Kids Comics Pitchfest 2026 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Comics creators from around the world submit their unpublished projects to be previewed online by editors and agents.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.
Dog Years
Randy didn’t mean to steal the dog.
But when you’re eighteen years old, driving across the country alone, and you see a very expensive, very cute dog treated badly? You pick him up, take off in your shitty car, and drive like hell.
Until you meet an alarmingly pretty hitchhiker.
Soon, Randy, her new friend/enemy/girl-she’s-falling-in-love-with Pearl, and Jason the Chow Chow find themselves on a madcap trip across the USA, through tourist traps, renfaires, cramped motels, and highways to nowhere.
But what happens at the end of the road? And can two girls evade the dogcatcher forever? A love letter to screwball comedies and road trip romances, Dog Years is about finding yourself, finding love, committing crimes, and growing up.
Age Range:
Young Adult (approx ages 13+)Genre:
Adventure, BIPOC, Fiction, LGBTQ+, Realistic Fiction/Slice of Life, RomancePage Count Estimate:
300 pages
My Why:
'Dog Years' was born nearly a decade ago when Cara and I first met. We were teenagers who loved writing about lesbians, road trips, and the bonds that form or break (or mend) during it. It was through this back-and-forth writing and fantasizing about our characters that we made our own lighthearted yet meaningful representation that we always wish to see for our community.
Years have passed since then, and though we've surely changed a lot, this story is one that we still hold close to our hearts and would love to share to the world. Randy and Pearl's journey is something that we'd always hoped to see when we were younger, and if even one baby lesbian feels a connection with our comic, then it would already be a huge achievement.
Comp Titles:
Thieves by Lucie Bryon, Roaming by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian TamakiAnge Friera
Ange Friera (he/they/she) is a Filipino cartoonist and animator with a passion for drawing queer love, risky situations, and everything in between. Their works often include narratives rooted in personal experiences, as well as the desire to embrace the mundanities and complexities of life, with the help of old myths, creepy small towns, or the power of friendship.
During his free time, he loves playing video games, napping, or wishing he had clones to do more things all at once.
Cara Schultz
Cara Schultz (she/her) is a television and feature film writer with a BA in English from Bryn Mawr College. She tells stories for a living (her favorites are swoony romances, side-splitting comedies, and character-driven dramas) and spends the rest of her time making up songs about her cat.