SeafoodFest kickstarts online campaign to create Ballard comic book

What would make Ballard complete? A superhero, according to the organizers of the annual Ballard SeafoodFest. They’re unveiling “Anchor,” Ballard’s very own crime-fighting, anchor-wielding superhero.

Anchor is Eddie Erickson, a dockworker by trade, who throws off his raincoat at the first sign of danger to fight off the evils of Ballard. The SeafoodFest folks have set up a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to create a comic book about Anchor, the funds from which will also go to support the costs of SeafoodFest. The Anchor was created by Jordan Giarratano, a Ballard cartoonist and the owner of Fighting Chance Seattle (a kickboxing and self-defense school in Ballard).

Click here to watch the campaign video

The idea for the comic book came from a SeafoodFest meeting in January when the organizers were thinking of creative ways to fundraise for the annual event. One organizer, Sam, wanted to take a new approach:

“I’ve been wondering how we could kinda marry the old with the new. I’ve been conjuring how we might could bring the whole community together and share in the celebration of all things Ballard DOES have, like the fishing and maritime history, like the Nordic heritage stuff, like that gorgeous beach down at Shilshole.”

And thus, Anchor was born. He’ll be the “Spirit of Ballard,” they say; a symbol of our unique neighborhood.

“We know you love Ballard. We know you love superheroes. You love the concept of wrestling a giant squid or even a chair in the quest for truth. We know that you, like most Ballard denizens, have a giant sense of fun and a twinkle in your eye. Please support your very own community and give what you can to support this new comic book project and the Live Anchor project, too. It’s one that we hope to build throughout the years. With your help, we will.”

The donations will go to help with the comic book printing, which will in turn support the SeafoodFest, which happens July 13 and 14. Learn more about SeafoodFest here. To see more of the artist’s work, click here.