We are thrilled to share that Difference Engine is inviting writers and illustrators to submit story pitches to our comics anthology, which will be published in 2025!
They are looking for comics that are:
- Original fiction of any genre in the theme of “delay”
- Inspired by Southeast Asia
- 10-20 pages long
- Black & White
- Written in the English language
Creators must be:
- Living in Southeast Asia
- Of Asian descent
- Aged 18 and above upon submission
There will be two rounds of selection – Round 1 (Call for Submissions) and Round 2 (Further Development).
Stories selected for publication will receive a page rate of US$30.
The deadline for Round 1 is 26 April 2024, 11.59pm GMT +8.
DELAY: A Comics Anthology is an initiative to develop and showcase the talents of local and regional creators. Coming on board as guest editors are Charis Loke and Paolo Chikiamco, both veterans in the Southeast Asian comics industry.
About our guest editors:
Charis Loke has been found drawing book covers, fantasy maps, board games, street protests, in the jungle, on a boat, and by a glacier. As an editor and curator, she’s worked with close to a hundred Southeast Asian comic creators and artists, including co-editing SOUND: A Comics Anthology, published by Difference Engine. She’s illustrated for Netflix, Orbit, Macmillan, Subterranean Press, and Mekong Review, among others, and has an MA in Visual Sociology with an interest in mapping as arts research.
Paolo Chikiamco, from the Philippines, is a writer of prose, comics, and interactive fiction. His prose has been published in anthologies such as The Sea is Ours and The Best of Philippine Speculative Fiction, and his interactive wrestling novel Slammed! was released by Choice of Games. As an editor, he put together Alternative Alamat, an anthology of stories that reimagine Philippine myth and folklore. As a comics writer, he has co-created titles such as Mythspace, Muros, and A Sparrow’s Roar, and has been a Category Judge for the Graphic Literature category of the Philippine National Book Awards.
We will also be running information sessions about the Open call. Hear from the editors and the DE team and chat with them in our virtual open call info sessions. These sessions will cover the following, and more.
- Introductions to Difference Engine, the DE team, and the anthology’s editors
- What the theme DELAY means to us, and inspiration for potential stories
- Insight into the editorial process contributors can look forward to
- Tips on preparing a compelling and comprehensive submission
- Q&A
Session 1: Wed 20 March 2024, 8pm to 9pm GMT + 8, via Zoom
(https://peatix.com/event/3867214/view?k=0bd04acb2baa38f3a7cea590787803f223726a67)
Session 2: Sat 6 April 2024, 3pm to 4pm GMT + 8, via Zoom
(https://peatix.com/event/3867219/view?k=6ef628234c6c9565e59cbe84bcb303cb37991fe3)
Both sessions will cover similar content. However, the Q&A may of course vary, depending on the questions raised by attendees.
To find out more submission specifics, click on this link: www.differenceengine.sg/delay
So fire up that idea that’s been on the backburner or pull out the work-in-progress that has been stalled for some time. Whatever it is, don’t delay! ⏰