Weekly Roundup: December 22, 2017

Welcome to Paper Cat Press’s Weekly Roundup! In the Weekly Roundup, I provide links and summarized information about the crowdfunded projects, creator opportunities, and resources that have caught my eye over the week. I hope you enjoy!

WARNING! Some content below may feature NSFW content. Links will be marked NSFW! when the content identifies itself as adult material.

As a note: I am not sponsored by any company, group, or individual listed below or elsewhere on this site unless otherwise listed.

Want to jump to a specific section? Use the links below:
News || Helping Others || Awards || Recent Webcomic Debuts || Crowdfunded Projects || Animation || Comics, Illustration, and More || Conventions and Events || Fan Zines || Mentorships & Fellowships || Residencies, Retreats, and Workshops || Scholarships, Sponsorships, and Grants || Teaching || Typesetting || Voice Acting || Writing and Editing || Youth || Resources || Deals || Giveaways


News

After receiving many complaints from Creators and Patrons alike, Patreon has decided to not roll out their fee change. Leave your feedback about the fee change here. If you dropped pledges over this proposed change, consider using this link to re-pledge. Many artists are steering clear of Patreon due to the loss of revenue and security that this announcement caused, while others are working to diversify their income sources. Be sure to check in on your favorite artists and see where else you can support their work!

In response to Patreon’s proposed fee changes, Gumroad revealed its development plans for the near future – instant payouts and open source development. Find out more here.

The price of the Forever stamp is going up on January 20. Rates on flat rate shippers are also expected to increase.

Helping Others

Need to contact your government officials? Let Resist Bot and 5calls help you out.

If you are a trans person in need of legal assistance, check translawhelp.org for pro bono services in your state.

Here’s a list of free or low-cost mental health resources. Thank you so much for compiling this list, Tiffany!

If you need to talk to someone or otherwise vent, please utilize this list of help hotlines.

Take care and take your time. Your work is more important than ever. Thank you for sharing your originality and openness with the world. You bring light to the days of others, and it is so, so appreciated.

Awards

The Dwayne McDuffie Award is accepting applications from diverse comic creators and diverse works. Submissions will be accepted until December 31.

The Laydeez Do Comics Women’s Prize for Unpublished Graphic Novels in Progress is accepting submissions from UK female-identifying comic artists until January 13, 2018. The selected winner will receive £2,000, and five runner-ups will receive £200 and a one-on-one critique session with an acclaimed graphic novelist. Submit 12 pages of a comic project for consideration.

The DiNKy Awards are now accepting submissions from creators.

Recent Webcomic Debuts

Crowdfunded Projects

NSFW! Iron Circus Comics‘ Smut Peddler Presents is running a Kickstarter to support the publication of CROSSPLAY: An Erotic Graphic Novel by Niki Smith. CROSSPLAY follows a group of friends reconnecting at an anime convention during their summer break from college. Relationships, gender, and sexuality are explored over 150 pages of black and pink comics. Tier options include digital and physical versions of CROSSPLAY, digital copies of other works by Niki Smith, and a bookplate. The Kickstarter ends on December 28.


The Black Magic Zine is running a crowdfunding campaign on IndieGogo to raise funds for production, fulfillment, and donation to the United Way of Genesee County’s Flint Water Fund. Over 35 black women and nonbinary artists contributed illustrations and comics of black women in the fantasy genre. Tier options include digital and physical versions of the zine, stickers, prints, and an enamel pin. The campaign ends on January 9, 2018.


inkbot

InkBot is running a crowdfunding campaign through IndieGoGo to launch their upcoming indie comic monthly subscription service. InkBot finds the best of the small press independent comic scene and ships those books to readers who may have never otherwise discovered the work. Tier options include low-cost subscription rates at 1-, 3-, and 6-month tiers, stickers, and a lifetime membership for $1000. This crowdfunding campaign ends on January 12, 2018.


plume

Comic creator K. Lynn Smith is running a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the production of Plume: The Omnibus. The book collects all 4 volumes – 480 pages – of the hit webcomic series in full-colored soft- and hardcover formats. Tier options include digital and physical copies of the book in soft- or hardcover, t-shirts, enamel pins, prints, commissions, and more. The Kickstarter ends on January 12, 2018.

