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SDP Announces All-Trans Comics Anthology! Call for Submissions!

STACKED DECK PRESS is pleased to announce We’re Still Here, our forthcoming anthology of comics by transgender cartoonists, edited by Tara Avery (coeditor of ALPHABET with Jon Macy) and Jeanne Thornton (copublisher of Instar Books)!

Our goal is to present work 100 percent conceived and executed by trans artists, showcasing the breadth of themes, genres, and approaches trans people are taking to comics work today. And if you’re a trans person who makes comics (or would like to), we’re definitely interested in seeing what you’ve got to offer.

Confirmed contributors thus far include:

  • Christianne Benedict (The Exile of Natalie Rios)
  • Anna Archie Bongiovanni (Grease Bats)
  • Dylan Edwards (Transposes)
  • Mia Rose Elbo (Becoming Me)
  • Melanie Gillman (As the Crow Flies)
  • E Hetrick Jackson (Pretty Heart Bouquet, Love Bite)
  • Sophie Labelle (Assigned Male)
  • Winter Lake
  • Sybil Lamb (Lost Little Girl Show, I’ve Got a Time Bomb)
  • Knave Murdok (TransCat)
  • Annie Mok (Swim thru Fire, Florals)
  • Ronnie Ritchie (GQutie)
  • Morgan Sea (Misgendered!)
  • Christine Smith (The Princess, Eve’s Apple)
  • Bishakh Som (Apsara Engine)
  • Scout Tran-Caffee (Failing Sky)
  • Bis Thornton (Keys & Doors)

If you’re a cartoonist who identifies as trans, we definitely would like to consider running work from you! Here are some details:

  • We’re buying new work rather than reprints. Ideally we’d like to work with you on the editorial process for it rather than buying already-completed pieces, but happy to consider those too!
  • The page rate starts at $20, and will go higher depending on Kickstarter funding results. Full color art. Art will be printed at 6 x 9, so original art needs to be proportionate to this & at least 300 dpi.
  • We’re considering pieces from 1–8 pages long, but to make sure we have room for as many people as possible, you’re advised that the shorter your piece, the likelier your chances. 🙂
  • Trans creators of color to the front of the line.
  • To be in this anthology, you should be comfortable identifying as transgender. We’re not the identity police, so we’re committed to taking you at your word about this. (If you’re a trans creator in the closet and looking for a fantastic coming out vehicle, we humbly invite you aboard this train. J)
  • There’s no explicit theme (other than “stuff trans people are interested in.”) If possible, we’re looking for work with a more personal slant and that’s about transness somehow. But we’d also absolutely like to see your horror comics, sci-fi epics, romantic doom comedies, political thrillers, generational sagas, and all other themes. We would like to see everything!
  • Adult themes considered, as long as we will not go to jail for selling it at conventions. 🙂

 

Submissions packages should include:

  • A short pitch for your idea OR a full script
  • How many pages you’d need
  • Roughs/thumbnails for at least 1-2 pages
  • Samples of your finished art in the style you’d be using

 

That’s it—the rest is up to you! Please direct submission packages to [email protected] by January 9, 2017. And please spread the word about this call for submissions (and our upcoming Kickstarter.) We look forward to hearing from you!

 

All best,

Tara Avery & Jeanne Thornton

66 thoughts on “SDP Announces All-Trans Comics Anthology! Call for Submissions!

  1. Hi! I’m a colorist–would I be allowed to join by pairing up with a friend doing the drawing?

    1. Certainly, but we are looking for complete comics stories and pages,not simply spot illustrations. If you and your creative partners have a piece in mind, please submit your proposal to [email protected]. Jeanne and I will review it and respond to you and your team.

      Thank you for your interest!

      Tara Avery

  2. Hi!

    I was wondering if there was a method to subscribe for an alert to the eventual Kickstarter. I’d really like to support it when the time comes, but I learned of this from a random retweet.

    1. I haven’t set anything up for that yet, but I will look into putting that together. In the meantime follow us here at our site, on Twitter at @stackeddeckprss, and on our Facebook page. We’ll be posting updates on this and other projects in the months to come.

      Thank you,
      Tara

  3. Hello! I’m a trans artist and I would really love to be a part of this project but I’ve barely done any comics and I haven’t been part of any bigger projects like this… Could I still apply or do you think it would be better if I had more experience?

    Thank you!

    1. We are looking for very high-quality comics contributions. That doesn’t mean first-timers are strictly excluded, but it does depend on your proposal submission and the sample work you can show us. If you feel you have a really compelling story to share, that’s great. If you just want to pitch in and show support, backing the Kickstarter when it launches might be better.

      Tara

  4. Hello! Iam a transgender artist in México city i ve been ilustrational drawing for decades but never have made a comic . This is for me, if nationality doesnt matters

    1. ¡Por supuesto tenemos interės in artistas internacionales! Nos eche su propuesta a [email protected] e incluya una muestra de su arte. ¡Gracias!

