Myriad bags graphic novels from Williams and Slattery as it launches debut author contest

Myriad Editions has bagged a pair of “graphic medicine” books from Ian Williams and Zara Slattery, as the publisher launches its 2020 Myriad First Graphic Novel Competition.

Williams was a runner-up of the inaugural competition in 2012. Myriad published The Bad Doctor in 2014, The Lady Doctor in 2019, and has now acquired The Sick Doctor, the trilogy's final book, for publication in 2022. World rights were bought from Kirsty McLachlan at David Godwin Associates. 

Slattery was also shortlisted for the 2018 prize with an extract from Coma Comic. Now signed by Myriad, it is “both an exploration of delirium and a harrowing account of the author’s experience of sepsis which resulted in the loss of a leg”. Myriad bought world rights from Becky Thomas at Johnson and Alcock, for publication in 2021. 

Thomas said: “I’m delighted Zara has found an excellent and experienced publisher in Myriad for her beautifully rendered story.”

Myriad has now launched its fourth competition for debut authors, which asks them to submit 15 to 30 pages of a graphic novel in progress. 

Winners of the competition, supported by Lakes International Comic Art Festival, get to work with Myriad with a view to being offered a publication contract. The closing date for entries is 28th February 2020.