Warn Everyone! Comics is currently open to submissions for short stories of 4 pages in length for our superhero comic book series, Granite. Accepted submissions would be used as backup stories for the ongoing Granite series, backup features for another character, or used for digital release.
Timeline
Submissions are currently open through midnight on December 31st, 2024.
Who is Granite?
Alaina Callan is Granite, the superhero with rock hard skin and superstrength! She loves the spotlight, loves her endorsements, works hard and plays hard. After falling into a toxic rock quarry Allana was granted her newfound abilities and now serves the city of Los Angeles as one of its premier superheroes.
You can access the first one-shot and short story here to get a grasp of the concept and character.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11baYyF3Smt6CjYv7yavACn840ILkxJET?usp=drive_link
What are we looking for?
- A pitch for a short standalone 4-page story of that includes the character, Granite.
- Optional to include the completed script. Please write it for 4 pages only.
- Pitches can be anywhere from All Ages to Mature content. Please do not submit erotica. I am not opposed to erotica as a form of art, but not for this specific series. So please keep everything to an “R” rating at most. Nudity is fine, but no graphic sex or over the top gory violence.
- So as not to interfere with the current ongoing storyline. Granite would still be connected to her powers, and not separated from them. So think of these events as prior to the Granite one shot that was released. Please refer to the short story example that was already previously published.
FAQ:
Q: You said 4 pages? Could it be 1, or 2 or maybe even 3 pages instead? I work best when I don’t follow directions.
A: No. 4 pages is both the minimum and maximum length of the story.
Q: How much mulla can I make off this? I’m looking for big bucks, dawg!
A: Payment is $25.00 USD per page for a maximum payout of $100. To be paid upon completion and acceptance of the script via PayPal.
Q: How do I submit?
A: Please use the submission form below. No other means of communication will be accepted. If you email me your pitch, DM me, or send it to me any other way it will be destroyed without being read.
Q: So I can submit any story I want that includes the character Granite in it?!
A: Yes. Please refer to the “What are we looking for” section of this page for details.
Q: So the story can be about anything? Even…Granite goes to the grocery store?
A: If you have a compelling story for Granite buying groceries…go for it!
Q: How many times can I submit?
A: Once. Any additional submissions will be destroyed without being read.
Q: How many submissions will you be accepting?
A: Three (3) total submissions will be accepted and used as backup features.
Q: How will I know if my story is accepted?
A: You will receive an email informing you of acceptance and next steps.
Q: What if I don’t receive an email?
A: If you do not receive an email within 4 weeks of your submission then your submission was not accepted.
Q: Will you be critiquing the stories that were not accepted?
A: No, stories that were not accepted will not have critiques included.
Q: Who owns the story if it’s accepted?
A: Warn Everyone! Comics and C.J. Hudson will own the story. This submission will be work for hire and will adhere to those laws as governed in the United States. Please refer to the terms and conditions below for details.
Q: If my story is accepted will I have to sign a work for hire contract?
A: Yes. You will need to sign a mutually agreed upon contract prior to any payment being made. If agreement cannot be reached, the submission acceptance will terminate.
Q: If my story is accepted, do I get to pick the artist?
A: No, Warn Everyone! Comics will have total control over all matters of production. You may make a recommendation, but there is no guarantee that your recommendation will come to fruition.
Q: Do I have to pay anything?
A: No. This is a work for hire contract, we are paying you for a story, if that story is accepted.
Q: I’m a writer/artist combo! The double threat as they say! Can I submit my story and also be hired as the artist to draw it, and if so what’s my payout going to be then?
A: This is a writing submission only, but if you are a writer/artist combo you could be considered to both write and draw the story, but that is not guaranteed. If you are chosen as the artist in addition to being chosen as the writer, your compensation for art would be a separately negotiated contract from the $100.00 USD writing fee.
Q: Are there any royalties with this? I mean, you could make millions off of my short story!
A: No, there are no royalties in this work for hire contract. The full compensation for the 4-page story is $100.00 USD, regardless of how many printings it may have.
Q: Will I receive any free comp copies if the story goes into print?
A: Yes, you will receive 10 copies of any printing that occurs, and those comps will be provided for free.
Q: Can I use the digital pages in my portfolio?