  5. Hey, I’m a trans writer, working with a trans colourist and cis artist, would we still be allowed to submit our work even though only 2/3 of us are trans?

    1. I do believe you’ve inquired through e-mail, but to clarify if you haven’t already, we’re very committed to all-trans creators. However, if your proposal is interesting and the trans content is compelling, we might be able to make some exception. Submit your proposal and we can go from there.

      Tara

  6. […] Call for Submissions: SDP Announces All-Trans Comics Anthology! Call for Submissions! via @ScottMcCloud […]

  7. I’m just wishing to inquire on clarity on considered subject matter. I generally don’t write about trans specific issues. I’d like to know if that is what your wishing the themes of your submissions to be or does it just have to be trans creators producing work?

    Thank you,

    Erin

    1. Erin, we are looking for stories that touch upon trans experience. That doesn’t necessarily mean explicit references to being trans or usual topics such as coming out, transition, discrimination, etc. Of course, you can address all those topics and more should you like, space permitting. My recommendation is to send us your proposal, and we can go from there.

      Tara

      1. Okay thank you. I’ll go through my lists and see what I’d like to submit :).

  8. Hi,

    I’m a trans artist/cartoonist (well, aspiring to be) in the Philippines. Was just wondering if artwork should be digital? I mean, I can work digitally, but still lack experience, however, I can make traditionally produced strips. Would that be ok?

    BTW, I am so excited about this. I would love to support this even if you don’t accept traditional art pieces. I think this is so awesome. Please keep me posted on how I can support. 🙂

    Cheers.

    1. Hello Estella! Whether your art is pen-on-paper or digital is up to you. However, we will need to approve your proposal before we even get to that point. Send your story idea, outline, or thumbnails to [email protected]. Also, you will ultimately need to provide digital files of your finished work should you be chosen for publication.

      Tara

  9. I’ve only just seen a link to this. Does the submission have to be only original work for this submission. I’m committed to an overseas trip and won’t be back until the 6th of January. However, I published a first draft of REAL LIFE TRIPS as a webcomic for my Masters of Fine Art (see http://reallifetrips.thecomicseries.com/comics/41/). While my originals are currently on a crashed hard drive being recovered by a friend (a slow process) I do have some PDF copies which I might be able to rework into a six page story. Maybe.

    1. I was thinking of the 7 pages starting with http://reallifetrips.thecomicseries.com/comics/123/

      1. We’d really prefer to have original material. If your proposal is strong enough, we can work with you on the deadline. Submit a story idea, and Jeanne and I will review it.

        Thanks,
        Tara

        1. Thanks for the reply. I’m committed to traveling overseas between the 24th (tomorrow) and returning on the 6th January. I had panicked earlier (have a slight anxiety disorder), assuming that you wanted a finished item. If it’s a proposal with rough script / thumbnails. I can do that between the 6th and the 9th. In fact I might bounce some ideas off the friend I’m visiting, since we’ve had more than one adventure, but I wouldn’t want to share any without her consent.

  10. hey! i’m a trans artist interested in submitting, but i’m not sure what the 1-8 pages thing is about. is it saying you can only have a comic that’s up to 8 pages long??? i’m kind of assuming not but i’m not sure.

    1. –to clarify, i mean like. it can only be 8 pages long, no more than that.

      1. That is the idea. We chose an eight-page limit due to space considerations. This being an anthology title, we will have upwards of a couple dozen contributors each with their own stories. There’s only room for so much material. We are willing to consider allowing for slightly longer stories, but your proposal and sample pages would have to be very strong. I hope this helps.

        Tara

  11. I’m having trouble choosing a script to submit, is this limited to one per entrant? Thanks in advance!

    1. If you have more than one proposal in mind, then submit them all, if you’d like.

      Tara

  12. Is it possible to work under a pseudonym?

    1. It is , yes, but our decision will be made on the strength of your proposal.

      Tara

  13. Hi, I’m a trans artist but primarily a writer. Is it possible that I can just send a script with some concept art of the characters? Thanks in advance

    1. We cannot match scripters with artists or vice versa. If you want to contribute, you need to put together your own creative team who can make a finished comic.

      Tara

  14. Just found out about this! But I’m down, I have a fully thought out Trans main- set in a horror setting, though I don’t have all the bits and pieces as to how to get to the end. One of the questions I was wondering about- was if I needed to submit like a ” beginning-end ” sort of deal, or could it be open ended, as if to draw in a reader? I can do that.

    1. Sounds interesting, but it’s all in the proposal. Write up your pitch, include some sample art, and send it to [email protected].

      Tara

  15. Hello! I was wondering if there are any age requirements for creators submitting, since I’m 15 and have an idea that I think I could complete by the deadline.

    1. We’re leaning toward more experienced creators, but it really comes down to your story proposal and your sample art. Put something together and we’d be happy to take a look at it.

