Forged in Flame is a sfw-gen, no-ships, completed charity fanzine dedicated to Zuko from the ATLA franchise. We donated $2291.72 to the Burn Institute! Thank you for supporting the project!

About

Forged in Flame is a sfw-gen, no-ships, charity fanzine dedicated to Zuko from the ATLA franchise. We hope to celebrate his story from childhood to his crowning as Fire Lord and beyond. Post-production proceeds will go to the Burn Institute.

Specs

  • Digital + Physical

  • Merchandise

  • 6x9 Inches

  • Estimated 100+ Pages

  • 45 Contributors

Contributor Information

  • Accepted page artists are expected to create 1 page or 1 spread for the book (with the option to provide spot illustrations for writers). Spreads are determined based on pitch.

  • Accepted merch artists are expected to create 2 merch pieces each.

  • Accepted writers are expected to write 1 story that is up to 2.5k words in length.

  • Usage Rights: Contributors will retain the rights to their pieces but we request that contributors not share, sell, or post full and final iterations of their pieces until 2 weeks after our shipping period ends. Sharing of previews is allowed only during our preorder period. More information pertaining to sharing previews will be made before the preorder period begins.

Application Guidelines

Applications open July 10. View a text version here.

General Application Requirements

  • All applicants must be at least 16 years old at the time of their application.

  • As this is a PG-13 zine, we ask that applicants please do not include NSFW pieces and WIPs on their application.

  • Works presented on your application should be indicative of the type of style and quality you are willing to create for the zine.

  • Works including Zuko are highly recommended, but not necessary.

  • For Writers: Please be aware that if you do not have a Zuko fic available at the time of your application, we will provide a section where you may share a short Zuko-centric drabble (500 words or less) to give us an idea of your grasp on his character.

  • Please make sure to submit a link to any platform that presents your best work. Your portfolio could be hosted on Google Drive, Wix, ArtStation, DeviantArt, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, etc. We only ask that you make sure links are easily accessible.

  • Applicants are allowed to apply for multiple roles (page artist, writer, merch artist), but may only be accepted for one role.

  • We will ask for potential pinch hitters on the applications. Pinch hitters are contacted to help when there are drop-outs or removals from the original roster, and as such may have to work with a shorter time frame. If you are interested in pinch hitting please make sure to let us know on your application.

Page Artist Applications

  • Make sure to follow our general application requirements above.

  • Please provide at least 3 samples that best represent your work with a link to your portfolio.

  • Please share pieces with a background as we are looking to showcase full complete pieces in the book. We will not accept WIPs or sketches.

  • We are also looking for Spot Illustrators who are interested in collaborating with a writer to decorate their prose. This is in addition to an artist’s assigned page. If you are interested in this role, please let us know on your application.

Merch Artist Applications

  • Make sure to follow our general application requirements above.

  • Please provide at least 3 samples that best represent your work with a link to your portfolio.

  • We highly recommend providing real-life photos or mockups of merch you’ve produced in the past.

  • We are also looking for Spot Illustrators who are interested in collaborating with a writer to decorate their prose. This is in addition to an artist’s assigned merch. If you are interested in this role, please let us know on your application.

Writer Applications

  • Make sure to follow our general application requirements above.

  • Please provide at least 3 samples that best represent your work and a link to your portfolio.

  • Please include 1 sample that is completed and no longer than 2.5k words.

  • Other samples could be taken from longer fics as excerpts but must still be no longer than 2.5k words.

Schedule

Below is our tentative project schedule. Please note that this schedule runs on ET (GMT-5) timezone. Any changes to this schedule will be announced on our social media.

PhaseDate
Teaser (Project Launch)May 15
Interest CheckJune 1 — June 22
Interest Check ResultsJune 26
ApplicationsJuly 10 - August 14
Emails SentAugust 21
Pitches DueSeptember 4
1st Check-inOctober 8 - 9
2nd Check-inNovember 5 - 6
Final SubmissionsDecember 3 - 4
PreordersFebruary - March
ProductionJune - August
ShippingSeptember - October
LeftoversNovember 17 - December 17
Project CompletionJanuary 7

