Money didn't always exist, though, and people still got things done. Money isn't what makes the world go around.
This is just false. People are successful through advertisement PERIOD. (If they didn't use shady means) Crowfunding doesn't fund itself, you have to advertise and these days advertisement cost money in one form or another. Either I have to pay for advertisement over the internet, I have to go to comic convention to advertise my work (which means money being spent on gas, food, hotel, admissions, and a booth)
People got loans when they didn't have money and if their project fail, they were in debt. This isn't a pull yourself up by your bootstraps project, it's whether you have man power and resource type of project. Right, now I'm advertising my own stuff through internet, but I'm to do fliers and cards. However, my success with my comic isn't just my page, but whether the group is even interest in the title. I have well design pages not even get ONE donation and poorly design pages 130% donation. (I'm not kidding either.) And I'm pretty sure these guys did the same thing I did, which is advertise until they found a group or got a following. Master P/No Limit and Wu Tang are the biggest examples of people who literally had to advertise the CRAP OUT OF THEIR STUFF and not everyone bought their tapes. Justin Bieber had to be promote by Usher in order for people to know who he is.
Who is this friend of yours. Antoine? Get them involved. As small and as unknown as my Squatch Kick website is, if your friend found it, then they must have been actively looking for something. You need to get that person more involved.
My team consistent of freelancers who do gigs and get paid through gigs. With that being said, they put little emphasis on advertisement because they aren't interested in the comic. They aren't doing this stuff for free and I'm sure they would not advertise this comic for free. (And yes I have asked them to advertise) I just write the comic as I said before where as they just do their jobs and move on unless rehire them. A friend who worked on the comic suggested me to this website, but before getting passed #3 and I told him the other suggestions you have because it similar to the rules comicbook creators trying to move up in the business do. Crowdfunding and advertising your comic have many of the same rules, which is advertising, presentation, and not chasing waterfalls
Your page looks boring...
Charles I get what you trying to do, but tough loves only works with people have potential and resources, but don't use them. I have the potential to be a great writer/creator, but not resources so this type of rhetoric falls on deaf each. Not to be a jerk, but you should be playing to my strength and making suggestions based on my situation rather than give me the "pull yourself up by your boot straps" pep talk as I have rebuttal for that, which is before you tell someone to pull themselves up by their boot straps, make sure the person is wearing boots. I know because as a former teacher, I use to give the same talk.
OK, so start asking people. I fully relate to not having the time to learn how to do graphic design and presentations. Can you crop an image from a page of comic book art already done? If not, I can.
You wouldn't mind making some advertisement for me than? Maybe picture the website/fundraising to people you know. Until then all I can do is make small improvements and continue advertising through school network, message boards, and create fliers/business cards using existing images with small edits. Now if you know people who will help for free fine, but you came to me being captain obvious about my project. I know it isn't doing well, but I'm trying a lot to do what I can to change it, but I don't need you to remind it sucks unless you are being a dick about. Don't assume I have these resources and I'm just sitting at computer screen like a freaking idiot thinking the money will flow in. I work minimum wage and I barely get by, but I take the extra money I make to do what I can.
Now, I do appreciate the advice, but pep talks don't do anyone any good. Pep talks waste time unless you are planning to help this project. Don't show passion for a project you aren't interested in it. I can take criticism, but I won't sit and listen to someone using condescending rhetoric and offer no other help but point out the obvious. Now your future post involve you being a jerk then don't send me any message in private as I have enough people trying to stress me out.