It’s time for a special issue of the LB Bulletin! You can also read this on website: https://limitbreakcomics.com/return-to-shadow-a-new-anthology-coming-2027/​

The siren song of Greek mythology couldn’t be ignored forever. Coming in 2027, and now open for pitches, Limit Break Comics is proud to present the spiritual sequel to Down Below, Return to Shadow. Greek myth meets crime noir in this new anthology, edited by Paul Carroll and Gary Moloney.

With thanks to the Arts Council’s Literature Project Award 2027, we are delighted to guarantee the publication of the book and a minimum payment to its contributors in excess of our previous anthologies.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Return to Shadow will feature 24 four-page comics. Your pitch should incorporate an element of Greek mythology - a god, a hero, a monster, a story - with a specific crime noir twist. We’re looking for 20th-century settings for retellings of the stories from across the spectrum of what Greek myth has to offer. Stories can include elements of science fiction and fantasy where appropriate, but must be a crime noir story.

Every story should be:

1. four pages in length, with page 1 beginning on the right hand side of the book - this provides two page turns.
2. completed in full-colour. Note that full-colour does not necessarily mean technicolour, and the Editors are happy to talk to people about the colour design of their comics to engage with the crime noir element of the book.

When preparing your pitch, consider:

• What is the crime, and how do the gods, heroes or monsters respond?
• How recognisable is the story to the public?
• Is your story unique enough when compared to existing materials?
• How can you put a twist on a familiar tale?

Please note that we are not looking for:

• Stories that closely resemble those from other creators, including but not limited to the Percy Jackson series, the God of War franchise, Hadestown, Hades, or Hercules - we can love a thing without wanting to repeat it
• Stories that closely resemble those already published in Down Below (currently available at a discount in PDF format on the Limit Break store)
• Illustrated prose or poetry
• Illustrations that are not comics

As with our other anthologies, we are unlikely to accept multiple pitches examining the same aspect of Greek Mythology. Creative teams are permitted to submit more than one pitch and are encouraged to think outside the box.

Please note that we are only accepting pitches from complete teams (or solo creators). Writers and artists may only be included in the book.

ANTHOLOGY TIMELINE

Pitches are open as of November 11, 2026. The deadline for pitches is January 30, 2027. More details on pitching and the link to the form are below. Please note that the form will close at 9:59pm (GMT) on January 30.

On February 27, applicants will be advised whether they have been accepted into the anthology. If you pitch more than one story, you will be advised specifically which one has been chosen.

Scripts will be due by March 14, to ensure time for edits and for artists to complete some work ahead of the Kickstarter campaign.

On May 01 through to May 31, the book will be funding on Kickstarter.* At least one page should be complete (without lettering) before this time.

The deadline for final pages is August 20, with Kickstarter fulfilment planned for September.*

WHY PITCH TO RETURN TO SHADOW?

Limit Break Comics has been working in the Irish comics scene since July 2018. As of the end of 2026, the collective has published four myth anthologies (including the ESFS Award-winning Fractured Realms), multiple short story collections, several one-shot books, an on-going series, and two books of non-fiction on the subject of Ireland and Comics. Its members have been finalists in the 2000AD Art Competition, participants in the Evolution Programme with the Irish Writers Centre and Raising Voices with Children’s Books Ireland, and have been published by Marvel Comics, Mad Cave Studios, Papercutz, IDW and more.

Return to Shadow seeks to build on the momentum of the collective, to further showcase Irish and international talent. The project timeline aims for a launch at Thought Bubble.

As well as offering a platform to lots of lovely comic readers, we want to pay contributors!

Payment of €100 per page will be made to each creative team in the book, made via PayPal to one specified address. Teams are responsible for deciding how they split the payment. It is the intention of Limit Break Comics to increase this page rate through a pre-order Kickstarter campaign. Further details will be discussed with teams if they are successful. Payment is subsequent to receipt of an invoice, which will be requested upon the completion of comics.

Contributors maintain copyright over their work; Limit Break Comics is granted first publication rights for one calendar year.

WHERE TO PITCH

Pitches should be made through this form. You may submit more than one pitch, by completing the form multiple times. We are seeking pitches from complete teams for this project.

When pitching, you do not need to submit sample art or a script related to the story. Please provide:

• Portfolio links for each creator in the project
• A working title
• A logline for the story
• A brief summary of the story
• The myth your story is based upon

WHY KICKSTARTER?

We’ve built up a community on the platform, and we want to build upon that to increase the page rate we offer to our contributors. We’ve tried other platforms, but prefer the Kickstarter experience.

WHO ARE THE EDITORS?

Paul Carroll is a writer of science fiction, fantasy and horror, across prose and comics. He co-founded the collectives Cupán Fae and Limit Break Comics, and online comics platform IrishComics.ie.

In comics, he is best known for his work with Limit Break Comics, as the writer of Meouch and the editor of Turning Roads, Down Below, Fractured Realms and Wish Upon a Star. His creator-owned universe, The Dark House, saw the publication of two comics projects in 2025: The Ties That Bind and The Dark House, Volume 1. His comics have otherwise been published in Twisting Time, The Agency Case Files, and The Wren, with forthcoming work in Amongst the Stars and Bi Visibility Volume 3.

Paul’s prose fiction is largely focused on The Black Pages, a series of supernatural novels where Death is a day-job and immortality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. His prose has appeared in Bright Neon Futures, The Dark Side of Purity: Volume 3, and in Cupán Fae’s speculative fiction anthology series. Non-fiction has been published in Heavy Metal Magazine’s Extreme Futurism special edition.

Gary Moloney is co-editor of Down Below, Fractured Realms and Wish Upon a Star. His first creator-owned series, When the Blood Has Dried, was published by Mad Cave Studios in 2024, which was followed by a contribution to LA Strong. Most recently, he has contributed to Marvel Comics’ Black, White & Blood and Guts series.

He is the former Irish-language translator of Flash Gordon, published by Lightning Strike Comics.

His prose has been published in Bright Neon Futures and Starless Daydream. He is a former contributor to Monkeys Fighting Robots and Panel x Panel.

QUERIES?

Any queries should be sent to limitbreakireland (at) gmail (dot) com.

*These dates are subject to change, but contributors will be notified in advance.

If you're at Thought Bubble this weekend, Comic Con Ireland the weekend after, or DCAF at the end of the month, Paul will be happy to answer questions face-to-face if you have any!

Until next time!
The LB Team

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