Despite its huge cult appeal and clearly cinematic style, Eric Powell’s Eisner Award-scooping comic series The Goon has had real trouble finding its way to the screen, and that’s despite David Fincher throwing his considerable production support behind it. The last report in January – since thrown through the rumour control wash cycle by Powell – had the project stalled due to lack of cash. Now Fincher and co want to do something about that and have turned to Kickstarter.

In the tradition of Charlie Kaufman, Dan Harmon and Paul Schrader’s efforts, Fincher, Powell and Blur Studios are looking to raise $400,000, which won’t make the movie itself but would fund a feature length “Story Reel” animatic that will feature the voices of Clancy Brown and Paul Giamatti (who already contributed to the test footage) that can be used as a proof-of-concept to persuade studios to take a gamble on what is already a tough sell.

Various goodies are promised depending on the pledged amounts, including access to the production blog, T-shirts and even a chance for US residents to see the story reel in progress at Blur Studios in Venice, California.

“I admit it—I came to this party late. Chinatown, and the Mystery of Mr. Wicker was—regrettably—my introduction to The Goon and the incredible world created by Eric Powell,” says Fincher on the site. “I thank Tim Miller—who snapped me out of my Goonless existence when I was looking for material to possibly make into an animated feature, and he suggested I peruse a copy he had (suspiciously) nearby.

“Of course I marvelled at the characters and was smitten with the mise-en-scene, but it was the language—that uncategorizable: Dead End Kids Meets Abbot and Costello Meet the Mummies—that unlikely Powellian patois that absolutely hooked me. If this is your first time, you are in for a treat—if not, you already know how lucky you are."

It looks like Fincher will meet his goal, with more than $103,000 raised just this weekend, but if you want to get your hands on the goodies, it might be worth throwing in a few pennies. Sadly, you will not get the chance to visit Mr Fincher’s terrifying compound where light and laughter go to d… What’s this red dot on our chest? OH GOD WE MEANT HAPPY, SWEET-FILLED VILLA FULL OF RAINBOWS AND PUPPIES. PUPPIES!