A new comics anthology Come Out and Play: The Queer Sports Project is edited by Megan Praz and Megan Kemp-Gee, the creators of the ultimate frisbee graphic novel One More Year. This book features the work of over 30 all-LGBTQ+ comics creators, including Marvel and DC writer Josh Trujillo, and pioneering trans cartoonist Sophie Labelle. Multiple sports veterans like Hockey Hall-of-Famer Angela James and football player R.K Russell will be trying their hands at making comics for the first time specially for this anthology.
James’s story, “Offside” is based on a true story: her cross-country road trip after being cut from the first Canadian Olympic women’s hockey team. The short story is cowritten by her son Michael James-Mcdonald and illustrated by cartoonist Diana Kresge. “Offside” draws on James’s formative struggles as an out lesbian, her historic career in sports, and her inspirational activism. She received the Order of Canada for her contributions to athletics, and now she is adding comics writing to her list of impressive accomplishments.
Come Out and Play: The Queer Sports Project is edited by Megan Praz and Megan Kemp-Gee, the creators of the ultimate frisbee graphic novel One More Year. This book features the work of over 30 all-LGBTQ+ comics creators, including Marvel and DC writer Josh Trujillo, pioneering trans cartoonist Sophie Labelle, and former NFL player RK Russell. James is one of several notable figures from the world of sports who will be trying their hands at making comics for the first time specially for this anthology.
Come Out and Play: The Queer Sports Project will be the first ever comics anthology devoted to the theme of LGBTQ+ people in sports. It will be a full-color paperback graphic collection of over 250 pages. Praz and Kemp-Gee describe it as a “queer sports mixtape” and a “love letter” to “sports, expression, and motion.” Praz and Kemp-Gee say they are “honoured” by the opportunity to work with James and Kresge, and feel a special responsibility: “Angela is called ‘the Wayne Gretzky of women’s hockey,’ and she’s a major figure in Canadian sports, LGBTQ+ sports, and Black sports history, but she’s not a household name. We really want her to have the legacy and recognition she deserves as a player, coach, mother, role model, and now as a comics co-author as well!”
Lambda Literary Award-winning novelist Mac Crane is contributing a story based on their basketball experience includes on the court at Drexel University. Crane’s story, “Run It Back,” draws upon their days as a D-I athlete and features characters from their upcoming novel A Sharp Endless Need. The story begins as two rival players meet in the biggest game of their lives, while reflecting on their fiery relationship on and off the court. This story will be illustrated by project co-editor Megan Praz.
Praz says, “I’ve been a fan of Mac’s writing for years and it was a dream to get to collaborate with them. I read Mac’s [novel] A Sharp Endless Need in one night and I loved drawing their angsty queer characters. I’m also a lifelong basketball player, so this one was near and dear to my heart.”
Come Out and Play: The Queer Sports Project will have a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter beginning Tuesday, March 4th. The campaign will run for 30 days. Sports apparel company VC Ultimate will be sponsoring the campaign and providing some custom reward items for backers to choose from. Take a further sneak peek at some of the other features now, and back the campaign here.
Images via Stacked Deck Press
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