Wayward Kindred Factsheet

Factsheet

Publisher
TO Comix Press
Based in Toronto, Ontario

Contents
17 stories from 40 creators.

Format
6.75" x 10.25" Perfectbound Softcover

Pages
208

Publication Date
May 1, 2020

ISBN
978-0-9949374-8-3

Website
WaywardKindred.com

Press / Business Contact
allison@tocomix.com

Social

Description

They say that blood is thicker than water, but you may wish it weren’t, if your mom has to drink animal blood to survive. Home is where the heart is, even if your sister lives in another city--and is a shape-changing monster. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, so how can you know who you’re supposed to be if your parents are a human and a vampire?

Wayward Kindred is 200+ full-colour pages of stunning artwork at 6.75" x 10.25", featuring 17 stories. Edited by Allison O'Toole (Wayward Sisters), Ashanti Fortson (Heartwood) and Kat Vendetti (Rolled & Told), Wayward Kindred looks at the different ways we can relate to our families, for better or for worse. Inside you’ll find stories of grief and loss, understanding and reconciliation, and telecom contracts, all featuring monsters ranging from the gruesome to the adorable.

Wayward Kindred is a spiritual sequel to Wayward Sisters, which was nominated for the Ignatz Award for best anthology, and won the Gene Day Award at the Joe Shusters. TO Comix Press has been committed to bringing you fantastic stories from independent creators, and we can't wait to get this one into your hands--it might be our best collection yet!

Press Releases

November 13, 2019 - A Monstrous Comics Anthology About Family That’s Spooky and Sweet
"TO Comix Press is launching the Kickstarter for Wayward Kindred, a 200+ page comics anthology exploring family themes and monstrous metaphors. Among the 17 short comics inside, readers will find a half-vampire struggling with her identity, cursed siblings... " ( cont'd )

About TO Comix Press

We publish comics celebrating upcoming creators and diverse voices. We're dedicated to transparency, and helping build a supportive and kind comics community. Since our founding in 2014, we’ve sold over 10,000 books and raised over $140,000 on Kickstarter.


Images

Praise for previous TO Comix Press titles

  • " For teens aching for explicit representation in big mainstream science fiction, fantasy, and superhero stories, these references are a gift of inclusion. Shout Out is, in short, an essential collection for LGBTQ2IA+ teens, comics lovers, and keen readers of speculative YA fiction."
    - Quill & Quire
  • "True to its concept, Wayward Sisters celebrates diversity with tremendous success, both in content and tone. ... While the stories work as straightforward monster tales, they also function on another level, echoing feelings of isolation and nonconformity among their unconventional protagonists."
    - Rue Morgue
  • "Equal parts whimsical, wistful, and weird, Wayward Sisters is the anthology by ladies for ladies that I’ve been waiting for. Toronto Comics has assembled one of the best femme teams in the biz for this one, and you can’t miss it."
    - Sam Maggs (The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy, Wonder Women)
  • "These are the sisters you need beside you - bold, unique, and unapologetic. The talent in Wayward Sisters is outstanding, there is a story in here for everyone, and the anthology will give you a new appreciation for the genre."
    - Megan Lavey-Heaton (Namesake, Valor)

Table of Contents

  • The God of Roadside Memorials

    creators Tate Brombal, V. Gagnon
    blurb There is a guardian who watches over the lost and the grief-stricken.
  • I Remember the Flowers from June

    creators Alex Cruz, Sarah Hickey
    blurb A lonely woman finds a blood-thirsty infant, and welcomes it into her home and heart.
  • Grain Mother

    creators gillian blekkenhorst, Mary Verhoeven
    blurb While exploring the small creek by their parent’s house, siblings find themselves lost in an ancient forest that feels like... home?
  • Demon from the Dusk Dimension!

    creators Day Irwin, Izzy "Strontium" Hall
    blurb She’s prepared all the vilest ingredients to summon her demon: blood, pentacles, and cozy sweaters.
  • Forked

    creators Seungwoo Baek, Grayson Lee, Cam Lopez, Nikki Powers
    blurb By proclamation of the king, all citizens must have cell service! King Roger’s knights are on a holy quest for profit, and have set their sights on a family of Korean dragons.
  • Uubato

    creators Ardo Omer, Shae Beagle, Nikki Powers
    blurb Abshir always thought his werewolf wife would be the one to help their half-wolf daughter through her first change. He doesn’t know how to help, or what to say, but he has to try.
  • Meanwhile, Back Home

    creators Andi Santagata
    blurb When Gerry came home from college, they weren’t quite the same. Their family wants the old Gerry back, but this is who they are now. You can’t get unbitten.
  • Black, White, and Walks with the Night

    creators Kandace Coston, Tess Eneli Reid
    blurb All of Valentina’s extended family is coming for her monster debut. But will a half-vampire teen who’s never shown any trace of power live up to their expectations?
  • Long Distance Sisters

    creators JesnCin
    blurb The sisters have long been warned that evil monsters often hide in human form to devour humans. Diah can’t hide her real self much longer, but she’s never wanted to hurt anyone.
  • Common Grounds & Various Teas

