We took the name Bowler Hat Comics for our publishing house because bowler hats have an air of sophisticated whimsy, a quality we’d like to see more of in our comics. The search for intelligent playfulness guides us as we review your submissions.

We currently have an open submissions policy, and we guarantee every proposal is reviewed by at least one member of the editorial staff.

Because we are a new company, our submission policies are still in flux. Please check back often to ensure your information is up to date.

Please send all submissions to:

Note: We no longer accept submission through e-mail or by any other electronic means. Why? The dang things are too tricky to track.

Please read the guidelines specific to your type of project carefully before sending your submission. Please note that these guidelines are for unsolicited submissions. (If your submission is solicited, then you already know it.)

We are interested in any graphic novel that explores the intelligent playfulness of the graphic medium—sophisticated whimsy. Any graphic novel that maintains this spirit will be considered for publication, including genre fiction and nonfiction. While this casts a wide net, we are particularly interested in comics that explore styles of storytelling only capable in comic format. This includes stories that explore fiction as fiction, explore comics as comics (or that break the fourth wall), or provide a new perspective to storytelling through sequential art.

Please note: Although we will consider them, we are wary of superhero comics. There are other publishers out there better equipped to publish those types of comics (you know who they are).

Graphic novel submissions do not need to be finished to be submitted. However, the more complete the project, the better we are able to evaluate your storytelling abilities in the graphic medium. Therefore we request, at a minimum:

• A completed written script with your name, the title, and page count (on every page).

• A brief synopsis of the full story.

• A cover letter introducing yourself and the project. The cover letter should contain your full name (and the full names of your creative team), contact information, the title of your submitted work, and the current stage of the work. A brief description of your qualifications, while unneeded, certainly does not hurt.

Although it is not necessary for submissions, we encourage you to develop your own creative team before submitting. If you have done so, or if you are a one-man team, artwork does not need to be complete for the submission. However, if available, we would like to see:

• Any samples of finished pages of art complete with dialogue.

If you would like confirmation that your submission arrived, feel free to include:

• a stamped self-addressed postcard.

Please note the following:

• Bowler Hat Comics does NOT return submitted materials. Do NOT send any original work that cannot be replaced.

• Do NOT include samples of art work for which you do not own the rights, have access to the rights, or are in the public domain.

• Please send only one proposal in each submissions packet.

• Our response time for submissions is frustratingly slow (for everyone involved). While we are working to speed up our review process, expect a minimum of two months before receiving a response.

• Our response is likely to come as a form letter. While we would like to write personal responses for each submission, time is limited, and, well… see the above point.

Thank you for your interest in Bowler Hat Comics. Now, show us what you got!

Your novel does not have to be a comic to be considered by Bowler Hat. We are happy to consider any work of fiction that contains highly visual writing that invites the inclusion of illustration.

We are particularly interested in genre fiction including (but not limited to) science fiction, fantasy, tales of super heroics, or stories that explore the mythos and popculture of comics. Heck, we’ll even consider your romance novel (but remember it must be “highly visual” <wink>). We do not publish nonfiction unless it either relates to comics as its subject matter or is written in a comic format (in which case, please see graphic novels).

Illustrated novel submissions do not need to contain finished artwork to be submitted. However, we do require the following at a minimum:

• Sample chapters of the manuscript. Between 40 and 60 pages or roughly 10,000 words will do nicely. Submitted text does not need to be sequential, but try to include whole sections of the manuscript in your sampling. Please use standard manuscript formatting: 1 in. margins all the way around; double-spaced text; 12 point font (Times Roman does nicely, thank you); single-sided pages; left justified. Make sure the header of the manuscript includes your name, title of the book, and page number (on every page).

• A synopsis of the entire book, including important plot elements (especially the story’s conclusion) and aspects of character development. The synopsis can run anywhere between 1 and 10 pages.

• A cover letter introducing yourself and your book. The cover letter should contain your full name, contact information, and the title of your submitted work. A brief description of your qualifications, while unneeded, certainly does not hurt. You are also welcome to submit your ideas for illustrations, both in style and content.

Although it is not necessary for submissions, we are willing to consider manuscripts with completed artwork. If you have artwork available, feel free to include:

• any samples of finished pages of art complete.

If you would like confirmation that your submission arrived, feel free to include:

• a stamped self-addressed postcard.

Please note the following:

• Bowler Hat Comics does NOT return submitted materials. DO NOT send any original work that cannot be replaced.

• Do NOT include samples of art work for which you do not own the rights, have access to the rights, or are in the public domain.

• Please send only one proposal in each submissions packet.

• Our response time for submissions is frustratingly slow (for everyone involved). While we are working to speed up our review process, expect a minimum of two months before receiving a response.

• Our response is likely to come as a form letter. While we would like to write personal responses for each submission, time is limited, and, well… see the above point.

Thank you for your interest in Bowler Hat Comics. Now, show us what you got!