New Crowdfunding Project Alert! Following the success of Bi Visibility: A Bisexual Anthology, Lifeline Comics launched a new anthology on Kickstarter Feb. 6th – Hairology. A 56-paged comic book all about hair with the creative minds of Kat Calamia (WEBTOON’s Slice of Life), Phil Falco (Slice of Life), and Jamila Rowser (Wash Day Diaries) at the editorial helm.
The anthology containing 12 stories spanning genres from sci-fi to modern fantasy, tackling topics like natural hair in the workplace, balding, and locs (to name a few). There’s even werewolves for you lovers of the supernatural!
The over 20+ creators include of Sterling Gates (Supergirl, The Flash), Sarah Leuver (Teen Titans Go!), Kenan Halilović (Witch Creek Road), Tilly & Susan Bridges (Monster High, Star Trek Adventures), Mary Crispies (Angel’s Quest), Erin O’Neill Jones (Reject Squad), Brant Fowler (Last Ember Press), and Salomée Luce-Antoinette (Nubia).
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The press release made me want to know more, so I briefly touched bases with the three editors on the project. I wanted to know about why this comics anthology was worth working on and also what were the easiest and most difficult parts of the work. Katt, Phil and Jamila did not disappoint:
Phil Falco told me: “With every anthology, we hope to give a platform for creators to tell their stories. And every time, we’re surprised by the creativity and sheet brilliance of the submissions we receive. Nothing makes me more proud than looking at the final product and seeing the diverse collection of stories we’ve managed to collect in Hairology!”
Jamila Rowser added: “We received so many great stories, it wasn’t easy deciding on the final stories to include. We wanted to make sure Hairology! showed a diverse range of hair themes, genres, and styles. I love the stories we chose, but our work was cut out for us because of the quality of submissions.”
Kat Calamia mused: “The Most Difficult: We received so many wonderful submissions exploring a range of topics and genres about hair. It was so difficult to have to say no to some of those stories. The Easiest: Working with Phil and Jamila to narrow those stories down! They are truly some of the best editors in the biz.”
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I love anthologies, especially those through the crowdfunding scene. It is through this scene where I’ve read some of the most unique and awe-inspiring stories in all of comics, over the years. My curiosity has been intrigued about this project and the theme of hair and how much weight it can have, literally and in a proverbial sense as well. The hair on our bodies, especially the hair on our heads carries significance from age group to age group, from culture to culture, to ethnic group to group.
Our hair and the hairstyles we wear, how others interpret them on us translates differently to everyone. It may intimidate some, inspire others and I love that this new comics anthology looks to be inclusive enough to explore some of those narratives. I’m also here for the stories which seem to hint at the self love and body positivity that is needed for our own body image, via the characters I’m looking forward to meeting in these stories.
Tiers for the project range from a physical and digital copy of the book, variant covers, a rare Kickstarter metal cover, mystery boxes, and more! You can support the Hairology! Kickstarter campaign right here.
Holy crap, folks. I am so excited for this book that I volunteered to do a foreword. It's a comic anthology by a ton of great creators about my favorite topic, HAIR!
Please please please go check this out. This book needs to happen!https://t.co/BE5VyY7dGe https://t.co/KPyBavFCVh
— Gail Simone 💙💛 (@GailSimone) February 6, 2023
