Comics / Comics News

Queer Press Grant Unveiled!

By The Editor
July 19, 2005 - 11:33

Comic Book creators who want to self-publish stories of interest to non-straight comics fans now have a little help. The unveiling of an annual Queer Press Grant was just one of several newsworthy items to come out of Prism Comics' appearance at Comic-Con International: San Diego this past weekend. The nonprofit organization, which advocates for greater inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) characters and creators in the comic book industry, also debuted its Prism WebComics online feature and introduced its new Board of Directors.

"The Queer Press Grant is something that the Prism Comics Board has discussed since the organization was founded in 2003," said Prism Comics Membership Chair Rich Thigpen. "We are ecstatic that we're finally in a position to offer something like this to LGBT comics creators. The award amount for 2004 is $500, but we expect that figure to increase in future years as we expand our donor base."

The application deadline for the Prism Comics Queer Press Grant is September 1. Full details on the application process can be found online at http://www.prismcomics.org/grant.php.

Prism WebComics also debuted during Comic-Con with the first installment of Angle #1: The Lost Pages, by Paige and Kevin Alexis (PKA). A new installment in the series will be posted online at PrismComics.org every Wednesday.

"I am truly excited that our WebComics section is up and running," said the feature's editor, Scott Anderson. "We've gotten some great submissions, and I'm looking forward to being overwhelmed by the creative community as we move forward."

"One of Prism's main goals is to promote gay creators and gay themes in comics, and I can think of no better way to do this than to display them on our site," Anderson added. "Their success is our business. I know everyone involved with Prism Comics wants to help the spectrum of creators shine."

For the full submission guidelines for Prism WebComics, as well as Prism's other feature areas, potential contributors are invited to visit http://www.prismcomics.org/submissions.php.

In addition to two superhero-themed social events held at local bars, Prism also hosted a mixer for LGBT fans at the San Diego Convention Center, where members of the 2005-2007 Prism Comics Board of Directors were introduced. The Board is composed of:

* Roger Klorese, President
* Michael Lovitz, Secretary
* Marco Magana, Treasurer
* Ted Abenheim, Creator Relations Chair
* Charles "zan" Christensen, Public Relations Chair
* Peter Di Maso, Webmaster
* Linda Maepa, Conventions Chair
* David Stanley, Publications Chair
* Rich Thigpen, Membership Chair

President Roger Klorese's activism work includes founding QueerNet, the gay online communities service, in 1991 and continuing to manage it, as well as serving on the board of Dartmouth Gay and Lesbian Alumni (D-GALA).

"When I think of where we've come from and where we are now, the work Prism Comics--led by zan--has done in a few short years thrills and amazes me," Klorese said. "My first Comic-Con with any gay presence at all was SDCC 1989, with Andy Mangels' second-ever 'Gays in Comics' panel. Seeing the crowd at this year's panel, the traffic at the Prism booth, and--even more importantly--the connections and presence of our queer community at the con, energizes me for the years ahead. I can't wait to help foster our visibility in fandom and in comics, helping more fans and readers be able to say, 'Hey, that's just like me, and it's OK--there's a place for me.'"

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12