Famous MIT pranks retold in illustrated format

LOS ANGELES - May 16, 2014 - PRLog -- LOS ANGELES,  May 16, 2014 – Writer Steve Altes is turning to the Internet to raise funds for his latest book, Geeks and Greeks, a humorous graphic novel inspired by actual high-tech pranks at his alma mater, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  These pranks (or "hacks" as they're called at MIT) are creative, whimsical, and challenging feats of engineering orchestrated by anonymous groups of students to offset the rigors of studying at one of the world's most prestigious technical universities.

In keeping with Kickstarter.com guidelines, creators have a fixed number of days to raise all their funds or the project receives nothing.  Altes' book has a 40-day fundraising window from start to finish.  If the allotted budget ($40,000 US) isn't raised before June 12, all pledges are cancelled and the graphic novel will not be funded.

"Kickstarter gives us the ability to quickly spread the word online to legions of interested fans and keep them updated on the progress of the project," Altes noted.  "Plus I love the notion of cutting out the agents and gatekeepers and engaging directly with our audience."

Kickstarter is one of a growing number of so-called crowdfunding platforms that seek to connect creators directly with financial backers.  On March 3 of this year Kickstarter recorded a major milestone: Over $1 billion has now been pledged to projects on Kickstarter.

When asked whether he himself had participated in any of the hacks featured in Geeks and Greeks, Altes quipped, "Let me check the statute of limitations and get back to you."

Geeks and Greeks will bring to life dozens of MIT's most notorious hacks.  Many are well-known; others are being revealed to the general public for the first time.  Hacks include an MIT campus police car inexplicably parked on top of MIT's iconic 150-foot-high dome, hacking Harvard, and commandeering the Sheraton hotel's enormous rooftop sign in downtown Boston, among others.

If the project reaches its funding goal, the graphic novel will be illustrated by Boston-based illustrator Andy Fish in a span of ten months.  Altes plans to deliver Geeks and Greeks by June of next year.  To learn more about the graphic novel, readers can visit the project's pitch page here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stevealtes/geeks-and...

About Steve Altes:

Steve Altes is a humor writer whose participatory adventure essays have appeared in over 50 magazines and newspapers.  He is the author of two humor books, The Little Book of Bad Business Advice and If You Jam the Copier, Bolt.

http://www.stevealtes.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevealtes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Altes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hacks_at_the_Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology

About Andy Fish:

Andy Fish is an artist, writer, graphic novelist and cartoonist.  He's the author and artist of the classic How To Draw Graphic Novel Style and has had seven graphic novels of his own published.

http://www.andytfish.com

http://www.hebsandfish.com

http://www.undercoverfish.com

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Contact:

Steve Altes

SteveAltes@gmail.com

If you’d like more information about the Geeks and Greeks Kickstarter Project, or to schedule an interview with Steve Altes please email SteveAltes@gmail.com.