Open Submission: Vault Comics What You To See Your Creep Crawlies In Print
by Olly MacNamee
Here’s a novel idea from a comic book company that knows ‘novel’. Vault Comics have already made a name for themselves in producing very cool looking, and well-chosen homage covers for their second and third printings but now they’re giving their fans a chance at submitting their own creepy crawly parasite that could end up on one of their YA books, incorporated into the art.
The book in question is Bonding, written by Matthew Erman (Long Lost) and illustrated by artist Emily Pearson (The Wilds, Snap Flash Hustle) and published through their new YA venture, Myriad. Using the template provided on their webpage here, you can download, designs, submit your own slug-like parasite and cross your fingers and wait.
A man, a woman—and their parasites. Marcus has been alone since the loss of his closest friend and has just recently entered the dating scene, while Laura has drifted in and out of relationships since high school. They meet and strike up a good rapport, learning about each other, friendship, and how to deal with the slug-like parasites that have infected humanity. Bonding is a funny, quirky, and honest look at love, in a world where people wear their anxieties, not on their sleeves, but on their chests like big ol’ leeches.
You can read a Chapter 0 for free now (also to be found on the website linked above) to get a better idea of the book, which deals with some very contemporary and relevant issues of mental health, self-perception, anxiety, and more. Kim McLean, Vault Comics’ Director of Marketing elaborated on the thought process behind this initiative:
We want to give readers an avenue to have conversations about emotions, fears, love, and what it’s like to put yourself out there. What better way than to ask that they put themselves in the shoes of the book’s characters and try to choose a slug?
If you are interested, you’ve got plenty of time. Submissions are open until September 13th with the book out February 2020. Just don’t forget and leave it till the last minute.
