Submissions

Iron Circus Comics accepts for review all unsolicited proposals submitted in accordance with our submission guidelines.

Nevertheless, please familiarize yourself with our current output before submitting any proposals.

Only submissions including a signed submission release form in their proposal package will be read.

What Iron Circus Wants

Graphic novels. Proposals for graphic novels previously unpublished in print, between 100 and 500 pages in length, aimed at readers 10 years of age and older. Both color and black and white proposals will be considered. All genres, with the exception of superheroes, zombies, and large type books for young readers, will be considered.

Erotic graphic novels. Proposals for erotic graphic novels previously unpublished in print, between 100 and 500 pages in length. Both color and black and white proposals will be considered. Erotica submissions will be part of the Smut Peddler Presents imprint, and Smut Peddler creator and content guidelines requiring sex positivity and consent will apply to these submissions.

Online comics previously uncollected into many print volumes. Do you have an online comic that has been running for a while? Want to make the jump to paper? Let us know. Maybe we can help.

What Iron Circus Doesn't Want

Animation proposals. This is not something we're ready, willing, or able to tackle, currently.

Submissions that contain algorithmically-generated/”AI” art or writing. This applies to all elements of the proposal, including but not limited to concept art, background art, and dialog, as well as all currently extant, planned, and future AI art systems, such as Midjourney, DALL-E/DALL-E 2, Silk, Stable Diffusion, Artbreeder, ChatGPT, etc.

Submissions from creators younger than 18 years of age.

Monthly serials. Iron Circus isn't interested in publishing 32-page periodicals for the direct market. Just not our scene.

Superheroes. There are plenty of other folks out there much better-suited to publishing cape books, and with greater enthusiasm than we could ever muster. Check them out instead.

Zombies. See: Superheroes.

Comics for preschool-aged children. We publish books for middle-grade audiences and older.

Fan fiction or re-imaginings. All comics and characters must be original creations and the intellectual property of the proposal's submitter(s). This disqualifies proposals strongly derivative of works in the public domain from consideration. Even if you set them in the modern day, or the future, or the past, or turned the characters into supernatural creatures.

Portfolios from colorists, letterers, inkers, pencillers, etc. We have no assembly line, “Marvel Method” style work available, and don't ever plan to.

Prose, poetry, illustrations, pin-ups, zines, light novels, photography, and music. Iron Circus Comics publishes comics. It's right there in the name!

Ideas. Nope. Please submit complete proposals only.

Emailed declarations that you plan to submit a proposal, or requests for permission to submit a proposal. Yes, we want to see your proposal. That's why we put up the submissions page! Please read it and follow the instructions.

Incomplete creative teams. If you're an artist without a writer, or a writer without an artist, please find a partner before submitting your proposal. ICC can't play matchmaker!

Proposals for freelance publishing/fulfillment work. ICC is not available for hire to oversee or fulfill crowdfunding projects for third parties, store print runs we don’t represent, or handle freelance pre-press.

How to Submit Your Proposal

Make sure the comic you're submitting is something Iron Circus would consider for publication! Review the “What Iron Circus Wants” and “What Iron Circus Doesn't Want” sections of this page.

Download, read, complete, and sign this submission release form. Scan the signed release for inclusion in your submission package. (You may also sign it digitally via the Signature tool in Adobe Reader.) Read the release carefully! Its terms are non-negotiable.

Assemble your submission package. It should feature:

  • A complete creative team, with creator contact information.
  • Short creator bio(s). Five or so sentences should be plenty.
  • A full story summary or outline, detailing the beginning, middle, and end of your comic, with a maximum length of one page.
  • A production timeline, with a rough estimate of how long you would expect creating this comic to take you. Be honest!
  • Five pages from the proposed comic. The preview pages should be complete, including inks, colors, and lettering, and be representative of the finished work. They don't have to be the comic's first five pages, but I strongly prefer they be sequential pages.
  • A signed and completed submission release form, one for each creator involved. Submission packages that do not include a signed submission release form will be deleted without being read.

Once complete, email your proposal to [email protected]. Acceptable formats include .pdf, .zip, .rar, and .doc. Submit each proposal once and only once. Please allow up to two months for a response.

What Iron Circus Will Do

If Iron Circus thinks it can publish your work, a representative contact you to discuss the details. But please, keep in mind: until we execute you a written contract, we haven't agreed to publish or otherwise exploit your work.

Iron Circus will handle pre-press, printing, sales, promotion, and distribution of your work. Terms negotiated will include an advance on future royalties (if any), signing bonuses, and exclusive world-wide publishing rights. Please note that any deal Iron Circus Comics signs with you must be both exclusive and world-wide.

If you do not receive a reply to your submission within three months of sending it, interpret this lack of reply as a rejection of your proposal. We apologize, but we've reached the point where the volume of our slush pile means we can no longer send personalized rejection letters. 

What If Your Proposal Is Rejected?

I know, being rejected sucks. I've been there. But it's important to understand a rejection's not necessarily a reflection of your work. As a company, Iron Circus just might not be the best fit for you. You're always welcome to try again with a new project! But please, submit all proposals once and only once.