Accepting 4-8 Page Finished Short Comics
Submissions Now Closed

Let’s see your finished short comics!

Competition is open to fully finished short comics of all genres. Individual creators or full creative teams are welcome to submit their projects.

The grand prize winner will receive 1-hour mentorship call from a mentor hand-picked for your needs as a creator or creative team, and 1 runner-up will receive a mentorship call with the Negative Space Co-Founders.

The winner and the top 10 finalists will all be featured in a digital anthology presented for everyone to enjoy!

Submission Windows & Cost

  • SUBMISSION COST: $25

  • SUBMISSIONS NOW CLOSED

Announcements

  • FINALISTS: September 16

  • WINNER: September 22

Benefits

1 Grand Prize Winner

  • 1-hour mentoring sessions with hand-picked mentor

  • Featured story in digital anthology!

1 Runner-Up & 8 Finalists

  • 1 Runner-Up: Mentoring session with Negative Space

  • All Finalists: Featured in Digital Anthology

Submission Windows & Cost

  • SUBMISSION COST: $25

  • SUBMISSIONS NOW CLOSED

1 Grand Prize Winner

  • 1-hour mentoring sessions with hand-picked mentor

  • Featured story in digital anthology!

1 Runner-Up & 8 Finalists

  • 1 Runner-Up: Mentoring session with Negative Space

  • All Finalists: Featured in Digital Anthology

2024 Judges

TLDR Comic Book Club Podcast Team

Joseph “Doc” Gilmore is a chiropractor by day and comic podcaster by night. Doc found himself unexpectedly traveling down the path of podcasting as a result of his passion for comics, as well as his appreciation for great art.

Nicholas Friar is an ex-college athlete turned sportswriter, and he also happens to have a passion for comics. He co-hosts the TLDR Comic Book Club podcast, which helped lead to his decision to finally create comics of his own.

 Follow TLDR Comic Book Podcast on Twitter

Akira Brown
Founder of WildStar Press

Akira is a Ringo and Ignatz nominated editor, writer, and founder of the indie publisher WildStar Press. They have worked with publishers like Saturday AM and EEP and have over five years of freelance experience. They hope to spread positive stories, especially relatable to marginalized identities, to push how important representation continues to be.

Follow Akira on Twitter

Zack Quaintance
Comic Book Writer & Journalist

Zack is a comic book writer and journalist. He most recently wrote the hit Kickstarter, Death of Comics Bookcase, Vol. 1, and is currently at work on Vol. 2. You can find his writing about the comics industry at The Beat.

Follow Zack on Twitter

Alex Dvorak
Writer & Negative Space Co-Founder

Alex is a multicultural graphic novelist, screenwriter, and journalist. She is the author of an original YA graphic novel with Mad Cave Studios, set to be published in 2025. As the daughter of immigrants from clashing cultures, a teenage cancer survivor, and a former runway model, Alex writes stories of teen rebellion based on real-life experiences with authenticity, dark humor, and heart.

Follow Alex on Twitter

Nahuel F.A.
Writer & Negative Space Co-Founder

Nahuel is an Argentinian writer, marketing professional at AWA Studios, and President of Negative Space Comics. He has edited and published three anthologies through Negative Space Comics, and is also the co-writer of a YA graphic novel with Mad Cave Studios’ Maverick imprint.

Follow Nahuel F.A. on Instagram

SHORT COMICS MENTOR

Mentoring for this competition works differently. Once we establish our winner, we will connect with the creative team to learn about where they are professionally. Then we will find a mentor that best fits the genre, next career steps, and overall career needs. We have a large circle of editors, professional writers and artists, agents, publishers, and more — we know that not every mentor is the best fit for every writer and/or creative team.

We hope that this format can lead to the best connections and career growth for our winner!

Competition Rules

Rules

  • This finished short comics competition is open to all creators in any genre. But we ask that all stories be aimed at young adult to adult audiences — no excessive adult situations or mature comics will be considered.

  • Applicants will submit an original 4-8 page fully drawn and lettered short comics. The comics can be color, black & white, or grayscale.

  • Comics must be the original work of the author and cannot be adapted from existing property. Comics must be created by humans — we do not accept AI work in either the written work or artists work. You must have rights to the work, characters, and story. The rights to the short comics will remain with the original creators, we at Negative Space Comics LLC take zero control over your story other than publishing it within our digital anthology for online distribution only.

  • You can submit multiple scripts. Each new submission requires a new application and fee.

  • Writers from all over the world can enter the competition, but scripts must be submitted in English.

  • Cover pages are not necessary for your submission — but if you do include a cover page it will NOT be counted towards your 4-8 page submission count. If you do not include a cover page, please include creators names and titles within the comic somewhere.

  • Scripts that have been picked up by a publisher, produced for a profit, or are currently under option are not eligible. Comics do not need to be produced specifically for this competition, they can be previously self-published, but nothing that has been published in another anthology or collection of any kind.

  • Creative teams can submit together, but they should only submit once for each story. You will need to note on the submission form each creator on the project and their title/involvement, and if the story advances, you will need to specify who will be present at the mentoring session should you win the contest.