Cutie Chronicles Chip’s Murder Mystery on Kickstarter: Cute Characters, Dark Crimes - Interview

Introduction

Cutie Chronicles Chip’s Murder Mystery on Kickstarter brings together two creative couples to explore an unusual narrative contrast: adorable characters placed inside a dark, unsettling crime story. Developed collaboratively by Gladys, Cephas, Geo, and Kim, the project blends established cute visual language with psychological tension, suspense, and murder mystery tropes. At its center is Chip, a detective whose personality and narrative voice emerged organically through live audience interaction and evolved into something far more complex. In this interview, the creators walk us through the project’s origins, their collaborative process, and how Cutie Chronicles became a series designed to stretch both genre and tone.

The Origin of Cutie Chronicles Chip’s Murder Mystery on Kickstarter

What inspired the creation of Cutie Chronicles: Chip’s Murder Mystery, and how did the idea of telling a murder mystery through cute characters first take shape?

Gladys / Cephas: Chip was born through live interaction at conventions. While talking with visitors about my characters, people would ask unexpected questions, and I would respond spontaneously, often inventing details in the moment. Over time, those improvised conversations shaped a character with an unpredictable personality, someone who is impossible to fully pin down. By repeatedly talking about him, reacting to audience curiosity, and building on those moments, Chip developed his own internal logic and narrative voice.

Geo / Kim: When Gladys and Cephas pitched the idea of comics with the Cuties, we envisioned a darker setting in the vein of Pennie Dreadfuls, Cutie Dreadfuls if you may. With an interconnected story where all Cuties would get a small part. But that didn’t feel good enough to flesh out all the characters.So together we decided to pick 3 characters for a focused story and Chip is the first of those 3 characters. And with him being a slightly unhinged detective, it quite easily settled on a Murder Mystery setting.

Gladys / Cephas: I am deeply drawn to contrast, and I am also a longtime true crime fan. Placing a cute, seemingly harmless character inside a murder mystery allowed me to combine those interests. The softness of the visuals invites readers in, while the darker narrative challenges their expectations. That tension became the foundation of Cutie Chronicles.

Balancing Cuteness and Murder

The comic blends an adorable visual style with a dark crime story. How did you approach balancing cuteness and murder without undermining either tone?

Gladys / Cephas: I am very aware that combining cuteness and murder can easily become a gimmick, and in this case, I intentionally allow it to be one. I like pushing boundaries and exploring where discomfort begins. At the same time, balance is essential.This project was created as a collaboration. I naturally gravitate toward cute and unhinged ideas, while Geo comes from a horror background and brings a darker, more grounded sensibility to the story. Somewhere between those two instincts, we found the right tone, slightly over the edge, but still controlled.

Geo / Kim: Communication is key in a collaboration like this. Especially with blending cuteness and horror into a cohesive story. Luckily, we have been friends for years and can vibe with each other.Cuteness and horror can amplify each other to make a better story. Horror can become too depressing and hopeless when you don’t give the characters or the readers some happiness to achieve. And cuteness can become too effortless and sweet without risks and obstacles.

Gladys / Cephas: By constantly checking each other’s choices, we made sure the story stays playful without becoming shallow, and dark without losing its charm. That tension between extremes defines the tone of Cutie Chronicles.

Structuring the Murder Mystery

From a narrative perspective, how did you structure Chip’s murder mystery to keep readers engaged, surprised, and emotionally invested from start to finish?

Gladys / Cephas: We built the story, so the reader experiences the mystery alongside Chip. As he learns new information, the reader does too. This creates a shared sense of discovery and uncertainty as the case unfolds.

Geo / Kim: We also have two different lenses through which we can see the mystery unfold. So, in a sense we can even keep secrets from each other as creators. You can look at a situation as a cute misunderstanding or a sinister plot.

Gladys / Cephas: The narrative moves in clear stages. Each stage shifts the direction of the investigation rather than simply adding more details, which keeps the story from feeling repetitive and maintains momentum.

Geo / Kim: You go through the same information that Chip has. You see the same evidence, maybe even miss the same evidence. You can make the same conclusions as Chip or doubt those same conclusions. Is Chip’s mind unraveling or is it just pure conviction.

Gladys / Cephas: Indeed. alongside the case itself, Chip’s mental state gradually changes. His growing fixation and emotional involvement influence how he interprets events. By letting the structure follow both the investigation and Chip’s internal shifts, the story stays engaging while surprises feel natural rather than forced.