    creators Words by Sherin Nicole, Amber Huff
    blurb A nameless teen is pursued by myth-eating monsters, seeking to erase their story before it can be told.
  • WORDS

    creators Angela Cole, Cheryl Young
    blurb A proud servant of the hive is flummoxed when the colony foists a feral human child on them. How do you teach a human to talk like a civilized insect?
  • Cursed Uncle Teoscar

    creators Meaghan Carter
    blurb It’s Family Day at Maya’s school, and her parents are busy. Now her classmates are going to find out about her weird dead uncle! She could just die.
  • Ill WIll

    creators Sunita Balsara, Katie Hicks
    blurb At their parent’s funeral, two cursed siblings decide to bargain with the aunt who transformed them into wolves. One last chance to bury the hatchet.
  • The Egret Widow

    creators Goldie Shen, Joyce Chau, Nikki Powers
    blurb Myth transcends traumatic history to affirm how family can be forged not only from blood, but undying spiritual connection.
  • Sap & Seed

    creators H. Pueyo, Dante Luiz
    blurb Hungry, lonely, and lost, they’re the only two of their kind ever born. They’re running out of time to find a home before they vanish into the cold ground.
  • From the Ground Up

    creators K. Kelsay, Nikki Powers
    blurb She knew something was wrong when her sister quietly left, warning that she’d never return. Her mother swears nothing’s changed. Something in the house is rotting.
  • Grounded

    creators Casey Blandford, Val Wise, DJ Chavis, Nikki Powers
    blurb Sam’s thrilled about tonight’s date with the hottest boy in class! So what if it’s his turn to watch his mom’s coffin? It’s not like she’s ever eaten anyone before.

Creators available for interview

Allison O'Toole

Editor
pronouns she/her
contact Request interview
info Allison is a freelance comics editor and Frankenstein aficionado. She is the editor of Wayward Sisters, Called into Being: A Celebration of Frankenstein, and series including AFTERLIFT. In 2019, Rue Morgue listed her as one of their “Wicked Women to Watch.”

Ashanti Fortson

Assistant Editor
pronouns they/them
contact Request interview
info Ashanti Fortson is a cartoonist and illustrator with a deep love for kind stories and fantastical settings. They're interested in thoughtful storytelling, emotional reflection, and the many nuances of being human. They live with their partner and perfect gourdcat Pumpkin, and they hope to one day see the Milky Way.

Kat Vendetti

Assistant Editor
pronouns she/her
contact Request interview
info Kat Vendetti is a freelance comics editor currently based in St. Louis. She previously worked on Lion Forge’s Rolled & Told and Catalyst Prime titles and is a former Head Editor of ComicsVerse.com, where you can also catch some of her writing credits!

Ardo Omer

Writer
pronouns she/her
contact Request interview
info Ardo is a freelance writer and editor. She's been a judge for kids comics awards and is currently an advisor for Canada Comics Open Library. She wrote her first comic, SHIFT, for the Toronto Comics anthology's fifth volume, Osgoode As Gold, which features art by Katherine Olenic.

Tate Brombal

Writer
pronouns he/him
contact Request interview
info Tate Brombal is a TV and comic writer based in Toronto. His previous writing credits include contributions to Jeff Lemire's BLACK HAMMER series (Dark Horse Comics) as well as the anthology CRUSH: First Love (Stacked Deck Press). Tate is also the future father of two cats and a retired greyhound, who he will one day treasure deeply.

Jacinta & Jessica Wibowo

Cartoonist
pronouns she/her
contact Request interview
info Jessica and Jacinta Wibowo are queer identical twin Indonesian comic artists who both love writing and drawing all things magical and monstrous. Together, they've worked on webcomics, anthologies, and graphic novels. They studied sequential art and animation in the SCAD Hong Kong and Savannah campuses. When not drawing comics they both like eating martabak, dressing like evil boy band members in sync, embarrassing their baby sister with their antics, and messing with people who can't tell them apart.

Day Irwin

Writer
pronouns they/them
contact Request interview
info Day Irwin is a writer/editor previously published in Shout Out! They like to write plots that are fun and strange, and characters who aren’t always so great but really try their hardest (sometimes). Day lives in Toronto with a microwave and some books. They love board games and animation and the person reading this right now! So good to meet you!
If you would like to interview another creator not listed here, please do contact us!
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Wayward Kindred Homepage
The official site for the anthology
https://WaywardKindred.com

Wayward Kindred Kickstarter
The Kickstarter Campaign
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tocomixpress/1401815393

The God of Roadside Memorials by Tate Brombal and V. Gagnon
Read a full comic from the anthology.
https://imgur.com/a/ZeDdQaZ

Cursed Uncle Toescar by Meaghan Carter
Read a full comic from the anthology.
https://imgur.com/a/IRnBnsa


Editorial Team

Editor
Allison O'Toole

Assistant Editor
Ashanti Fortson

Assistant Editor
Kat Vendetti

Publisher
Steven Andrews


presskit() by Rami Ismail (Vlambeer) - also thanks to these fine folks