Shout Out submissions are now closed.

TO Comix Press is starting up an exciting new anthology, and we want you to be a part of it!

Table of Contents

Specs
Payment
Submitting a Script
Applying as an Artist
Comic Formatting
Kickstarter
Milestones
Roles
Who We Are

What we’re looking for

Shout Out is an anthology of comics tales for queer readers aged 13-17, created entirely by queer creative teams, and featuring queer-identified teenage protagonists. The anthology is a collection of full-colour comics ranging from 2 to 12 pages, and covering a range of genres.

The Creators

All members of the creative team must identify as queer, and be willing to publicly identify as such, using whatever name and public identity they choose to publish under. Creators will not be under any pressure to be specific about their queer identity, but must be comfortable being acknowledged as a contributor to a book where all creators are identified as queer.

The Characters

The primary protagonist of each story must be a teenager (or a character who reads or presents as a teenager) who identifies as queer, or whose story speaks directly to a queer experience. That includes (and is not limited to) transgender, genderqueer, non-binary, gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, aromantic, two-spirit, intersex, and third sex identities and experiences, and any combination thereof.

We also encourage creators to consider other forms of diversity and representation, including and not limited to race and ethnicity, gender, ability, neurodiversity, body diversity, religion, and socioeconomic status.

The Stories

All stories must have a recognisable genre setting. One of the aims of the project is to show queer people occupying storytelling spaces that we have historically been excluded from, and that includes sci-fi, fantasy, and other genres. We welcome historical romance, sports romance, Westerns, steampunk, superheroes, Gothic horror, crime noir, fairy tale, high adventure, space opera, urban fantasy, et cetera.

We want creators to lean in to their strengths and their passions in their choices of genre settings.

We also want to focus on stories with uplifting or hopeful resolutions. We will consider pitches with downbeat or bittersweet endings, but we intend for the overall tone of the book to be positive.

Every story in the anthology will be chosen based on merit; it must meet an expected standard of quality based on the strength of the pitch and the evidence of the creators' previous works. Once we've chosen stories that meet those criteria, we will also consider the overall balance of the book in terms of diverse representation of characters, diverse representation of creators, and diversity of genre.

The Limits

Stories cannot be sexually or violently graphic, and cannot contain strong language or nudity. We want to avoid giving schools or libraries excuses to refuse to carry the book, or parents or guardians excuses to keep the book out of the hands of its intended audience.

However, stories can be about sex or romance, and can contain sexual themes. Young adult fiction is often concerned with these subjects, and we want to include these types of stories.

Specs

Dimensions:	6.75” x 10.25”
Release date:	May 2019
Length:	208 pages. +-150 pages of that will be artwork.
MSRP:	$25 CAD
Artwork:	300dpi CYMK full-colour pages submitted digitally.
Sales channels:	Kickstarter and conventions sales, as well as Chapters Indigo and local Toronto stores.

Payment

Writers will be paid $11 USD per page, to a maximum of $132 ( 12 pages ).
Artists will be paid $25 USD per page for pencils and inks, to a maximum of $300 ( 12 pages ).
Colorists will be paid $15 USD per page, to a maximum of $180 ( 12 pages ).

Creators who perform multiple roles will be paid for each, to a maximum of $612 ( 12 pages ).

If a script receives first-draft approval, even if it is not illustrated or included in the final book, the writer will be paid the page rate.

If a comic is drawn, but for content, quality or space reasons is not included in the final book, all creators involved will be paid for their work.

Free Books

All contributors will receive 3 free copies of the printed book, and will be able to order additional books at a reduced cost. The reduced cost will be about $8 a book.

Fast Track Bonus

If the comic is fully complete before October 1st, 2018, so that it can be used in marketing, each member of that creative team will receive an additional ten complimentary copies for a total of thirteen copies.

Payment Schedule

Creators will be paid one month after the Kickstarter completes, or Dec 1st 2018, whichever is first. Creators will still be paid if the Kickstarter fails.

Rights and ownership

Artists and writers retain all rights to their work, and give us indefinite reprint license to include it in this anthology and reprints, as well as for use in digital copies and marketing materials. You will always be credited for the work.

You’ll grant us the right of first publication until Jan 1st, 2020. After that, you can submit the piece to other anthologies, display it in your website, or distribute it however you please. If you need a special exemption, just give us a shout and we can work something out.

Submitting a Story Pitch

Applying as an Artist

Kickstarter

Shout Out is projected to cost $39,000 CAD. For the Kickstarter, we're going to ask for less to fund the project, and plan to exceed the goal.

We’ll be asking artists to donate pages or original artwork for the KS. We'll also be asking creators for process work and behind-the-scenes material to use in marketing.

What is the money spent on?

Creators	$16,000
Printing 1,500 copies	$15,000
Kickstarter supplies and shipping	$7,500
Marketing	$500
Total cost	$39,000

What if the Kickstarter fails?

If the goal is not met, creators will still be paid. We’ll look into printing a much smaller run of books - probably 500 or less - funded by the contributors.

Milestones

June 2018
June 10: Submissions close
June 24: Editors select pitches and request first script drafts.

July
July 8: First script drafts due
July 15: Editors return first drafts
July 22: Final scripts due.
July 29: Character designs due.

August
Aug 5: Editors send character design feedback.
Aug 19: Page thumbnails due.
Aug 26: Editors return thumbnail feedback.

September
Sep 16: Page pencils due
Sep 23: Editors return pencil feedback.

October
Oct 14: Page inks due
Oct 21: Editors return inks feedback

November
Nov 4: Page colours due
Nov 7: Kickstarter begins!
Nov 11: Editors return colours feedback

December
Dec 2: Letters due
Dec 5: Kickstarter ends.
Dec 9: Editors do final review.
-- holiday break --

January 2019
Jan 6: Book is sent to print.

February
Feb 17: Printed books arrive and fulfilment begins.

March
March 1: Project wrap!

Roles

Lead Editor ( Andrew Wheeler )

• Coordinate artists and writers


• Help pair artists and writers.


• Perform editorial duties as necessary


• Resolve conflicts

Editors ( Joamette Gil and BC Holmes )

• Stories will be paired with an editor, who will stay with a story until completion.


• Review pitches for acceptance


• Review first script drafts and help writers build strong pieces.


• Review process artwork.

Writers

• Write an email pitch


• Write a first draft for the editors to review


• If approved, write a final draft.


• Work with artists to create a great story.

Artists

• Work with their paired writer to develop character designs for the stories.


• Work with the story’s editor to create a great story.


• Create 2-12 pen and ink pages.


• If possible, letter those pages.

Colorists

• Colour 2-12 pages.

Who We Are

TO Comix Press publishes comics celebrating upcoming creators and diverse voices. We're dedicated to transparency, and helping build a supportive and kind comics community.

Since our founding in 2014, we’ve sold over 8,000 books and raised over $90,000 on Kickstarter. We’ve been nominated for the Gene Day Award for excellence in self-publishing in 2015, 2016, and 2017, and were also nominated for the Canadian Science Fiction & Fantasy Associations Aurora Award in 2016.