Previously, in Beat’s comic crowdfunding roundup column, he announced Stacked Deck Press’ latest project, Come and Play: The Queer Sports Project.
Come Out and Play is a 200-page full-color comic anthology about LGBTQ+ people and track and field experiences, and is a well-known queer comic creator such as Josh Trujillo, Sophie Labelle, and Ajuan Mance, as well as well as well-known sports figures such as NFL veteran RK Russell and Hockey Hall of Angela Jamer.
Beat caught up with sports comic creators Megan Plaz and Meghan Kemp Zee. Meghan Kemp Zee is a co-editor of Come Out and plays the anthology from stacked deck presses.
Ollie Kaplan: What inspired you to create this LGBTQ sports anthology?
Megan Praz: For me, this is combining the biggest passions of my life, sports, art, and LGBTQ+ themes. Meghan and I have been making comics together for over 10 years. I love sports comics. I’ve written a sports comedy graphic novel for another year. When we were writing that book, we began to realize there were many other sports stories, some of which were not ours. We realised that there was a very high chance of telling a great cartoon story about sports and wanted to provide a platform for other creators to do that.
Meghan Kemp-Gee: Get out and play! Originally it was Megan’s idea and was the stacked deck press Eic Tara Avery. They met at Wondercon last year and suddenly realized that no one had ever done an LGBTQ-themed sports anthology. Tara said, “Why has no one ever done this?!” I was on board right away. Like Megan, I’m very passionate about sports art and sports storytelling. My doctoral dissertation is about sports literature and sports poetry, and I strongly believe that there is this inherent connection between movement and artistic human representation. This anthology may sound “niche”, but it’s not the case! People are so hungry for stories like this: stories that celebrate the full joy and pain of sports, identity, and experience.
Pinup by Laurz Helsby
Kaplan: I loved RK Russell’s sample story exploring the relationship between soccer and war matches. What themes and messages do you want to convey through this anthology?
Kemp-Gee: Yes, is it great? While studying a paper on sports poetry, I first came across Russ’ poetry. I might be wrong, but he might be the only professional athlete to publish a poetry book! I read the prisons and passions of his collection, and his memoirs read the gardens between us. Russ is a very great storyteller, and in particular his use of images and explanations of sports action really helps the comics. This is his comic writing debut, but I’m sure he’s not his last one to do this!
Finding the right artist to carry out the provocative image of Plaz: Russ was extremely important to us, and finding Wilfred Santiago was a godsend. He is the author of Roberto Clemente’s graphic novels and Michael Jordan’s graphic novels, but Wilfred is more than just a respect for sports. He is critical and there is darkness in his perspective. This was the perfect pairing.
Kemp-Gee: I’m excited to see what happened to “soccer is not war.” This is a provocative view of sacrifice, violence and professional sports that only Russ and Wilfred could have created.
Plaz: And we can put the stories side by side with stupid stories. This is like a story about pickleball science fiction history and putting underwear on goats in a gay rodeo. Or life of life cartoonists from indie cartoonists like Richard Fairgray and Sonya Saturday who have more complicated or hostile relationships with sports.
Kemp-Gee: I think that’s one of the messages in this anthology. Great sports stories are real stories, and authentic stories come from all kinds of places.
Kaplan: The anthology includes stories from a range of contributors, from the first black woman, Angela James to the National Women’s Hockey Team at Big Canada, former NFL star RK Russell, furry comic creator Knave Murdoch and Marvel/DC Powhouse Josh Trujillo. How did you approach contributors and their story choices?
Plaz: In many scenarios, they came to us! They saw the call to submit and were very excited to market the story. You could feel enthusiasm and passion when our inbox began to fill up with pitch!
Kemp-Gee: And I’m going to give another cry to Tara Avery, who has this incredible Rorodex of the incredible artists and storytellers she recruited to join us. I also felt strongly about reaching out to people like Angela James. Like RK Russell, she is clearly already a well-known sports figure, but there’s a difference between being a profile athlete and seeing people what it really is like to live through that experience.
Courtesy of stacked deck presses
Kaplan: What role does expression play in this anthology? Why is it important in the context of sports?
Plaz: Our trans brothers and teammates are currently under attack. And sports are often the focus of these attacks. However, I think sports are spaces for unity, not division.
Kemp-Gee: That’s why I think that’s why transphobic attacks are focused on sports. In fact, I think that’s the same reason people use sports to promote racism, sexism and homophobia. Because sports is this space where people can work together and learn about themselves and others being crowded together. As Megan says, we have to create this special space position, and we have to create it now.
Plaz: Elton John heard that sports and music are two things that connect people in a universal way. I extend it to sports and art.
Kemp-Gee: I’m skeptical of “expression.” Because sometimes people feel like they’re getting closer to it like a checklist or an aesthetic. One of the things I like about this book is that it embodies the diversity and contrast of the community. We have stories and creators about every different sport from celebrations to extreme criticism. We have a story about professional and amateur sports, creators, who are 20 years old and respected elders in communities across five different continents. There is real power in such a team.
Kaplan: Can you share the outstanding stories and essays of anthology that we believe will resonate deeply with our readers?
Plaz: I feel this anthology is this perfect puzzle. I don’t think you can take out any of them and make the book work yet!
Kemp-Gee: What about Scout Tran’s story about “stealth” trance girls competing in Brazil’s Jiu-Jitsu tournaments?
Plaz: Or what about Andy Casadonte’s story about “a burning lonely soul”? It’s about falling in love with a sport where you run and fall in love with your teammates, with a story of gorgeous colours.
Kemp-Gee: There is also a story about the ballet of Jam Dyer and Tristan Crane. Some people say things like, “Is dance a sport?” And I’m not going to answer that question, but trust me, you need to read this story before you decide! (Interviewer’s note: As a former dancer, I have some strong opinions on this subject, but I’ll let the readers decide.)
Kaplan: Why is LGBTQ+ representation important in sports literature and how can it affect readers and athletes? What feedback and influence do you want to receive from the LGBTQ+ community, athletes and allies?
Plaz: Queer people are always playing sports, always playing sports. As RK Russell puts it, “Strangeness and track and field are not conflicted, they are deeply intertwined.”
Kemp-Gee: Still, a lot of the conversation is from others who are talking about LGBTQ+ athletes.
Plaz: That’s the book’s goal. It’s about continuing to build this community, building this conversation, telling these stories.
Courtesy of stacked deck presses
Kaplan: Do you imagine this anthology as part of a bigger move to bring more LGBTQ+ voices to the world of sports, both on and off the field? How do you hope this anthology can contribute to the ongoing conversation about LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports?
Plaz: I know this is a book that meant a lot to me as a child. That’s central to why I wanted to do this. A community where I can become myself on and off the field to show that there is a place for me.
Kemp-Gee: I have annoyed my life as an athlete and as a female athlete, with the conversations people have about us. The body of an athlete is the focus of many harmful stories and I want to flip the script about it! We can tell our own stories about ourselves and the meaning of sports for us.
Kaplan: Did you have any challenges or surprises while curating the anthology?
Kemp-Gee: Honestly, the editing process was not only smooth in general, but constantly inspiring! The story in this book has always surprised us and delighted us to see them in shape… The team of contributors is all outstanding work. Even if you’re already familiar with the book creators, you’ll be amazed and pleased by what they did here!
Plaz: The only challenge we have left is getting funds! Our Kickstarter is still alive until April 3rd. This is a great opportunity to put these stories into the world. would you like to join! This is a fun team.
Come Out and Play: Become a supporter of The Queer Sports Project!
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