 

General

Did you or will you table in an artist alley in the US this year? Take the 2017 Artist Alley Convention Survey here.

The Comic Tea Party is a weekly book club for webcomics. Participate in the Discord chat weekly on Thursdays at 5pm to 7pm PST. Sign your comic up for a chance to have it read and discussed in the group!

Format shared this article about major publications and their rates for illustrators. Submit your experiences to expand what we know about rates!

New Visions is also accepting anonymous information about editorial illustration pay.

If you’re an artist who uses the internet to further your career, fill out this survey!

Are you a comic critic or journalist? Take this survey!

Animation group Submarine Studios is seeking a composer for their third student film. Applications close January 3, 2018.

Animation

You can find a directory of currently open animation jobs at animatedjobs.com!

Comics, Illustration, and More

  • Threadless is accepting design submissions with the theme of “horoscopes” through today, December 22 and “All the Feels” through January 3. You can submit designs outside of contests anytime here.
  • Little Powers is accepting applications from writer-artist teams and comic artists through December 25. Proceeds will be donated to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
  • illozine is accepting submissions for their Winter issue through December 29.
  • StArt Faire is accepting submissions for issue 22 through December 29.
  • Queerly Represent Me is accepting submissions of writing and art pertaining to queer representation in video games and any related intersections of diverse representation and expression in media until December 31. Accepted submissions will be collected into a zine and contributors will receive evenly split compensation depending on funds raised.
  • FAMILIAR is accepting comic submissions through January 1, 2018. Proceeds will be donated to a dog shelter in Krakow, Poland.
  • Weekly Shonen Jump is holding a Universal Manga Contest with MediBang! They’ve even made a free new program, Jump Paint, to help illustrate and tone your creation. You can submit up to 5 entries in any genre at a length of 55 pages or less. Submissions are due January 5, 2018.
  • Knock Knock, the Tech Noir edition, is accepting submissions of illustrations, comics and prose involving technology and futurism through January 26, 2018.
  • Being True (or How I Learned to Love Myself) is accepting proposals from LGBTQ+ comic creators through January 31, 2018.
  • Volume 5 of the Lilies Anthology: Tiger Lily is accepting comics about self-love through February 14, 2018.
  • Hellcat Press is accepting pitches for horror anthology Screams Heard ‘Round the World through February 28, 2018. Accepted entrants will receive $20 and a free copy of the final book.
  • The Myriad First Graphic Novel Competition is accepting applications from artists and writers who have not yet published a complete graphic novel. Applications close February 28, 2018.
  • Transcendant Transgressions: Dark Visions of Trans Artists is accepting applications from transgender, non-binary and intersex visual artists, illustrators, writers and poets, musicians and filmmakers whose works emphasize dark surrealism through February 28, 2018. Proceeds will be donated to Trans Lifeline.
  • The Oneshi Press Quarterly Anthology accepts progressive comic and illustration work on a quarterly basis. Their next due date is March 1, 2018. Contributors are paid through quarterly royalties and surrender first right of publication and right of first refusal after publication.
  • 24 Panels is accepting submissions of 24 panels or less from comic artists through March 31, 2018. They’re also seeking a comics editor! Proceeds will be donated to the mental health care of survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire.
  • GJB Publishing is accepting applications from illustrators who live with mental health issues for Colours of the Mind through March 31, 2018.
  • The Silent Manga Audition‘s 9th competition event is accepting submissions through March 31, 2018. This SMA has a limit of 16 pages or less and a choice of three themes to select from. Comic submissions should be silent and without dialogue.


Check out Arts for LA, College Art Opportunities, or Graphic Competitions for more exhibition, residency, and grant opportunities. See Find Anthologies for a list of anthologies with open submissions and to submit anthologies of your own. Chris Arrant regularly shares location-based jobs in comics (mostly editorial, office, or design work). Check the #ComicJobs hashtag! Check Comic Ops to see opportunities specifically for comic creators. Zine Submissions and Zine Scene have great lists of zines, too!

