Hi! I was wondering, what's the policy for using ocs in written or drawn formats that are intended to be used in a full, self-publish medium someday? Would it be acceptable to write short pieces with them focusing on their aro experiences and then later publish full novels/comics/shows/etc with them? Also, is fantasy and science fiction settings allowed if the focus is still on aro experiences, or is this meant for realistic fiction only? Thank you for your time!
Thank you for reaching out to us! I would recommend reaching out to your publisher before submitting works to us if you plan to use those characters in a published work. There may be some legal concerns that come with submitting your work to us, and they would likely be the best person to ask. As for the genre, we accept any kind! We hope to see your work in our inbox in the future!
This comic was originally supposed to come out during asaw but I got busy with school so I’m posting it now. What inspired me to write this story was the ace and aro discussion group that I run at my college. The group is located in the queer center and sometimes ill see someone lurking timidly outside of the room. One time an aro was doing that and coincidentally the group was happening at the same time. The person told me that they didn’t know if it was ok for them to come into the space because aspec people tend to feel and even get excluded from lgbt+ spaces. When I told them that the queer center explicitly includes aromantic people in their constitution they were really happy. So moral of the story some places do accept aromantic people, and no matter what people say if you feel like you belong in the lgbt+ community then you belong- Ramen
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Thank you for your interest in joining our team! Please fill out this survey and we will get back to you within the next few days
Feel free to reach out to us via ask or DM if you have any questions. We hope to work with you soon!
We are currently looking for aromantic artists, writers, editors, and translators to join our team! If you are interested, please fill out the survey below:
Thank you for your interest in joining our team! Please fill out this survey and we will get back to you within the next few days
Feel free to reach out to us via ask or DM if you have any questions. We hope to work with you soon!
CW: “dissociative” language when describing objects/people
I was born in darkness. I didn’t know where it ended and where I began, or where my siblings were – how much of them was me, or how much of me was in them. I simply awoke in consciousness, aware of consciousness around me. Then in my black soul I understood the voice of the Queen, emanating from every direction, and they spoke, “A new child of darkness joins the hive…welcome.” The darkness buzzed with warmth.
They spoke to me of our rich history, as demons of shadow who feed off of the fear from human souls, and my siblings echoed with pride – and I too was proud, proud to be born, and happy to follow in our tradition. “Leave our hive,” the Queen from the void said, “Make them fear you. Return when you wish – know that nothing you can do will disappoint me.”
That is what they said.
Yet as the depth of my being seeped from the hive, and I left our collective consciousness, I wondered if I would be anything like my siblings. I knew it was true for in that moment I knew them as I knew myself, but now gone, the truth felt different, more of a suggestion. Could I make them proud of me?
The cold, vast expanses beyond our hive permeated my being. I felt light. I saw.
Stars, and a gray plane, extending for miles around me, wrapping around on itself. The hive was gone, but I knew instinctively that I could always find it. I anchored myself to the plane, seeping within blades that did not react to my presence, and understood a color – green. Objects – brown, wrinkled, splitting at geometric angles with angular green planes popping out jealously to steal the light, but sleepy. Sleepy in the darkness.
I recalled my purpose. Humans. I rose from the ground and took to the darkness of the night, spreading my consciousness far and wide across this section of an impossibly large, spherical object, worn by creatures, time and space. I understood humans. They made shelters. They communicate with sound. They have children.
For my first scare – my form shivered – perhaps I could scare a human child? I collapse on myself and descend towards a house, one among thousands, homing in a random child. How do you scare? What is fear? I approach a window tentatively, and seep through.
I don’t know what I’m doing.
The creature lies on a soft, rectangular object, covered messily by a thin, flexible plane made of organic material, crumpled on its torso. I reach of tendril of my being towards the human child. If I could just…it moves! One limb stretches to a protrusion on its ovular limb and rubs it sloppily before falling back. I reach towards it again. Lift a tendril, pull another near…the crumpled plane is colorful, and gives to a little pressure. I pull it towards me.
Suddenly, the human child folds, and its attention snaps to me – a deep, impenetrable shadow smack in the middle of the floor that just pulled a blanket on top it. My form shivers sporadically as I dart beneath the object it was spread upon, out of the human’s eyesight.
“…hello?”
Ah, sound!
The form of the human child departs its resting place. This creature – they – they duck and look to my hiding place. I am one with the darkness. My form vibrates.
Foolish human, you cannot see the difference between me and the shadow. You cannot see me.
“…what…?”
I said you cannot see me!
“I know I can’t, but you’re under here, aren’t you?”
You can hear me?
They nod their primary processing receptacle, and open an orifice on hinges to speak, “You’re making sound, aren’t you?”
I am?
They push one of their limbs into the darkness. I understand it. It’s a hand, and it grasps hopelessly. It can’t grab me.
“What are you?”
I’m a shadow demon.
“Oh…are you evil? You scared me a little bit.”
