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Comics creators from around the world have submitted their unpublished projects to be previewed online by editors and agents.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.
The Closet
Elliot Leary is an anxiety-ridden, closeted high school student that is perfectly happy to keep to himself in the face of constant bullying and ridicule. When his close friends Aaron "Ace" O‘Malley and Catherine "Kitty" de La Cruz come out as bisexual, however, he is suddenly thrust into a new world of queer identity. Enticed by the wonders of queer joy and expression, Elliot must learn to balance his blossoming relationship with Timothy Hoffman, his journey exploring his own queer identity, and his overbearing parent’s expectations. As Elliot struggles to reconcile these two opposing worlds, he must learn to overcome his own inner turmoil and face his anxieties head on.
Age Range:
Young Adult (approx ages 13+)Genre:
LGBTQ+Page Count Estimate:
275-300
My Why:
I struggled a lot in middle to high-school as a closeted queer kid- this story is semi-autobiographical and very personal to me. I wanted to write a story about the crippling anxiety I faced, and the joy of discovering my queer identity. This is really a love letter to my 14-year-old self and the clumsy first steps one has to take when confronting their identity.
Kyra Reilly
I am a queer comics and story artist based in NJ, currently studying Sequential Art at Savannah College of Art and Design. I‘m a big Dungeons and Dragons fan, nerd, and I love weird and wacky forms of storytelling. Art is my lifeblood, for better and for worse, and I‘ll be creating stories till the day I die!