      Tara

  16. Any interest in non-binary creatives, or is this intended for the stricter definition of Trans? Totally understandable, if that’s the case.

    1. We are definitely interested in non-binary, genderqueer, bi-gender, agender, genderfluid, and gender non-conforming creators. Send us your proposal and some sample art, and let’s see what you’ve got!

      Tara

  17. Hi, I’m an artist considering submitting to this, and I was wondering if you have information out about if I still get the rights to my characters and how long you have the printing rights to the comic if I’m in the anthology?

    1. Great questions. You will keep full rights to your characters. We ask that you not publish the material that will be in the anthology for a year after the book’s release. After that, the story can be shopped around anywhere.

      Tara

      1. Sweet! Thanks for letting me know.

  18. […] esto, en el sitio oficial de SDP se ha lanzado una convocatoria para que todos los creadores de cómics, escritores, e ilustradores que se identifiquen como trans […]

  19. […] a call for submissions, Stacked Deck says publishing the work of trans people of color is a priority, and asks that works […]

  20. Hello! I am extremly interested in this project, but I have a question. Can my short comic submission be part of a larger story I’ve been working on, or do you need it to be completely independant?

    1. Good question. Your story can be a part of a larger story or series, but we will be asking that you publish your story for the anthology nowhere else for a year after its publication in the anthology. If you’re comfortable not showcasing this segment of your story in any other venue for a year, then certainly, please send us your proposal.

      Tara

      1. Oh cool, thankyou Tara! I’m actually in the middle of a rewrite so the part I’m thinking of using might not even exist later 😀

  21. So this is pretty dang awesome. I would love to submit something, and am going to try my hardest to get something together for this in time. However I just heard about this, and I work two day jobs. Is there a chance of something like this happening again in the future for those of us who don’t make it in time, or don’t get included (based on space in the book)?

    1. First things first: We have been fortunate enough to have a great response to our call for submissions. I recommend that you put together your story proposal and send some sample art ASAP. Should you be chosen for the book, we’ll see what allowances can be made. At the moment, no promises, but we would like to see what you have in mind to share.

      Tara

  22. Hello! We are a writing and artist pair, both transgender women, and are really excited to be submitting our work for your consideration. We have a finished script and are working on the illustrations now. We will be finished by the submission deadline, but we would like to know if there is anything we can do now, or anything we can give you now to help in the selection process. Thank you in advance!

    1. Great to hear! Please send your script and some sample artwork to [email protected]. Jeanne and I will be reviewing submissions all the way up until January 9th. We will let everyone know the status of their submissions shortly thereafter. Let me say this: having a complete creative team and some completed pages ready to go is a great help to your chances.

      Tara

  23. Can contributors be under eighteen?

    1. Indeed, but teen creators still have to go through the submission process like any other creator.

      Tara

  24. I’m not a trans person of color, but I’m disabled, and I have an idea for a comic that looks at the intersection of those identities, centered on perception of body. I’ll be working up some thumbnails here soon, and picking pieces that best show my skillsets for the art!

    1. We are definitely interested in the intersection of the trans and disabled experiences. We look forward to your submission!

      Tara

    2. Hey you. :p

  25. Hi there! A question about the page dimensions; are full-bleed pages allowed? If so, what’s the bleed margin? 6 x 9 is the trim size, yes?

    1. We haven’t settled on that detail yet, but we are leaning toward full bleed. First things first, let’s see your story proposal. The deadline’s January 9th for story ideas and sample art!

      Tara

      1. You got it! *thumbs up*

  26. “A short pitch for your idea OR a full script”

    How about a full description of the story – not exact dialogue or panels, but more detail than a pitch. Should I send that, or would you rather I cut it down to a short pitch?

    1. That, plus some sample art, would be great. Send it in!

  27. Hey! I hope this doesn’t sound impatient, but when will we hear back about if we’ve been accepted or not? Thanks!

    1. Probably sometime later this month, Levi, after Jeanne and I have had the chance to sift through all the submissions.

      Tara

  28. […] Their starting page rate is $20, but it will go higher depending on Kickstarter funding results. For more information, see SDP Announces All-Trans Comic Anthology. […]

  29. I’m ready to submit, but I thought I might use the last of the days to make more sample art that shows off the best I can do. Should I do that, or is it better to submit ASAP?

    1. Just send in a proposal and some sample art, no need to do anything super polished for us at this stage. We can get the information we need from that.

      Tara

  30. Hi there, wondering how we will know if our submissions were accepted or not? Should we check this site or are you going to contact people by email? I never got a confirmation of submission, so I’m not even sure if it’s being looked at, and I’d love to know either yay or nay…

    1. Jeanne and I reviewing submissions this week. We should have our final decisions made by the end of this month. We will certainly take time with each submission, but space is limited. I posted in greater detail about just this topic in SDP’s Feburary news post.

      1. Oh ok, sorry I didn’t see that news post. Thanks for the reply!

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