Time for another weekly roundup! Here I’ll 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!
As a note: I am not sponsored by any company, group, or individual listed below or elsewhere on this site.
Awards
The 3rd Annual Autostraddle Comic and Sequential Art Awards are now accepting votes until midnight PST on September 24. Here’s more on the awards:
The stated goal of the Autostraddle Comic and Sequential Art Awards, also known as the ACSAs, is to recognize and celebrate webcomics, graphic zines, comic books, graphic novels and other forms of sequential art that come out each year between September 1st of the previous year and August 31st of that year that feature both excellence in the art form and excellence in representation for girls and women (especially queer girls and women) and feminist themes.
(from the article here written by Autostraddle staff writer Mey.)
Check out the nominees and vote for your favorites! Women have always been a part of the comics industry and deserve all the recognition they can get.
Crowdfunded Projects
Love! Love! Fighting! Vol. 3 Series Finale – Ends today!
The Kickstarter for the final volume of Love! Love! Fighting! by S. Morishita ends today at 2:30PM PST! I’ll quote an article from Black Nerd Problems to explain what makes this series so great:
Love! Love! Fighting! tells the story of two people, one beautiful by societal standards and the other typically rejected, and proudly proclaims, “Yes, attraction happens here. Black women deserve more than just ogling or sympathy, we can and deserve to be loved both by other people and ourselves.” Add all this to an art style that’s fluid and easy on the eyes with a storyline that’s just the right amount of drama and humor and you can see why supporting this comic will not only bless your entire life, but the lives of Blerd women everywhere.
Thank you, Lauren Bullock! (Find her on twitter here.)
Tiers are available for PDF or printed copies of the book and its first two volumes, and at a great value. Please support this heartfelt and groundbreaking comic made by a hardworking and kind-hearted #ComicMom!
Power and Magic: The Queer Witch Comic Anthology launched its Kickstarter this week! From the Kickstarter, here is a summary of the intent and purpose of Power and Magic:
POWER & MAGIC is a comics anthology about queer witches of color for teens and adults ages 14-and-up. The book is over 160 pages long, black and white, and contains 15 original stories blending fantasy, drama, humor, and romance.
On January 27th, I asked if any women of color out there were interested in making comics about queer witches of color, an archetype near and dear to me… The answer was a resounding yes. POWER & MAGIC is brought to you by a team of 17 women, demigirls, and bigender creators of color.
The witch is an icon of power. She represents transcendence, healing, insight, defiance, feminine monstrosity, and a sacred relationship to the self, the community, and the universe. From the euphoria of holding the stars in your grasp, to the sacrifices we make to reach them, POWER & MAGIC explores what it means to be a person of power in all its complexity.
Tier options include PDF or paperback versions of the comic anthology, a postcard print set, a bookplate, and commissions from the artists involved.
P is for President Coloring and Activity Book is running a Kickstarter. To quote the Kickstarter page:
This limited edition coloring and activity book features 40 pages of adorable illustrations and fun activities for hours of enjoyment. Each page features a different career option such as astronaut, heavy metal guitarist, video game developer and more!
The original A to Z Guide to Jobs For Girls features both traditional and nontraditional career options for women in all fields, with an emphasis on STEM, the arts, and athletics. The book is designed to promote both literacy and female empowerment for young girls.
The P is for President Coloring and Activity Book reinforces those ideals, while incorporating interactive elements such as mazes, word searches, and other activities for hours of fun!
Tier options include PDFs or paperback of the coloring book and the book it’s based on, totebags, stickers, commissions, and more. This looks like a great gift for the young people in your life, so as the holidays approach, consider backing this positive and encouraging Kickstarter!
Sweaty Palms – The Anthology About Anxiety
To quote from the Kickstarter page itself:
Sweaty Palms is an autobiographical comics anthology about anxiety. The book contains more than 350 beautiful pages of black and white comics by 50 incredible indie cartoonists. We’ve collected their stories to present a very intimate and comprehensive look at what it’s like living with anxiety.
This anthology is our way of helping to destigmatize mental illness. As cartoonists, we can’t think of a better medium for the job! Visual storytelling gives a face to abstract things, like anxiety, which can be very difficult or painful to convey otherwise. It is our hope that readers will connect with the stories and know that they aren’t alone.
The twitter and tumblr accounts for the Sweaty Palms anthology have been sharing previews of the works to be published to build up anticipation and excitement, and it’s definitely working on me. Be sure to give them a look! Tier options for the Kickstarter include PDFs or hard copies of the zine, an mp3, prints, and more.
