How We Made the Moon Cry

Submissions Open November 10th

For centuries, humans and supernatural creatures alike have adored and loved our planet’s moon, singing her praises, waxing poetic, and admiring her from afar. But have we ever taken account of how we have made her feel? Do we really understand how the power of this gorgeous celestial body either takes its toll on or enchants the silly mortals on this dying planet called Earth? Tell me, how did you make the moon cry?
Were they tears of joy? Pain?
Heavens help us if it was of anger.

There’s a few wild stars in Orion’s belt that have come together to whisper the tales of How We Made the Moon Cry.

Here’s what’s different about this anthology:
We will be accepting comics, fiction, AND, poetry! WildStar Press is bridging the gap between worlds and using this anthology to kick start and fully actualize the prose side of this publisher. You’ve seen our mascot, Orion, advocating for comics, but now you’ll see more of Eridanus (Eri) when we talk about works of prose and poetry that will slowly begin to be integrated as well. We’re very excited for this ambitious project and we hope you are too!

Comics

We are elated to have a home for your comics. We are looking for fresh, unpublished original work that captivates us in any genre and style. When submitting your ideas, your comics should be ‘divisible by 2’ with the maximum number of pages being 12 and the minimum number of pages being 2.

Fiction

We welcome literary fiction submissions of many forms, including those that incorporate experimental or multiple genre elements. Please limit fiction to one story, with a maximum of 7,000 words. Works of literature should be attached to the submission as a .doc or .docx file. We suggest that literature submissions be formatted with an easy to read 12 pt typeface / font. The full manuscript will not be required for submission, but a detailed summary/outline (or a partial manuscript) will suffice.

Poetry

Again, we are looking for fresh, unpublished original work that captivates us with its ideas, language, and technique, regardless of the form. When submitting, make sure that the line breaks, spacing, and other formal elements of your poem are how you wish to see it. Please limit poetry submissions to one to three poems, no longer than 1,000 words.

Guidelines

Age Restrictions
All contributors must be 18 years of age or older.

All content must be suitable for readers as young as 16 years old.

Specifications

Comics: 2 - 12 pages long (must be an even number)
- 6.625" x 10.25"
- Spot color (will be provided)
Prose: 3,000 - 7,000 words
- 12pt typeface/font
Poetry: No more than 1,000 words

What We Want:

Comics , Fiction, and Poetry
Previously unpublished works.
Any genre so long as it fits thematically.
Individual Creators or Preexisting Pairs.

What We DON’T Want:

Fan works. Nonfiction.
Preexisting comics, completed or in progress.
No AI.
No slurs, racism, misogyny, transphobia, ableism, xenophobia, or other hateful rhetoric.

Timeline

Selection Process: January 1, 2026 - January 10, 2026
Creation Period: February 1, 2026 - May 30, 2026
Crowdfund: June 2026

Compensation:

RIGHTS:
Agreeing to participate means that you’re allowing WildStar Press to exclusively print these full stories for a full calendar year from the date of publication. After the full calendar year, the owner may do as they please with their own work. You’re also allowing WildStar Press non-exclusive digital and physical print rights in perpetuity. Ownership remains with the creators.

PAY(*):
Comics (Both Solo & Partnered Creators): $50/page, complementary physical and digital copy of the anthology, along with crowdfund bonuses if applicable.

Prose: $0.05/word, complementary physical and digital copy of the anthology, along with crowdfund bonuses if applicable.

Poetry: $45/poem, complementary physical and digital copy of the anthology, along with crowdfund bonuses if applicable.

CREATOR DISCOUNT:
All contributors will be able to purchase additional copies of the anthology at 50% off of the cover price as long as the anthology is in print.

(*)Creators get paid upon crowdfund success.