KCU Pitchfest Showcase 2026 (Shortlist)
Entire 2026 Gallery | List of Judges | 2025 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Comics creators from around the world have submitted their unpublished projects to be previewed online by editors and agents.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.
LUMI: The Way of the Stray
A cosmic kitten falls from the stars into a world full of humans and animals as strange to him as he is to them. With the help of an unlikely group of strays, Lumi must learn to control his colorful and unpredictable powers before they cause a cat-astrophe!
In Book One: The Way of the Stray, Lumi challenges the hierarchy of the food chain, navigates the tense rivalry between pets and strays, and struggles to stay one step ahead of the shadowy Agency determined to capture him.
LUMI is a multi-part series featuring an eccentric ensemble of marketable characters ripe for spin-offs and standalone adventures. The series mixes the goofiness of Dogman, the surreal wonder of Hilda, and the intricate world-building of Adventure Time.
Age Range:
Early Middle Grade (approx ages 7-9)Genre:
Adventure, Animals, Humor, Science FictionPage Count Estimate:
222
My Why:
In 2020, while working as a wildland firefighter, my brother rescued a Siamese kitten. He brought the cat home to Montana and named him Lumi. One evening, the little kitten swiped at a lightsaber toy that hadn’t worked in years, and at the touch of his paw, it lit up. The inspiration struck me with the force of a falling star, and in a flash, I saw the story of LUMI the cosmic cat. I had long since dedicated my life to crafting stories that make people feel at home in the cosmos. From an early age, I dealt with intense anxiety that kept me up at night. Reading always calmed the currents of thought until I wasn’t so worried about my place in the universe. I wrote Lumi’s story to provide that same sense of wholeness and belonging.
Comp Titles:
Dogman by Dav Pilkey. Hilda by Luke Pearson. Adventure Time by Pendleton Ward, Ryan North, Shelli Paroline, and Braden Lamb.Joshua Harper
Born and raised in Montana, I grew up with stories as my mentors. They helped me overcome intense anxiety and inspired me to live an adventurous life! With a background in film, I’ve traveled extensively around the world and love seeing things from new perspectives. When I’m not writing, you can find me hiking, climbing, snowboarding, rafting, or volunteering at one of the pediatric cancer camps that I help to run in the Pacific Northwest and Central America.