La Raza Anthology: Unidos Y Fuerte
For a summary of the project, I quote the Kickstarter page:
La Raza Anthology: Unidos y Fuerte is a collection of works celebrating and analyzing our experiences with cultures from Latin America. Tired of the very little Latinx representation in the art scene, we created La Raza Anthology as a way to give creators proper recognition & chance to address important issues that matter to us.
Tier options may include PDF and/or hard copy versions of the anthology, postcards, prints, pins, tote bags, charms, or commissions.
Creative Opportunities
Animation
DHX Animation Studios is seeking hires for a number of positions and skill sets. Jobs based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Nickelodeon Animation Studios is seeking hires for a number of positions and skill sets.
You can find a directory of currently open animation jobs at animatedjobs.com!
Comics, Illustration, and More
#Trans – An Anthology About Transgender and Nonbinary Identity Online is accepting submissions until October 31, 2016. Creative non-fiction, personal narratives, or a mix of both are welcome, with a length of 1000-4000 words. Check out the tumblr page for more information or to ask questions.
Lilies Anthology, a lesbian/female/queer romance- and sexuality-focused compilation of comics and art, is seeking submissions for their second issue. The theme of this issue is stars, outer space, and the night sky. Submissions are due by September 25. Read their submission guidelines here.
StArt Faire magazine is hosting a Halloween Contest where winners have a chance to be featured in issues 8 and 9 of their monthly online comic magazine. Rules can be found here. Submissions are due by October 29th, 2016.
StArt Faire magazine also accepts comics, reviews, prose and art-related advertising in their magazine for free. Read here for more information. Submissions for the upcoming issue are due September 29. They’re also on the lookout for a regular interviewer! It’s amazing that so much work is being compiled into a free magazine, so be sure to offer thanks and feedback if you can.
The Silent Manga Audition is running a competition with cash and publishing rewards. The theme for this competition is “childhood.” Comic entries must be textless and read in right-to-left format. Submissions are due by September 30, 2016.
SmithMicro is accepting requests to be an Official Smith Micro Influencer. Promote your work to followers of Official Smith Micro and compete with other influencers for prizes of Amazon giftcards and programs. In exchange, offer feedback to the product team, create content for the Smith Micro blog, and promote Moho, Poser, and Clip Studio Paint product announcements. If you’re a heavy user and promoter of Clip Studio Paint already, this might be a great opportunity!
Sparkler Monthly, which just released an issue full of comics, prose, and a visual novel game for free download, is seeking submissions as a direct result of their successful Kickstarter campaign last month. Submissions guidelines are available here. Supplementary assurances and explanations were discussed in this twitter thread here. Short story prose and comics short and long are welcome. Submissions are due by September 30, 2016.
Conventions
Anime Los Angeles tables go up for sale today at noon! I’m really hoping to get one. Fingers and toes crossed!
The Colorado Anime Fest is accepting applications for its Artist Alley until September 30, 2016. Half and full tables are available.
The very first Indigenous Comic Con is taking place in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the National Hispanic Cultural Center November 18-20, 2016. From the con website:
The Indigenous Comic Con seeks to highlight the amazing work that brings understanding about the Indigenous experience to the world of popular culture! The action begins Friday afternoon and continues through Sunday evening! Everyone is welcome!
At this time, artist alley booths, regular booths, and preferred booths are all sold out, but demand may lead to additional space opening up. If you’re in the area, consider attending to this new and inclusive comic con to support its guests and vendors!
The New Orleans Comics and Zines Fest taking place on November 19 and 20 is accepting applications until October 15, 2016. The festival is a free 2-day event at the New Orleans Public Library. Tables are free of charge to residents of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and out-of-state residents can expect to pay between $10 and $30 for a table.
The Toronto Comic Arts Festival taking place May 12, 13, and 14, 2017, is accepting applications until October 14, 2016. If you exhibited last year, be aware that artists are requested to exhibit every other year. More details about applying can be found here. The application itself can be found here. If you’re a Canadian artist exhibitor hopeful, you can apply here for a travel grant to attend.
YaoiCon is looking for a few more artists to fill their vacant tables for next weekend (September 16-18) – or at least they were on September 2. Tables at California conventions get snatched up quick, so don’t get too invested this close to the convention. If you’re in the San Jose area and are a fujoshi or queer fan of art and comics, I’d give it a look!
