We Belong

The Book

WE BELONG is a comics anthology composed of 100+ pages of sci-fi and fantasy stories that center the queer Black perspective, all from queer Black creatives.

The lack of Black queer characters and stories inspired writer Viktor Kerney (StrangeLore) to develop a collection of these phenomenal tales. Co-editing alongside critic and comics creator William O. Tyler (Theater of Terror: Revenge of the Queers), they have assembled an array of incredible creators to share their stories, including Jay Hero, C.A.P. Ward, Ajuan Mance and many more!

These stories showcase the fact that, despite what the landscape of popular fiction says, Black queer people have and do exist everywhere, in every time and space. Whether we’re fighting monsters or becoming superheroes, we belong. From intergalactic adventures to interdimensional exploration, we belong. As wizards, as mermaids, as witches, fully as ourselves, we belong.

This joint venture between award-winning comics publisher Stacked Deck Press and Prism Comics, a nonprofit promoting LGBTQIA+ comics, comics creators, and fandom, is a moment not to be missed. 

Preview

 

 

 

 

 

Prints

William O. Tyler

 

Aimee Campbell

 

Iggy Morris

The Team

Contributors in this anthology include:

 

• Aimee Campbell

• Ajuan Mance

• Asia Bey

• C.A.P. Ward

• Desmond Miller

• E.B. Hutchins

• Erika Hardison and Benny Hollman

• Gaia WXYZ

• Gerald Brandon Bell

• Iggy "Eggs" Morris

• Jay Hero

• Jezza Smiles

• Joe Philips

• Jordan Green

• Mihael B. Peralta Myers

• Nick Orr

• Paul Kellam

• Rupert Kinnard

• Trevor Adams

• Tulani Kiara

• Valerie Complex

• Victor Hodge

• Viktor T. Kerney (also Editor)

• William O. Tyler (also Editor)

 

William O. Tyler is a comic creator, editor and critic whose work often focuses on the intersection of love and horror. His comics include Anxious Ax which explores the horrors of anxiety from a Black and queer perspective. He co-edited the queer horror anthology Theater of Terror: Revenge of the Queers with Justin Hall. William is also half of Tannis Comix, a collaboration with his partner Dave Davenport.

 

Viktor T. Kerney is a writer and a PRISM Comics board member. As a comic writer, he created the successful Fantasy Horror webcomic, Strangelore. He is also the co-host and co-creator of MEGASHEEN, a podcast on geekdom and queer culture from a QPOC perspective. 

 

Founded in 2015, Stacked Deck Press is a publishing imprint dedicated to comics, prose, and coloring books of LGBTQAIU+ interest. Among their publications are the Ignatz Award-winning We're Still Here: An All-Trans Comics Anthology, the Bisexual Book Award-winning Primahood: Magenta, and the LGBTQ+ Historical Coloring Book Series. Stacked Deck Press has worked closely with Prism Comics on several projects, including the Lambda Literary Award-nominated anthology ALPHABET: The LGBTQAIU+ Creators from Prism Comics.

 

Prism Comics is a nonprofit championing LGBTQ+ visibility, diversity and inclusion in comic books, graphic novels and popular media. Founded in 2003, Prism Comics has become “LGBTQ+ Comics Central” at San Diego Comic Con, WonderCon Anaheim, Los Angeles Comic Con, other conventions and online providing a safe, welcoming community for LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ friendly comics creators, readers, librarians, educators and families. Prism has helped foster many comics creators who have become major voices in comics and graphic novels. For more information please visit prismcomics.org and @prismcomics.

Stretch Goals

The primary stretch goal will be to increase creator compensation at certain levels, say by $10 per page at $5,000 above goal, an additional $10 at $10,000, etc., if we are fortunate to reach these targets.

Timeline

Completion of stories: We expect to have all the stories from the creators by the end of the crowdfunding campaign.

 

Assembly of the book: We expect to have the book assembled and ready for print by mid-October 2023.

 

Printing: We will send the book to print in late October or early November 2023.

 

Fulfillment: We will fulfill the rewards of the crowdfunding campaign in December 2023.