Kids Comics Pitchfest 2025 Showcase
Comics creators from around the world submit their unpublished projects to be previewed online by editors and agents. A panel of judges (click here to see the juror list) select the top pitches. Projects are archived here so that industry pros may view them and discover new talent.
Protean Masks
A magic plague strikes a high-fantasy civilisation, robbing all its inhabitants of their eyes and memories.
Now, it’s up to a passing, fearsome traveller to guide one of these disabled individuals on a quest – a quest to find out who they are… if the plague’s effects can be reversed… and what their society was before it forgot itself…
For fans of ‘Monstress’, ‘Six of Crows’ and ‘Squire’, this story blends lush fantasy and body horror with a quest narrative that’s driven by identity mystery, political intrigue, and the unravelling of hidden histories.
Age Range:
Young Adult (approx ages 13+)Genre:
Adventure, Disability Content, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror/Scary, MysteryPage Count Estimate:
112
My Why:
Growing up, I remember how Lord of the Rings created a rich fantasy world in my imagination, and I wanted to create something in the same vein, but which felt contemporary, for young readers today.
Also, Game of Thrones politicised fantasy for an adult audience. My hope is that Protean Masks can do this for a YA audience, and that it will resonate because young adults are increasingly aware of the complex political world we live in.
Lastly, Protean Masks presents a tender, caring, all-male relationship between a disabled individual and a typically macho tough guy. Through this, I wanted to break genre conventions, and thereby broaden the standard conception of what constitutes “manly” behaviour.
Joshua Spiller
Hi! I’m Joshua Spiller. My debut novel, a sci-fi thriller entitled ‘The 8th Emotion’, was a Grand Prize Finalist for the Eric Hoffer Award. It also led to Alan Moore describing me as “a fascinating fresh voice”. As for comics, my stories have been published by Aces Weekly, ComicScene Magazine, and others. I recently received a substantial grant from Arts Council England in recognition of my creative work thus far.
Kishore Mohan
Kishore Mohan is a graphic novelist, writer and artist known for his contributions to the comic, animation and graphic novel industry. Based in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, he has worked on various notable Indian and international projects that showcase his distinctive artistic style.
Mohan’s latest body of work is characterised by a blend of traditional and contemporary art styles, often exploring themes rooted in Indian culture and mythology, offering readers both visual and narrative depth.
Tom Napolitano
Tom Napolitano began his career as a comic book professional in 2011 and has since specialised as a letterer. His balloons and onomatopoeias have been featured in comics published by: BOOM, Comixology Originals, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Humanoids, Image, Penguin Random House and DC Comics.
Several of the comics he has worked on have been nominated for Eisner Awards, and he was the letterer and interior book designer for the award-winning graphic novel ‘Kolchak: The Night Stalker – 50th Anniversary’.
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