Writing
Handtype Press is seeking submissions from writers who are deaf or hard of hearing. Stories should be at least 500 words and at most 4000 words, with elements of science fiction, horror, fantasy, the supernatural, and/or magical realism. Submissions are due by December 31, 2016.
HelloGiggles is seeking more daily contributors. Email gina@hellogiggle.com for more information.
Women Write About Comics is seeking 4 women or nonbinary reviewers for manga and webcomics. Write 2 short reviews or 1 long review per month, collaborate in roundtables and projects when you can, attend events for WWAC as press, and more. Send a short bio with links to your past work to editors@wwacomics.com and talk about when you can bring to the table.
Book Smugglers Publishing is seeking submissions for an anthology on the theme of Gods and Monsters. Length must be between 1500 and 17,500 words in length. Payment is $0.06 per word, up to $500. Submissions are due by December 31, 2016.
Less Than Three Press is seeking prose submissions revolving around the theme of knights. Submissions need to be at least 10,000 words without exceeding about 20,000 words in length. Works must feature relationships that are not cisgender M/F and do include a happy ending. All sub-genres welcome. Read submission details here. Submissions are due by September 30, 2016.
Mentioned above: Sparkler Monthly is seeking prose, and StArt Faire Magazine is seeking interviewers, reviews, and prose.
Check out writingcareer.com for a list of calls for submission!
Resources
Artist Meredith Dillman posted a blog comparing metallic watercolors with photo comparisons, swatches, in-depth review. Truly a valuable resource for those who are particular about the look and quality of their paints. Thank you so much, Meredith!
Author Jenn Grunigen posted a blog about her pitch and the submission process of her novel, Skyglass, to Sparkler Monthly. Those of you curious about the pitching process and professional editing for publication, especially in light of this month’s call for submissions from Sparkler Monthly, will gain a lot of insight from reading through the article. Thank you, Jenn, for your honesty and openness about your experiences!
Twitter user calienteokami made an exhaustive list of indie and webcomic reviewers, podcasts, publishers, events, and places to advertise, as well as common comic-related hashtags. Be sure to check it out, and add to the list if you see something missing! Thank you so much for this amazing resource, calienteokami!
The prolific Becca Hillburn of Nattosoup has released additional videos and blog posts in her ongoing series about comic creation and watercolors. There’s videos on Selecting Watercolor Brushes for Comics, the Best Brushpens for Illustration, and for alcohol-based art marker users, a video on Spectrum Noir G2 markers. She also collected her thoughts and tweets into posts reflecting on her past six years as a convention artist and on formal art education. Becca Hillburn is not only a provider of extensive, honest, and high-quality product reviews and tutorials, she’s a full-time comic artist and illustrator passionate about children’s lit and helping others. Check out her store, her book, or her Patreon and send her a “thank you” message if you can!
Jetpens released another guide on Fast-Drying Fountain Pen Inks, for those of you who ink traditionally or write in ink and worry about smudging. Check the guide to make sure that the ink doesn’t feather, if that’s a pet peeve of yours (it drives me bonkers!).
New York Times Bestselling comics writer Hope Larson uploaded the script for Goldie Vance #1 on Gumroad for free. If you’ve wanted to write for comics, but weren’t sure where to start, here’s an example of how a renowned comics writer works. Since the script is up on Gumroad, you can choose what you want to pay. Consider adding a “tip” as a “thank you” if you can!
Deals
SmithMicro Software is having a sale on its Clip Studio Paint (also known as Manga Studio 5) software until September 13, 2016. The Clip Studio Paint Pro version of the program is available for $25 (reg. $47.99) and Clip Studio Paint EX is available for $87 (reg. $209.99). Clip Studio Paint is a popular program amongst comic artists internationally, understandably so for its low price point compared to popular Adobe art programs as well as its incredible features. This is a limited time offer, but happens semi-annually, so it’s likely the deal will come up again. Comic artist Amy Stoddard has several videos on her Youtube channel on how to use and utilize the program, so be sure to check it out!
ZapCreatives is offering 15% off custom sticker sheets & custom metallic acrylic charms using code “zap15”. Twitter users can also retweet this tweet for a chance to win 50 clear acrylic charms! I haven’t used their services before, but you can check out what other artists have made through ZapCreatives on their twitter account.
That’s it for this week! Look up for another post next week with these categories and possibly more. Is there something you’d like to see more of? Let me know!
Link to last week’s Roundup: Weekly Roundup – September 2, 2016
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