The beloved universe of The Expanse is set to expand once again, with a brand new graphic novel continuation of the TV series The Expanse: A Little Death now launched on Kickstarter. And just like its previous crowdfunding campaign, fans of the series have helped to completely obliterate the campaign funding goals within just minutes of its launch.

Just one day after The Expanse: A Little Death's launch on Kickstarter, the project has sured its target nearly ten times over, closing in on $500,000 of its $50,000 (USD) goal. Following the previous BOOM! Direct Reserve campaign for the record-breaking The Expanse: Dragon Tooth, this new installment unravels the next chapter in the lives of the series' heroes, placing Amos Burton at its center. And if Expanse fans needed any extra reasons to show their dedication to the franchise, the TV show's own 'Amos Burton' actor Wes Chatham is also ing the team as A Little Death co-writer.

After The Expanse: A Little Death achieved its funding goals in just eleven minutes, BOOM! Studios Deputy Publisher, Bryce Carlson has shared the publisher's excitement at the fans delivering on the property once again:

“With the success of 2023’s Dragon Tooth campaign, we had high hopes for this one. And then the incredibly enthusiastic and dedicated fans of The Expanse came and blew our expectations out of the water with their Day One ! We’re looking forward to seeing where the next 29 days take us and I can’t wait for everyone to see what Andy, Wes, sco, and the team have in store with this amazing new chapter in the franchise.”

'A Little Death' Continues The Expanse's Story After 'Dragon Tooth'

The New In-Canon Sequel Tells A Story Missing From The Original Novels

Set in the same three-decade gap between the sixth and seventh Expanse novels (Babylon's Ashes and Persepolis Rising), the new story will be told across four comics. As always, fans will be able to reserve multiple different versions of the story through BOOM!'s campaign, whether it be purchasing digitally, physically, in single issues, in collected volumes, or alongside an entire hardcover collection of all prior Expanse comic books in one style. With autographed figures and character artwork also included, the choices (and the price tiers) are yours.

Once again confirming that A Little Death is a story crafted "under the direct supervision and creative guidance of creator James S.A. Corey," the new in-canon sequel to the original novels is being co-written by Wes Chatham (Amos Burton, The Expanse) in his comic book writing debut, writing with Andy Diggle (The Expanse: Dragon Tooth, The Losers) and artist sco Pisa (The Expanse: Dragon Tooth). The first plot details promise a new pair of eyes through which to view the rise of the Laconian Empire, but since they belong to Amos, there are sure to be plenty of flying fists to accompany the politics:

Discover the missing adventures of the crew of the Rocinante – James Holden, Naomi Nagata, Amos Burton, Bobbie Draper, and Clarissa Mao and the ebbs and flows of the Inners, Belters, and Transport Union… all leading to the rise of the Laconian Empire! And it all begins when Amos, bored of trade talks, decides to blow off a little steam and runs directly into a web of crime and deceit tied directly to him! Now it’s up to him and the crew of the Roci to save the day!

This BOOM! Direct Reserve campaign will also offer exclusive variants of each comic in the 4-issue series, softcover or hardcover editions, plus slipcased editions and collectibles only available through the campaign, and never to be printed again.

What Will This New Expanse Story Mean For The Larger Series?

How Much of Amos' Past Will Be Revealed When 'A Little Death' is Finished?

Anyone guessing what story will be told in A Little Death should first look to the story begun with Dragon Tooth, the previous chapter added to Expanse canon from BOOM! Studios and Alcon Television Group. While a tie-in comic story being told within a much larger canon might seem constrained, unlikely to meaningfully change or contribute to the larger narrative, The Expanse is unique. But it bears repeating: the comic stories told in Dragon Tooth and, presumably, A Little Death are direct continuations of the TV show's adaptation (with a few major changes).

Despite that distinction, James S.A. Corey's supervision suggests a shared canon, explaining why these Expanse comics have become must-read additions for dedicated fans, brilliantly appealing to both novel readers and TV show viewers by fleshing out a thirty-year chapter of history still 'missing' from the timeline.

But for those who would suspect that what happened in those missing decades isn't of consequence, Dragon Tooth's story already succeeded in changing what we know about The Expanse's alien rings.

With the addition of Wes Chatham into the storytelling team, it's safe to assume A Little Death will dig into Amos Burton's past. With other tie-ins, we might guessed Burton's backstory teased or explain in novels would simply be incorporated into the TV version, given that the series ended before those books were adapted. But with the novels' version of Amos anything but an open book, it makes just as much sense to include Chatham in the process of bringing Burton's untold stories to light.

The early plot details for A Little Death tease that Amos, "bored of trade talks, decides to blow off a little steam and runs directly into a web of crime and deceit tied directly to him!" If this new series will be pulling familiar faces back into the story, then top contenders include Erich (portrayed by Jacob Mundell on the TV series), the childhood friend of Amos Burton's who arguably knows more about the truth of his past than any other Expanse character (even before he was calling himself 'Amos Burton').

'A Little Death' Has Already Proven The Expanse Is Alive And Well

How Much Money Will Fans Put Up Before The Show Benefits From The Movement?

Given the proven excitement surrounding new stories being told after the events of The Expanse TV series, it's impossible to discuss them without addressing a continuation of the show itself. And that was true even before the creative team recruited an actual cast member to the project. But then, the story of The Expanse's adaptation from the novels has been an uncommon one for years now. Ending after three seasons at Syfy, returning for as many through Prime Video, now on its way to smashing crowdfunding goals (again), the audience and storytelling are well-established. So what comes next?

We've already made the case that 's comic success proves the show should return in one way or another, but the storytelling group isn't waiting around for that opportunity. And based on Dragon Tooth before it, A Little Death could mean some major insights for everyone from casual fans to die-hard lorehounds.

Fans looking to reserve their copies of The Expanse: A Little Death or the other BOOM! comic collections on offer by heading to the BOOM! Direct Reserve Kickstarter page now.

Source: Kickstarter