Open to Women & Underrepresented Creators
Accepting 20-24 Page Original Comic Book Scripts
Submissions Now Closed

Elevating marginalized voices in comic books!

Our Spaces Comic Book Writing Competition gives diverse and underrepresented creators, with stories focusing on diverse characters, an opportunity to grow their professional connections and learn what it takes to thrive in the comic book industry.

We welcome creators from diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to people of color, immigrants, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and all those who have been historically marginalized. Your unique stories and perspectives enrich our community, and we eagerly invite you to share your voices and experiences with us.

Our grand prize winner receives mentorship from three industry professionals. Learn how to pitch to publishers, work with editors, create the career of your dreams, and tell the stories the world needs most!

Submission Windows & Cost

  • SUBMISSION COST: $35

  • SUBMISSIONS NOW CLOSED

Announcements

  • FINALISTS: June 23

  • WINNER: June 30

Benefits

1 Grand Prize Winner

  • Three 1-hour mentoring sessions

  • Bio & script synopsis featured on website

2 Runner-Ups

  • 1-hour mentoring sessions with Negative Space

  • Script synopsis featured on website

Submission Windows & Cost

  • SUBMISSION COST: $35

  • SUBMISSIONS NOW CLOSED

  • WINNER ANNOUNCED: June 30

1 Grand Prize Winner

  • Three 1-hour mentoring sessions

  • Bio & script synopsis featured on website

2 Runner-Ups

  • 1-hour mentoring sessions with Negative Space

  • Script synopsis featured on website

2024 Mentors

Jamal Igle
Comic Book Writer & Artist

Jamal is a comic industry veteran whose pencils graced hits such as G.I. JOE, IRON MAN, and SPIDER-MAN. Jamal served as series artist for popular runs on NIGHTWING, SUPERMAN, and ZATANNA for DC Comics, and NEW WARRIORS for Marvel. He is the creator of MOLLY DANGER for Action Lab Entertainment and co-creator of VENTURE with Dynamo 5.

Along with Jamal’s creative work, Jamal helps guide the next generation of comics creators as an adjunct professor at his alma matter, THE SCHOOL OF VISUAL ARTS in NYC. Jamal is the recipient of the 2011 Inkpot Award for outstanding achievement in Comic Art.

Brittany Matter Headshot

Brittany Matter
Comic Book Editor & Writer

Brittany Matter (she/her) is a comics editor and writer who contributes to Marvel.com and Second Rocket. She loves helping creators polish their work and has edited published comics, such as Amelia Sky, Super Best Friend, Hellbent, and Miranda in the Maelstrom. Brittany has been mentor in Negative Space’s 2023 Women’s Comic Book Writing Competition.

You can find Brittany via linktr.ee/brittanymatter.

Andrew Drilon
Comic Book Writer & Artist

Andrew Drilon is an independent writer & artist based in New York. He’s currently working on several DC Comics projects (SHAZAM! Fury of the Gods, DC Pride 2023) as well as his creator-owned comic series Secret Heart Attack. He is a recipient of the Neil Gaiman Philippine Graphic/Fiction Award for his comic, Lines and Spaces. His first book, Kare-Kare Komiks, won the Manila Critics Circle National Book Award. Since 2020, he’s been chronicling his journey as a comics creator on the YouTube channel, Comicbooker.

Instagram: @andrewdrilon

Competition Rules

Rules

  • This comic book writing competition is open to any-and-all diverse or underrepresented creators.

    What do we mean by diverse or underrepresented creators? We want stories from those who have been historically marginalized, those who don’t see themselves in the comics they read — women, people of color, people with disabilities, people who are LGBTQ+ and/or people of a non-dominant religion. We want the voices that have been unrepresented, oftentimes silenced, in comics (and society) for way too long.

    If you have questions, additions, concerns, etc., please don’t hesitate to reach out to me, Nahuel Fanjul-Arguijo, Co-Founder of Negative Space Comics.

  • Applicants will submit an original 20-24 page comic book long-form script — can be first issue of a series, a one-shot, or pages from a longer graphic novel.

  • Scripts must be the original work of the author and cannot be adapted from existing property. You must have rights to the work, characters, and story.

  • 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.

  • Please include a title page with your submission. This page should have your full name, your email address, the title of your script, and a short synopsis/summary of your comic book (like the logline).

  • Scripts that have been picked up by a publisher, produced for a profit, or are currently under option are not eligible.

  • Writing teams can submit, but they should submit under one name and only submit once (you will be able to specify if the project is co-written within the submission form). The writers are responsible for the distribution of the competition prizes.