If you haven’t heard about Extra Pages Press’s new Kickstarter, Sharp Wit and the Company of Women—link here because you will want it to hand when you finish reading this post, then we are here to change that today! If you like to see women wielding swords, if you like to see lesbians wielding swords, then this is the anthology for you. But don’t just take our word for it: the creators themselves are on our blog today to tell you exactly why you want this one (followed up by a few examples of the gorgeous art you can expect!). If you’re going to back this, however, please be aware the Kickstarter ends on 27th October at 5pm GMT.
The Big Picture: Extra Pages Press
Michele and I are co-creators of a small independent endeavor called Extra Pages Press. You can learn more about us, particularly Michele and myself, in the about section of that page. Our collective goal is to elevate exclusively LGBTQIA+ creators in comics and illustrated storytelling. There are simply a lot of talented queer-identifying creators out there, and there’s not enough opportunity and availability. We want to give them not just a seat at the table, even if we have to craft a table ourselves, but the chance to help find their footing and their voice.
Color of Always and Sharp Wit & the Company of Women
Michele and I successfully funded Color of Always – an anthology that focused on the interests of preserving stories of LGBTQIA+ love, family and identity – earlier this year, and it was picked up by A Wave Blue World for a June 2023 release. Now, our second book is up on Kickstarter. Sharp Wit & the Company of Women is a book rooted in advocacy as well, though with a bit more focus: underrepresentation of female heroes, champions, and protagonists in storytelling, especially during a time where the agency of all women are under assault. The teams we accepted through a submission process must identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community to participate, and are comprised of both new aspiring creators and established industry veterans. All-told, it will have 19 stories and will come in at around 150+ pages! There’s also a clear element of sapphic tonality in several of the stories, because frankly we deserve more opportunity to tell stories of feminine glory outside of the “male gaze” that include sensuality, sexuality, romance, companionship, and even platonic friendship.
It Takes a Community to Create Change
We openly encourage those in the LGBTQIA+ community and fans and allies everywhere in these storytelling spaces (including libraries, comic stores, and more) to come together for this project. We’ve made excellent headway, but the more people that back us and talk about what we’re trying to do in elevating voices and advocating for more stories of powerful, dynamic female characters, the better.
The Contributors
Michele Abounader / Alexandra Orekhova / Brent Fisher / Rachel Distler / Lillian Hochwender / Filipa Catalao Coelho / Justin Richards / Liana Kangas / Danny Lore / Skylar Patridge / Jadzia Axelrod / Rye Hickman / Julia Paiewonsky / Gabe Martini / Fell Hound / Casper Manning / Ari Pluchinsky / Sam Bowen / Laura Jones / C. R. Fahey / Kamiab Ghorbanpour / Pareefae / Alina Wahab / Cicadako / Kaytee Brown / Elisabeth Mkheidze / A. James / Fiona Marchbank / Joe Corallo / Eva Cabrera / Chase Bluestone / Keith Frady / Sarah Stern / Chris Mole / Lauren Knight / JP Jordan
You can also find out more about the minds behind this anthology (and more artists involved in some of the rewards) on the Kickstarter page (and some more sneak peeks of what the anthology has to offer)!
Let Justice Be My Axe by Lauren Knight, Chris Mole & JP Jordan
Creed of the Seamstress by Jadzia Axelrod & Rye Hickman
Dear Geniveve by Julia Paiewonsky & Gabe Martini
About Brent and Michele
Brent Fisher (they/them) is a published comic writer and editor. Their passion lies in using storytelling as a vehicle of empathy to bring disparate groups closer together..
Their writing can be found in many comic anthologies including Project Big Hype, Femme Fatale, Off Into the Sunset, Amongst the Stars, From the Static, Containment Breach Vol. 3, and Color of Always, an LGBTQIA+ love anthology successfully-funded on Kickstarter in co-creation with Michele as Extra Pages Press’ inaugural project. Their most recent work, “The Unseen,” was created in collaboration with artist Rachel Distler and is part of Dandy Presents Penny Dreadfuls, published in Fall 2022 under the Source Point Press label.
Brent is also part of the Phoenix Comics Collective, a group of indie comics makers who share resources, advice, and encouragement to boost each other’s work and contribute to the independent comics-making scene.
In addition to being owned by two old Dachshund siblings named Hansel and Gretel, Brent collects Captain Marvel comics & memorabilia with unrepentant zeal.
Michele Abounader (she/her) spent most of her early life reading, and writing poetry, while wandering around rural Upstate New York. Present Day – she’s made the move into creating comics as a way to bring her stories to life. Leaning into the editing side of comics creating, she loves to find ways to encourage other creators in telling their stories authentically, and to help them find their voice.
She made her writing and editing debut in “The Color of Always”, an anthology with Extra Pages Press (co-created by Michele and Brent), and is currently working on writing for/editing/curating another anthology for release in the winter of 2022 (“Sharp Wit & the Company of Women”, also with EPP). A short comic she wrote for Fell Hound’s “And We Love You” crowdfunding campaign, “Baking With Rao” (with art by Tench) is available to read now!
Upcoming editing projects include “Everything is Different Now” with Justin Richards, and “Etheres” with Anas Abdulhak and Dennis Menheere.
