CREATING COMICS OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM? THIS IS YOUR SPOTLIGHT.
With a respectful nod and wink to the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe of the 1980s, we’re hijacking the format and using it for something better.
This is a handbook for the outsiders. The builders. The creators making comics and graphic novels without permission — powered by crowdfunding, patrons, personal savings, late nights, bad decisions, stubborn faith, and sheer elbow grease — this handbook exists to spotlight what you’re building.
The goal is simple: create a living catalogue of independent creators and the worlds and characters they’re bringing into existence.
This is a character-first handbook. Each entry focuses on a character or team, presented with the same sense of clarity, care, and reverence once reserved for the icons of the mainstream. Each entry links directly back to you, where readers can buy the book, back the project, or keep the lights on while you build the next thing.
The Rules Are Simple:
• The character or team must be created by you — whether you’re a solo creator or part of a creative team.
• The character or team must exist in a purchasable or supportable work: a comic, graphic novel, or serialized project that readers can buy, back, or otherwise support.
That’s it.
If you’re out there building worlds, telling stories, and putting your work into the wild on your own terms, this handbook is for you.
SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND NECESSARY DETAILS
Each issue of The Official Handbook to the Creator Universe is a tight 16 pages—no filler, no bloat. It will be distributed free as an insert in BLITZ, and free at tradeshows and conventions wherever creators and readers collide.
The series is projected to run eight issues total, which means space is limited. So let’s keep it lean, mean, and loud.
Submit your character by email to [email protected] and include:
- An image or three
- A short intro, no more than a paragraph, to your character(s) and or team (s)
- A link to your website, campaign, or online store — where the book or series actually lives
- One submission per person
That’s all we need.
One Submission per individual — Don’t get greedy.
We’re building this thing alphabetically, starting at A and rolling straight through to Z.
The submission deadline for characters starting with A is January 20, 2026.
Miss that? No panic. This is a rolling submission as we march through the alphabet and the characters yet to come.
But if your character — or team — starts with an A?
Best jump to it.
SUBMISSION DEADLINES:
- A – E: January 20, 2025
- F – J: February 20, 2026
- K – O: March 20, 2026
- P – T: April 20, 2026
- U – Z: May 20, 2026
- Numerical Names: June 20, 2026
Once your submission has been reviewed, we’ll be in touch with next steps. In the meantime, this is the baseline template—everything you’ll need to be ready when the green light hits.
Download it. Review it. Be prepared.
Dimensions and word count aside, these specs are non-negotiable:
- Image Resolution: 300 DPI minimum
- Image Colour Format: CMYK
- Final Image Files: TIFF or PSD
- Text Submission: Word (.doc/.docx) or Pages file
Below is a quick peek at the template referenced above:
The FINE PRINT [okay, there’s a little]
COMPENSATION
The Official Handbook to the Creator Universe is a non-for-profit project. Selected creators will have their characters and/or teams featured, but no financial payment will be provided.
CREDIT
Full creator credit will appear in the issue, along with any relevant links to your website, online store, or platform where your work is available.
COMPLIMENTARY COPIES
Selected creators will receive twenty five (25) complimentary copies of the printed issue featuring their work.
RIGHTS & OWNERSHIP
Creators retain full copyright and ownership of their submitted work.
By submitting, creators grant RAID Press:
- Exclusive print and digital use of the artwork for the specific issue of The Official Handbook to the Creator Universe in which it appears.
- A non-exclusive, indefinite license to reprint the artwork in any possible future Handbook-related collections, with proper credit and links to your work.
- Permission to use the artwork for marketing and promotional purposes related to the Handbook and RAID Press, with credit always given to the creator.
The artwork will not be altered beyond standard production needs (e.g., formatting, resizing, color correction).
Eligibility & Content Guidelines
- Submissions must be original work created by the author(s) & artist(s).
- Open to all creators worldwide.
- No nudity, hate imagery, or offensive content will be accepted.
