Greetings and Salutations!

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I am creating a self-funded, 16-page indie horror anthology zine. It is heavily inspired by classic Bronze Age comics like House of Secrets and House of Mystery. The finished product will look and feel like a mini horror comic book from the 1970s, complete with a Cain/Abel/Crypt-Keeper style horror host.

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I am looking for short, supernatural horror stories (ghosts, monsters, curses, psychological terrors, etc.) and full-page illustrated fake ads.

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Because this is a very small, DIY passion project funded entirely out of my own pocket, I cannot offer standard industry page rates. Instead, I am offering a flat token honorarium to give a paid home to your existing, completed "trunk files" that are sitting in your archives doing nothing!

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• The Pay: $50 flat honorarium per accepted story / $25 flat per accepted ad.

• Format: Standard American Comic Size (6.625" x 10.25"). I accept both Full Color and Black & White pages!

• Bonus: You will receive 2 physical contributor copies mailed to you.

• Rights: You retain 100% ownership of your characters and story.

• Deadline: Saturday, August 7th, 2026 @ 11:59pm.

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THE ZINE LAYOUT & WHAT TO SUBMIT:

I am seeking fully completed, print-ready pages (scripted, drawn, and lettered) that match standard comic dimensions. I am not commissioning custom art for new scripts.

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• Comic Story Slots ($50 flat): Seeking completed stories (1–2 pages) that have never been formally published. I love that 70s horror comic vibe, unique styles, and I love love love a fun illustrated Title Splash at the top of the first page! Punchy, twisty, fun, creepy. No extreme gore, but body horror, skeletons, and corpses are cool.

• Vintage Fake Ad Slots ($25 flat): Seeking a single-page, 1970s-style mail-order ad (e.g., X-Ray Specs, Sea-Monkeys, Draw Me! etc). A stylized illustration with fun, vintage typography.

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ABSOLUTELY NO AI OR AI-ASSISTED SUBMISSIONS PERMITTED.

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HOW TO APPLY (Please Read Carefully):

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1. Fill out my official submission form to link your pages: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScp-AJb7X0H-jGAwwGwD_YMZbV5jK4cv1uFUyQTpwIPQyNFrA/viewform?usp=heade

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Questions about dimensions or formatting? Email: OpenTheScarebox(at)gmail(dot)com 

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