Conventions and Events

Con or Bust has free tickets available for people of color for a number of upcoming conventions, including ConFusion and WisCon 2018.

Conosaurus is LIVE! Browse cons by location, date, and other variables! Check it out and support their Patreon! Here’s their Weekly Digest #40! Need convention advice? Join #ConTalkTues every Tuesday at 8PM EST!


Here’s a list of international zine fests brought to you by ZINES!

Designers

I created a document where people who have skills in web design and are willing and able to assist comic creators in creating their own websites can list themselves. Feel free to add your name, examples, and prices!

Fan Zines

Looking for more fan zines to submit to? Check out Find Anthologies and ZineAppCalls for more! Have a finished zine project you want to advertise? Check out Zine RTer!

Mentorships & Fellowships

The Editor – Writer Mentorship for Diverse Writers is accepting applications from unpublished, underrepresented writers through January 21, 2018.

The Representation Matters Mentorship Program is accepting applications on a rolling basis from self-identified people of color interested in the publishing industry. Mentorships will last 6 months, with a minimum of one session every two months.

Residencies, Retreats, and Workshops

Check out the Alliance of Art CommunitiesArts for LA, College Art Opportunities for exhibition, residency, and grant opportunities.

Scholarships, Sponsorships, and Grants

  • The Soros Equality Fellowship seeks to reward $100,000 to emerging mid-career applicants pursuing innovative projects focused on racial justice. Applications are due by December 20.
  • The Will Eisner Graphic Novel Growth Grant is accepting applications from libraries with ALA memberships seeking to expand their current graphic novel collections and services. The Will Eisner Graphic Novel Innovation Grant is accepting applications from libraries with ALA memberships who would like to initiate a graphic novel program. Applications for both are due January 26, 2018.
  • Three Coretta Scott King Book Donation Grants are open for applications from underfunded libraries, schools, and sources of child education through January 30, 2018.
  • The Creators for Creators Grant for $30,000 is accepting applications from single artists or writer/artist duos to support the creation of original comics work. Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2018.

Check out Arts for LA, College Art Opportunities, this list by Donathin Frye, or this list by ProFellow for grant opportunities.

Teaching

Sign up to teach at Skillshare to earn royalties based on the premium member students in your class. See here for additional information.

Typesetting

Digital Manga has positions open for freelance manga letterers.

Voice Acting

Check the Casting Call Club and Voice Acting Space for more voice acting and audio opportunities.

Writing and Editing


Check out writingcareer.com for a list of calls for submission!

Youth

  • Ms. magazine is seeking pitches from 14-19 year old girl-identifying teens focusing on issues facing teen girls and the activism of teen girls working to solve the issue. Selected contributors will be paid $100 for their published articles.

Comics Club highlights and connects comic clubs and shares advice and resources to help youth comic creators.

Natalie “Tally” Nourigat offers advice & resources for young cartoonists ages 14-18 (although this is good advice for creators at any age)!

The NewPages Young Writers Guide for artists and writers shares publications seeking applications from youth contributors.

Resources

Deals

Remember to check ComiXologyDick Blick, Jerry’s Art-A-Rama, JoannMichael’s, and RightStuf for their weekly ads, coupons, and specials on comics and art supplies.

Giveaways


That’s it for this week! Look out for another post next week with these categories and possibly more. Is there something you’d like to see more of? Something you know about but don’t see here? Let me know!

If you enjoy the Weekly Roundup, please consider supporting me through my Paypal or Ko-Fi. Thank you to Tyler and Elizabeth for your tips! And thank you to Patrons A. D. Birch, Abdiwak, Alakotila, Alexia, Alison, Amber, Ash, Becca, Becca H., Candace, Elaine, Emm, Heidi, KaixJu, Kiwi, and Nika for your ongoing support!

Link to the previous Roundup: Weekly Roundup – December 16, 2017

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