KCU Pitchfest Showcase 2025 (Top 50)
Entire 2025 Gallery | List of Judges | 2023 Showcase
Comics creators from around the world have submitted their unpublished projects to be previewed online by editors and agents. A panel of judges have selected the top pitches. The projects are archived here so that industry pros may view them and discover new talent.
Petal Race
Motorbiking fairy, Rosebud (she/her), is thrilled that the Petal Race is back! With her best friend, the magical mechanic Allium (they/them), she is sure her dream of winning the race will come true… mostly. However, Rosebud’s priorities shift when she realises there is a saboteur trying to influence the outcome of the final race! With only Allium believing what Rosebud has seen, it is up to them both to find the fiend! Throughout the races Rosebud learns how to handle her feelings of jealousy, find strength in what she can do, accept what she can’t, and work to discover the culprit that threatens to destroy the Petal Race!
Petal Race is a Middle Grade fantasy GN about friendship, emotional growth, and standing up for what you believe in.
Age Range:
Middle Grade (approx ages 9-12)Genre:
Fantasy, Fiction, LGBTQ+, MysteryPage Count Estimate:
250
My Why:
I was a strange kid. Fairies and motorbikes were my passion as an 8 year old. I would dress up as a fairy, and my dad had a motorbike so, in my mind, they went together. From these ancient (awesome) interests of mine the idea for Petal Race was born.
Growing up, and onwards, I have been influenced by Studio Ghibli, Steven Universe, Hey Arnold! and everything in between.
It is very important to me that my characters and stories represent our world. Within the main cast is a character who is asexual, a non-binary character, and a character with a physical disability.
Through the bright and welcoming world within the story is a safe space where themes that young people experience like, jealousy and fear of failure, can be explored.
Claire Murray
Claire is an author/illustrator who spends every spare moment daydreaming worlds. By day she is a school based Occupational Therapist (OT), and by night she creates. Claire has a BA in Animation & Interactive Media, a GradDip in Secondary Art Teaching & a MA of OT. No matter what interest she has pursued in life, creating has remained the cornerstone of her world, and she works with the goal of sharing her worlds with others. She lives in Bendigo, Australia with her beautiful old dog, Milton.