Strange Gruel
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  • Book 1
  • Book 2
  • Book 3
  • The Artists
  • More Oddness...
    • Strange Gruel 4
    • Thread Magazine
    • Haunt of the Bizarre
    • Videos
    • Strange Survey
  • Contests
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  • Contact

Call for Submissions

Artists and writers, 
want to get your work published in upcoming editions of Strange Gruel? Here‘s how...

We are on the hunt for original stories from like-minded creators, featuring characters that reflect a vintage perspective. If you believe you’ve got what it takes to write or illustrate weird or fantastical stories without the modern technical overkill; the kind of stories that could have been published in a classic pulp magazine from the 1930s or 40s, or appeared on an episode of the original Twilight Zone TV series, then we’d love to hear from you! 

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR:
ARTISTS - Someone who has enough talent to turn an existing script into an illustrated “comic-strip” format, has an interesting style and a fairly-accomplished skill set. 
WRITER/ARTISTS - Someone who has written and illustrated their own original short story and is looking for a printed publication to put it in. 
ORIGINAL, UNPUBLISHED WORK - We only want your stuff, that you created and that isn't based on someone’s creation and that you haven’t given permission for anyone else to publish.

WHAT WE’RE NOT REALLY LOOKING FOR:
WRITERS ONLY - Sorry! We’ve got enough of our own crazy story ideas to keep us busy for a long time.

​WHAT WE DON’T WANT TO SEE: 
  • Superheroes! That’s not our cup of gruel. 
  • Avoid pitching long-form series or stories. We want short stories only, ideally between 6 and 10 pages. 
  • Excessive violence or explicit sexual situations. Exhibit some taste. Suggest, don’t show. Sorry Quentin Tarantino wannabes, this isn’t for you. 
  • We are not accepting any prose or poetry—illustrated-strip style stories only!

​THE NITTY-GRITTY:
- The submission period for the next edition of Strange Gruel will be open from now until November 4, 2016.
- All submissions should be submitted electronically through our Submittable site, located here. Any physical submissions will be destroyed without reading. Please do not email (or tweet at) editors directly with pitches. It will just make us grumpy.
- All submissions should should have your name, email and phone number on every page. They should also begin with a cover letter telling us who you are, who your project is for and how it fits at Strange Gruel. Also feel free to include any previously published comics work or comic-related education.
- Expect a response to your submission within one month. Everyone will get a response but not all responses will be personalized—we simply don’t have the time to do so. 

 SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Artists: 
- Submissions should be:
- A portfolio with at least eight sequential storytelling pages with FINAL LINE ART / INKS. No pencils, just final inks [or the digital equivalent] by you.
- No covers, pinups, etc. SEQUENTIALS ONLY. We only care about your ability to tell a story. Adding pin-ups of Marvel/DC superhero characters are not an opportunity to wow us, it’s mostly just wasting our time. Again, SEQUENTIALS ONLY.
Writer/Artists: 
- Pitches or submissions should be:
- A logline - [what’s the idea/concept]
- A one-page synopsis / overview - A short summary that contextualizes who your project is for and how it fits into the marketplace
- A 3-5 page outline - give us the full beginning, middle and end of your story so we can see your execution.
- A sample script containing at least two scenes, consisting of at least eight pages and no more than twenty pages.
- At least 8 sample pages of sequentials from the project being pitched.
- Note: The creative team in your pitch is the one we expect to see actually working on your book. No switcheroos!
 - Colorists:
- Submissions should be:
- A portfolio with at least eight pages, containing at least two different scenes, from at least two different artists.
 * Sorry, we are not currently taking submissions from pencillers, inkers, or letterers.
 That’s it! We hope to hear from you soon.
 Sincerely,
The Oni Press Editorial Team
.
Strange Gruel: Art, Comics & Other Oddities  ​Copyright © 2016-2022 strangegruel.com. All rights reserved.
  • Book 1
  • Book 2
  • Book 3
  • The Artists
  • More Oddness...
    • Strange Gruel 4
    • Thread Magazine
    • Haunt of the Bizarre
    • Videos
    • Strange Survey
  • Contests
  • News & Events
  • Contact