After a short break, Hallowzine is back! Aquatic Panda Distro is organizing the 6th installment in the Chicago horror comic anthology series. This one titled IT CAME FROM HALLOWZINE! Sign ups are open right now for cartoonists based in the Chicagoland area. We are looking for comics artists of all skill levels. Sign up today! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
Not sure this project is for you? Check out the guidelines below.
Chicago’s premiere horror comic anthology is back! Aquatic Panda Distro is calling all Chicago Area comic artists to contribute to It Came From Hallowzine.
What is Hallowzine?
Hallowzine is a Halloween/Horror themed comics anthology.
What can my comic be about?
While the title of the book will be “It Came From Hallowzine”, the only requirement for the theme of your comic is that it is Halloween or Horror related. We hope to have various different styles and tones of story represented: silly, scary, sweet, etc. While NSFW artwork is allowed, we are asking artists to keep it rated R or under. Please no explicit sex or sexual violence.
Who can submit?
Any creator currently living in the greater Chicagoland area may submit. We are interested in artists of all skill levels. College students, beginners, and experienced comic artists are all welcome! We only ask that your final comic be “finished” artwork. The finals should not be in thumbnail form or just be stick figures.
Process:
Let’s do this! The first thing you need to do is sign up to let Aquatic Panda know that you are interested in being a part of It Came From Hallowzine. You will fill out a short survey/google form and download a copy of the contract. Contracts are required to submit. The contract is basic and just gives Aquatic Panda the permission to print and distribute your submitted art for this book only. All rights of the artwork will remain that of the artists. Sign ups for the anthology close on March 9th. We will send out emails once signups close to confirm we received your application and remind you of the next steps.
From there, you get to start thinking, writing and drawing. Aquatic Panda has a few checkpoints to help keep you on track.
We will ask you to submit a concept and a few rough sketches. Depending on your process this may look different from artist to artist. You may show us your script and a few character sketches or rough layout thumbs. At the very least we ask for a few sentences describing what your comic is about. It’s fine if you don’t have all the details ironed out yet. Concepts/Story Ideas are due by March 30th.
Next we would like to see some more detailed artwork. Artwork does not need to be finished, but we would like to be able to see and understand the general look and idea of your comic. This can be detailed thumbnails or rough pencils. Pencils/Thumbnails are due by April 27th.
The last step is the final pages. This should be your finished artwork. By finished we mean “inked” final art and final dialogue (if any). Finished artwork may look different depending on artist style. Please edit and double check your work. The final book will be printed in black and white/grayscale. When you send the finals be sure they look like what you want them to look like in the final book. If you want the title, your name, or social media on your comic page you must add that to your artwork (there will be a table of contents). Final pages are due June 22nd.
Can I collaborate with another artist or writer?
Yes! You may work with another artist or writer, but this must be arranged by you before signing up for the anthology. In the signup survey there will be a question about working with a collaborator. Please enter the name of your collaborator. You and your collaborator must fill out the survey separately and you both must sign your own contract.
What is the page limit for submissions?
Your comic should be between 1 and 5 pages long. This limit is to keep it manageable for our time frame and to keep printing costs manageable. If you feel your story needs to be longer and it is reasonable that you can get it done in time please email us to get approval. Page extensions may be available depending on the number of signups and will be given on a first come first served basis.
Technical Specs:
What is the required page size, resolution, image mode, and file format?
Regardless of medium or method you are using to draw your comic, your final pages must meet these specifications:
● Page size: 5.5 inches by 8.5 inches (safe zone: 4.8903 in x 8.0278 in)
● Resolution: 300 dpi/ppi
● Image mode: Grayscale
● File Format: .TIF, Flattened layers, no Alpha channels, LZW compression. (Note that some art programs do not export to .TIF - if that is the case with your program, please let us know)
● If you plan to use screen tones, please contact us BEFORE applying them so we can provide the proper output guideline.
What do I get out of this?
All creators will receive 5 free copies of the book and will have the opportunity to purchase more copies of the book, at printing cost. If you wish to purchase additional copies this needs to be arranged prior to the printing of the book. We will reach out to creators about this opportunity once the book is ready to be sent to the printer. Once the book is back from the printers we will host a book release party with free food for all the contributing artists and their guests.
Who payin’ for this?
As you may know, printing is quite expensive. Aquatic Panda Distro has applied for a handful of grants in an attempt to procure funding. We should know for sure in the next few months if one of those grants will pay out. If not, we will be crowdfunding this book. We are hoping to raise $3,000 to pay for printing and to ship out any copies that need to be shipped. If for some reason the goal is not met, Aquatic Panda will foot the bill, but may result in a cut down of the print run. Regardless, this book will get made!
What happens to the rest of the books?
All extra copies are sold in local stores, conventions and distributed by Aquatic Panda to fund more cool projects like this one!
Timelines:
Hallowzine Official Announcement..January 31st
Signups end……………………...….March 9th
Concept art and story ideas due.....March 30th
Rough sketches..............................April 27th
Final Deadline…………………...….June 22nd