A: Yes, the digital pages are fair use and can be used in your portfolio. The pages cannot be used for revenue generating purposes though. Ie, you cannot include the pages in any of your own series, make them available on a digital comic book site that requires a fee, or any other means of revenue generation. These pages are work for hire.
Q: This seems shady…you mean you’re accepting submissions from hard working comic book writers and then using them as backup features?! Seems like a scam to me!
A: Work for hire contracts are fairly common in comics. If you aren’t interested in work for hire, then don’t submit a story.
Q: So what’s in this for you?! Trying to make a ton of money off us struggling creators?
A: I am looking for backup stories that I can include in my ongoing Granite series, or through digital release. Having more content will allow me to create better campaigns and overall superior comics.
Q: So what’s in this for me?! Just a few bucks?! I would rather die than submit a story to you…
A: You are under no obligation to submit a story. This is purely to help writers build out their portfolios and for me to gather more backup feature content.
Q: What if I make new characters for my short story and the story is accepted?
A: Those characters are covered under the work for hire contract and are now the property of Warn Everyone! Comics and C.J. Hudson. Don’t submit something you aren’t prepared to part with, as maybe that character would be better served for your own creator owned series. Often times characters are just ancillary though, so don’t overthink it.
Q: I’m one of those “difficult” type of creators. Sort of a sour disposition, nasty demeanor, ya know? I regularly tweet my negative thoughts, I like to stir it up and create drama. I’m often wronged by others and feel the world is against me. People in general just don’t seem to understand my talent and that I might be the GOAT of all comic book writing. Is that going to be a problem?
A: Yes, if you consider yourself “difficult” or if others often refer to you this way, save us both the hassle and don’t submit. Ain’t nobody got no time for no drama. Having a poor standing on social media will also be grounds for not being considered. If you engage in anything that resembles harassment, hate speech, or are just annoying, you will not be considered, regardless of how talented you think you are.
Q: If I’m not accepted, I’ll take you to court and claims bias! If I see someone else has a story accepted that even slightly resembles mine, I’ll take you to court! If you so much as breath funny, I’ll find a way to get my $100.00, as the courts will ensure justice is served! You hear me?!
A: You forfeit any grounds for litigation or frivolous claims once you submit your story, see the terms and conditions below. Please note that any story that you may have submitted that bears any resemblance to a story that was accepted is purely coincidental. If you do choose to try and litigate, or engage in slanderous or libel behavior, just know it’s a two-way street, so if you want to waste your time and money, be my guest.
Q: Is it possible that you might buy my story and it could never see print?
A: It’s possible. Though the intent it to publish, there is no way of knowing for certain if every story will see publication as there may be factors that interfere with that such as crowdfunding not being met, illness, etc. Regardless, if your story is selected with the intent to be published, you will receive the aforementioned compensation.
Q: Why is the script optional to include?
A: I know writers are busy, and a pitch will tell me more than the script itself. I do think a script is helpful though and can be the tie breaker or the thing that puts a concept over the edge in terms of getting that acceptance. So I encourage it, but you don’t have to do it if you prefer to wait and see if your pitch is accepted or not.
Q: Who will review the submissions?
A: Series creator C.J. Hudson and potentially series editor Devin Arscott will review the pitches.
Q: Can anyone submit? Like anyone at all?
A: Yes, anyone can submit, regardless of prior writing credits (whether professional or independent).
Q: So Johnny Bigname, the writer of ABC comic could submit a story?
A: Sure, but it doesn’t mean they would be accepted, but if Johnny Bigname wants to submit, I say go for it!
Q: I see your pal, Mikey Smallfry got a story accepted! That ain’t fair! You two seem pretty chummy, eh?!
A: Mikey Smallfry may be friendly with me, but so are numerous other creators. Prior engagement does not mean that a story will automatically be accepted. I will work hard to ensure my prior interactions don’t sway my decisions. But at the end of the day, I can pick whoever I want, and I have a track record for picking both people I have known, and also those I barely knew at all (see my anthology, Amongst the Stars).
Q: How can I reach you if I have questions about the submission process?
A: Please email me at warneveryonecomics@gmail.com
Q: I would like to stay up to date with announcements and hear who may have been selected, how can I do that?
A: Please refer to or sign up for my newsletter to stay up to date with my current projects, including announcements about these open submissions C.J. Hudson’s Warn Everyone! | Substack.