Yes! That’s the point.
I silently celebrate my success and vibrate. The child wiggles their hand curiously, “Is this you? You’re warm.” A peculiar sound reverberates from the human, like a hiccup, and their mouth curves upwards.
What was that sound? Is that a side effect of fear?
“Umm,” the child makes the sound again, “It’s laughter.”
The more time I spend near them, the more I understand them. My view of them evolves. I understand the sight of their face. Wide eyes. Their smile. Sitting on their knees, still trying to see me – but they can’t. I am the darkness, without a true form or surface to see – simply the lack of one.
This child is familiar to me now.
Curious, I slink out from under the child’s bed, and expand into the familiar form. They look at me. I look back at them, with the same shape. I’m nervous. I’m nervous?
“Hello,” they say, “I’m Cameron.”
What’s that?
“It’s my name.”
What’s a…name?
“It’s…” Cameron purses their lips, and looks up, “It’s what people call you.”
Then I’m a shadow demon.
“That’s not the same thing.”
Are you sure?
“Mmm…I don’t think so.”
How?
The child adjusts and sits on their bum. I lower myself to the same position, mimicking their form and expression. Cameron gazes at me for a few moments, mouth ajar, before eventually, they answer my question, “It’s like…I’m a human named Cameron. Human is the name of what I am, but Cameron is the name of who I am.”
As an individual?
“Yeah.” That makes sense to me – a unique moniker used to designate a specific consciousness. Like the Queen. I curve my body towards Cameron.
Am I supposed to have one?
Cameron shrugs, “I dunno. My mom gave me mine. It’s kind of lame.”
Can I have it, then?
They blink at me.
“Cameron the Shadow Demon?” They grin mischievously, “I don’t think that sounds right. More like Lucifer. Lucifer the Shadow Demon.”
Cameron pauses.
“Are you supposed to be evil?”
I mimic their shrug.
I don’t know what that means.
“Even though you’re a demon…you don’t know?”
Shadow demons are meant to scare humans and feed off of their fear. Are we evil?
“Well…”
Cameron gazes up at the ceiling of their room.
“I like scaring people, and I think being scared is fun, so I guess not,” they smile again, “I’ve never met a demon before. Do you want to be friends? We can scare people together.”
Depends, what are friends?
Cameron laughs, “I can’t explain everything to you! Uhh…” Cameron glances at me, “Friends are people…who have a friendship. It’s like a contract, you promise to do stuff together because you enjoy it.”
It’s a promise then.
The human child opens their mouth big and wide, yawning. They reach their hand out, touching my arm. Exerting a physical form, I can feel their touch…warm, vibrating. Underneath their skin, Cameron’s soul feels similar to me. I engulf their hand in darkness and vibrate with my own warmth. They watch me curiously.
Was I scary enough for you?
“Uh,” they glance to the side, “Yeah. You could be scarier, though.”
Then I’ll be scarier next time.
“Are you leaving?”
I attempt to create an imitation of smile, because it feels like the appropriate expression.
You need sleep. I want to tell my Queen about my success.
Cameron raises an eyebrow, “When will you be back?”
Soon enough.
“Okay.”
I collapse from my human form, into a shapeless shadow flat across the floor, and seep out of Cameron’s bedroom window. Immediately, I attempt to seek out the hive, and reflect on my mission. I didn’t intend to scare Cameron by stealing their blanket…I was distracted by it. Next time, though, it won’t be accidental, I promise myself.
I still feel as if I have no idea what I’m doing.
The hive calls back to me, and I am subsumed by the warm darkness again, intertwining with my siblings in the heavy void. I hear the Queen, “Back so soon, my newborn…?” I was nervous, but I successfully scared a human child. Well…maybe it was like I surprised them, more. Maybe it wasn’t even scary at all. My siblings vibrate with warmth, support, pride, and a little bit of humor, “We are so proud of you.” I am filled with confidence, and happiness. “We love you. You’ll scare Cameron much more next time. Much more.”
do you have any projects in the works?? i'm hyped!!
Yes! We’ve just gotten started though, so it might be a little while until we have content up. For the most part, we’re starting out with small projects since our members are busy people. I do know of a couple teams who are thinking out long term projects though! We’re also planning to have little drawings for major holidays and holiday seasons, and I’ll probably make a few aro themed drawings here and there when I have the time. I’m hyped too!!!
We are a group of aromantic individuals who create original content about our identity due to a lack of it in the media. This currently comes in the form of comics, stories, podcasts, and songs, though we are open to branching into other types of content. Our goal is to properly educate others about aromanticism, break stereotypes/stigma, and prevent other aros from feeling alone due to this typically isolating identity.
We accept submissions!
You may send in any kind of media as long as it accurately represents the aromantic experience. However, your submission must be SFW (safe for work), and any content that may be triggering for others will be tagged accordingly. We may also not accept submissions for any reason, and these rules are subject to change.
