“I’m excited about The BAYlies issue 1 because it shows what is possible when a local comics community bands together and creates the change they want in comics,” curator Lawrence Lindell told The Hollywood Reporter about the project.
“The unique thing about the anthology is that all proceeds from selling the magazine go to artists grants specifically for cartoonists of color and queer cartoonists based in the Bay Area. We have previously granted 11 cartoonists with $100 micro-grants and we are going to double the amount of grantees if/when the project is fully funded. It’s amazing to see what the cartoonists involved have accomplished in comics, but it’s even more fascinating and astonishing when you realize they are all based in the Bay Area, are organizers, educators, and community members as well as cartoonists!”
Cartoonists contribute to the project include Jaime Crespo, Tyler Cohen, Shoshanna Joseph, Trinidad Escobar, and Justin Hall; the issue also includes interviews with Bay Area cartooning figures Matt Silady and Anand Vedawala.
The Kickstarter project, which also offers funding levels where backers will receive additional art prints or zine bundles by various contributors, runs through Oct. 30. More information can be found here.