FAQ

Please review our FAQs below prior to asking additional questions. If you have any further questions, kindly send us an email ([email protected]) or stop by our retrospring. Thank you for your interest in the project!What is a zine?
A zine or fanzine is a small-circulation, self-published work of original writings and/or arts.
What is this zine about?
Forged in Flame is a sfw, general-themed, no-ships, charity fanzine dedicated to Zuko from the ATLA franchise. We hope to celebrate his story from childhood to his crowning as Fire Lord and beyond.
What is the rating for this zine?
The zine is rated PG-13.
Will the zine be physical or digital?
Based on IC results, this zine will be both Digital and Physical!
How will contributors be compensated?
Contributors will at least receive a free high-resolution PDF of the zine. We aim to provide all contributors with a full bundle. In the event that we cannot cover full bundles for contributors, they’d be able to buy items at production cost. Any change to the finance model will be announced accordingly.
How old do I have to be to apply?
All interested contributors must be 16 or older by the time of their application to be considered for the zine.
How many contributors are you accepting?
We will have a total of 45 contributors: 30 artists, 5 merch artists, and 10 writers.
Where will the proceeds go?
Post production funds will go to the Burn Institute, a non-profit dedicated to providing burn survivors with the resources and support to overcome the devastating psychological and physical effects of their injuries, and to educate community members on how to prevent fires and burns. The Burn Institute holds a 93.01 score on Charity Navigator with 100.00 Accountability & Transparency.
Will you ship internationally?
Yes! International shipping may be available. Please note that some restrictions may apply based on the country.
Are AUs allowed?
As this is meant to be a highlight of Zuko within the original canon, AUs that can work within that canon are fine. AUs that change the universe (i.e. AUs based on another franchise/series, Omegaverse, Steampunk, etc.) are not allowed.
Are other characters allowed in the zine?
Yes! While this zine is not a ship zine, we allow other characters to be present with Zuko in a platonic setting. Other characters are encouraged as long as the pieces are not romantic in nature.

The Team

Please meet the team behind Forged in Flame. Our individual Zine experiences may be found in our carrd.

Aki

Role: Art Mod
About: hello yall! Art i& zines are a hobby for me. I've modded 4 zines but have been in over 20 so far. I'm super excited to be working on my all time fave show with my fave character!!! Looking forward to working with yall!!! :D
Experience:
◇ cross|roads: Art Mod & Page Artist
◇ Persona 5 Celestial Zine: Art Mod & Merch Artist
◇ Reminiscence: A Vanitas no carte Zine: Merch Mod

Aziantearz

Role: Finance & Production Mod
About: Hi, I’m Aziantearz but you can call me Mimi. I love to draw fanart, write fanfiction and design, create and sell stickers, charms and pins. Zuko had a great redemption arc and has always been one of my favorite villain to hero characters. I'm so estatic to be able to join the team and project!
Experience:
◇ Letters from the sky Fanzine: Finance, production and shipping mod
◇ Apricity zine: Production and shipping mod
◇ Homeward zine: Finance, production and shipping mod

Mayari

Role: Organizer, Graphics, Social Media & Shipping Mod
About: Hi all my name is Mayari and I love putting together projects and events celebrating the things I love! I've modded over 10 zines, and I am so thrilled to work on a project dedicated to one of my favorite characters.
Experience:
◇ Style Bomb YYH Fashion Zine: Organizer, Graphics, Formatting
◇ Letters from the Sky Zine: Organizer, Graphics, Formatting
◇ Happy Hour BNHA Zine: Graphics, Finance, Shipping

Princeliest

Role: Writing Mod
About: Hello! I'm Bellamy, and I have been waiting So long to see a Zuko-centric zine, so I'm incredibly excited to be here! I've been the writing mod for 3 zines and written for over 30, so I'm very excited to help put together the zine our resident fire prince deserves.
Experience:
◇ Writing mod for Apricity: a Thoma/Ayaka Zine
◇ Writing mod for God's Eyes
◇ Contributor in 30+ zines, including Ozai's Angels: a Fire Nation Girls Zine

Vox

Role: General Org Mod
About: Nice to meet you! I'm Vox, and this is my 3rd A:tLA zine after Crossroads Vol 1 and 2. I love writing, metal music, and my dog, Millie. Bonjour, je parle français couramment.
Experience:
◇ No. 6 Zine: Editor-in-chief & writer
◇ Crossroads Zine: Mod & Writer
◇ Soriku Ever After Zine: Mod & Writer

Neo

Role: Intern Mod
About: Hiya, I'm Neo! ATLA is my childhood and Zuko's my favorite character there, so to be working on a zine dedicated to him is such a dream 😭 💜 Looking forward to assist the rest of the mods and our talented contributors!!!