print:
Date arrived for Distribution:
Date Shipped:
Date Delivered:

Thanks

As I am not a backer, I have been highly dependent on emails, tweets, conversations, memories, and captures of Instagram posts in order to track the campaign. As such, I'd like to thank the following people for their contributions that have allowed me to follow this sad saga;

  • Alan Johnson

  • Evan Benner

  • Liam Regan

  • TheTFTQ

  • TalesFromTheQuarantine.co.uk

  • ComicPrintingUK

  • Broken Frontier

  • Dan Whitehead

  • David Cousens

  • FailsFromTheQuarantine

  • Bleeding Cool

  • 3 Million Years

contact

This page has been compiled and written by Feff Silvers (She/They), an independent small-press comic creator. They did not back the Kickstarter, but is connected to many people who were contributors or backers.To provide feedback, or additional evidence of anything relating to TFTQ that might be useful, please email [email protected]

Changelog

  • 2024-01-21: Document published with Key Dates (14:50 - References to Sydney Morning Herald removed, button to thank sources included and changelog moved so people can actually see it)