Well the results are out for the 2009 Comica/Jonathan Cape/Observer 'Graphic Short Story' competition. For those of us who dreamed about winning, yesterday morning brought with it the sharp taste of a dream lost (to most of us).
So I did what every person who's had 3 months of creating, stressing and waiting do, I met up with Mike and Sam (who also had entered the competition) and had a day of comics, food, arguing, frustration, beer and ultimately consolation. We understood the frustration of having put soo much effort into something that was only ever going to be read by a select few number of people.
So after sleeping on it and updating this website with a new section dedicated for comics I've created (the first of course is 'Coffee Beans'), I had another bright idea. If there are over 240 entries (because that was last year, and apparently there were more entries this year than any other year), then maybe 100 of these entrants are online somewhere; maybe they're also considering where to go next. So maybe it would be a nice idea to try and self-publish an anthology with these 4 page stories. This could then be something we show various publishers or can share with family etc.
Well the point is that the dream would start all over again for most of us.
So a call to all those who entered the competition but were also unsuccessful, drop me a line on twitter or via the email (khaled.aboualfa at gmail.com) or post a comment below.
Update: All those wondering how we can do this, there are a plethora of self-publishing options available through print on demand services (PODs). I've got a bit of experience with a few of them, most notably this: http://www.lulu.com/content/222930
Khaled, putting together a series of blog posts over the weekend on the fpi blog about the other entrants, do you have any art to put up?
Hey Richard, as much as you want. I'll send you the additional links I've found as well.
What a great idea.......I entered too and would love to get involved.
Going to be putting my story 'Bill and Joyce' up on line very soon.
David
Coffee Beans is great by the way. Great art and brilliant story.
Thanks David, definitely drop me an email (khaled.aboualfa at gmail dot com), as I'm slowly pulling more and more entries together.
[...] to let us know that he’s thinking of putting something together around the entries – details here. var addthis_pub = ''; var addthis_language = 'en';var addthis_options = 'email, favorites, digg, [...]
Brilliant idea. If you wanna see my entry its here: http://s593.photobucket.com/albums/tt19/Maddiox/IDEAS/ (however I stupidly worked on the finishing touches n didn't scan them in.)
From seeing the winners, I can perfectly understand that I was far from what they wanted. But never the less spent lots of time on it. And I love seeing other peoples too.
Hi Khaled, great idea, I'd be glad to join in. Will email you.
Hi Khaled. Cheers for the invite, will check with the writer and let you know - I sure it'll be fine.
And now threaded comments work. No worries Natalie, if it's the email you sent through, you're already on the mailing list (I've been slowly putting one together).
http://davidlitchfield.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/bill-and-joyce-comic-2009/
Have a look see what you think.
Cheers
Hi Khaled - definately up for your self publishing idea, drop us a line and let me know your plans.
I've e-mailed you mine.
Thanks!
Hey @Shug, just got it. I'll add your name to the growing mailing list, which i should send out to everyone this weekend.
Ta very much!
make sure you keep us updated with any news - the posts on various "non-winners" are up at the FPI blog: http://forbiddenplanet.co.uk/blog/category/graphic-short-story-prize/
[...] For an explanation of all this – see here. Three very different styles on show with these entries, first up is Laurie J Proud’s entry Aubrey, which brilliantly features the line “We moved away in 1948 after Dad went mad and burned the shed down”. And then there’s Maddy Vian’s IDEAS – Maddy is very probably the baby of the bunch – just 17 and producing some very nice work already. And we have Dan Archer’s The Right To Return and finally Khaled Abou Alfa presents Coffee Beans. Khaled is also trying to get together some sort of anthology publication of the Graphic Short Story Prize entries – details here. [...]
Hello
Good idea!
I just put mine up on the flckr site:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/1279046@N21/
Thanks
Aidan
Wow, there's some great stuff on show. Very nice to see everyone's work.
Here's my effort: http://johnnyfighters.blogspot.com/2009/11/olympus-school.html
Here is my uncompromising entry:
http://schmurgenjonerhaffs.blogspot.com/2009/11/schmurgens-observer-graphic-short-story.html
Here's mine - http://roryroryrory.blogspot.com/2009/11/jonathan-cape-graphic-story-competition.html - Pip pip - Rory
...yone who wants to read it.I'm also trying to compile a book with those entries that didn't make it. Read more here.Download 'Coff...