This is the second year Solstice has offered a Graphic Lit (Comics) category as part of our Summer Contest. We enjoyed reading all the imaginative and wide-ranging stories and styles that came in from across the globe. Our judge, Josh Neufeld, ultimately selected “Horses” by Robert James Russell, a deeply personal piece about the author’s complex relationship with their body. Josh had this to say about the winning piece:
“[Robert is] clearly someone in command of their craft. The story has some really nice qualities with its themes of psychological vulnerability, masculine body image, and the wisdom of animals/children.”
We’re publishing two other entries in this issue as finalists: “Relief” by German artist Corvin Buchwald, who captures a moment and feeling in 10 exquisitely illustrated panels, and “Las Huellas del Diablo” by Ben Schachter, who transforms ancient fables into contemporary stories, using a bold graphic style and offering sage advice on detecting demons.
I hope you enjoy the work.
Andrai Whitted