Visual Language and Suspense

The art style plays a huge role in defining Cutie Chronicles. How did you develop the visual language to support both humor and suspense within the same story?

Gladys / Cephas: The visual style of CutieSquad existed long before this comic. It was shaped in public, at conventions, by observing how people responded to the characters and humor. Over time, that made it very clear what felt funny, what felt uncomfortable, and where the line was.

Geo / Kim: Gladys has a clear visual language, and we won’t change that visual language. We will play with it though, especially when the situation gets dark. We will juxtapose our own darker esthetic with the cute feel of Gladys to make it more disturbing for the reader. When even the cuteness starts to feel oppressive, you will know the character is having a hard time. By experiencing it yourself.

Gladys / Cephas: The characters remain cute and familiar, but the situations become quieter and more tense. Suspense is created by slowing moments down, holding silence longer, and letting scenes breathe.

Geo / Kim: Because the visual language was already well tested, we could push it into a darker narrative without losing its identity. That contrast allows humor and suspense to exist side by side.

Why Kickstarter and What Comes Next

Why was Kickstarter the right platform to launch Cutie Chronicles: Chip’s Murder Mystery, and how do you envision the series evolving beyond this comic?

Gladys / Cephas: Normally, we create our products independently. We design the work, produce it, and handle everything ourselves. For this project, we consciously wanted to do something different and create a true community driven product.

Geo / Kim: We have used Kickstarter before, for our own comics. So, for us it was quite natural to use this platform again. So, we hyped Gladys and Cephas for it connected to their idea of doing something different.

Gladys / Cephas: Kickstarter felt like the right platform for that shift. It allows us to involve people from the very beginning and turn the comic into a shared project rather than just another release. Chip’s Murder Mystery is the first comic created in this way.

Geo / Kim: This comic also marks the start of a broader series. We already have a horror comic and a fantasy comic in development. We are quite experienced in both those genres, and we can’t wait to talk more about the next stories after Chip has made his debut.

Gladys / Cephas: Our goal is to explore multiple genres using the same visual language, stretching the style and testing where its limits lie. By moving across genres, we want to build bridges between audiences and show how flexible the CutieSquad world can be.

Geo / Kim: CutieSquad Horror-Musical has a nice ring to it.

Thank you all for sharing how Cutie Chronicles came to life - it’s fascinating to see how collaboration, contrast, and community shaped Chip’s Murder Mystery from the ground up.

Cutie Chronicles Chip’s Murder Mystery on Kickstarter stands out by embracing contradiction rather than avoiding it. Cute characters coexist with unsettling themes, humor sits beside psychological tension, and a familiar visual language is pushed into darker territory without losing its identity. What makes the project especially compelling is its collaborative nature - not only between two creative couples, but also with the audience invited in from the very beginning. As the first chapter in a larger Cutie Chronicles universe, Chip’s Murder Mystery sets the tone for a series willing to experiment with genre, mood, and expectation while staying rooted in character-driven storytelling.

About the Creators

Cutie Chronicles is created by two creative couples - Gladys and Cephas, alongside Geo and Kim - combining backgrounds in illustration, horror storytelling, and independent comics. Together, they explore how a shared visual language can stretch across genres, from murder mystery to horror and fantasy. Their collaborative approach emphasizes contrast, experimentation, and community-driven creation, with Cutie Chronicles serving as a flexible world designed to evolve across stories and styles.

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Frequently asked questions about Cutie Chronicles Chip’s Murder Mystery on Kickstarter

What is Cutie Chronicles: Chip’s Murder Mystery?

It is an illustrated murder mystery comic that combines cute character designs with a dark crime narrative, following Chip, an unpredictable detective at the center of the case.

Is the story suitable for all ages?

While the characters are visually cute, the themes involve murder, psychological tension, and crime, making it more appropriate for mature readers.

Is this a standalone comic or part of a series?

Chip’s Murder Mystery is the first focused story within the broader Cutie Chronicles universe, with additional horror and fantasy comics already in development.

How does the collaboration work between the creators?

The project is a close collaboration between two couples, blending cute aesthetics with horror sensibilities through constant communication and creative balance.

Why support the project on Kickstarter?

Kickstarter allows the creators to make the comic a community-driven project, involving backers from the earliest stages and shaping future Cutie Chronicles releases.