False Start
Made for the Utot Komiks challenge, 16 pages
Updated physical editions will debut at TCAF 2024Download a free/pwyw pdf at https://kylas.itch.io/false-start
False Start
Made for the Utot Komiks challenge
16 pages
Updated physical editions are available at in-person events, in my online shop, and at MORI by Art+Flea in Honolulu.
What Could Have Been
Made for the Utot Komiks challenge
Updated physical editions are available at in-person events, in my online shop, at MORI by Art+Flea in Honolulu, and at Silver Sprocket in San Francisco.
NIHAO
A comic about memory, microagressions, and anger
Updated physical editions are available at in-person events, in my online shop, MORI by Art+Flea in Honolulu, and Silver Sprocket in San Francisco.
Single Page Comics
Ocean in My Kitchen
Square (Lyrics from Mitski's "Square)
Chrysalis (excerpt)
Writer: Phillip Maira
Read the full comic in Crackle Vol. 3Phillip's Twitter // Phillip's Website
The Out Side
Available wherever books are sold
ISBN-13: 9781524880125
ISBN-10: 1524880124
176 pages, paperback, 6″ x 9″
On Sale Now! Nominated for the 2024 Eisner Award for Best AnthologySilver Sprocket || Bookshop.org || uk.bookshop.org
Books a Million || Wordery || Barnes and Noble || McNally Robinson || Amazon || Indigo || WalmartYou can also ask your local book/comic store to order The Out Side :)
Publisher site
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org (US link only, not UK) where your purchases support local bookstores. I will earn a commission, at no cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase.
★ ALA Booklist (starred review)
“A gorgeous anthology with stories from 29 trans and nonbinary artists.” -Sarah Rice★ YALSA's 2024 Great Graphic Novels for TeensAmerican Booksellers Association
"The Out Side is such a beautiful anthology that shares trans and nonbinary stories from all walks of life. All the authors approach their stories in very different ways; when it comes down to it, they all feel so interconnected and warm." -Olivia Hoover, Book Passage
Add The Out Side on Goodreads here
In this vibrant and affirming comics anthology, 29 trans & nonbinary comic artists share their personal journeys of self-discovery and acceptance.
Contributors: Kaz Fantone, Coco Ouwerkerk, Julie Fiveash, Cyrus, Min Christensen, Ashi, DaToonie, Vixtopher, Wren Chavers, Matteo Montero-Murillo Mel Valentine Vargas, Kyla Aiko, Nasr Bin Safwan, Dana Simpson, Lae Louie Schäfer, Veronica Jane, Dashi, Aidyn Huynh, Al Acevedo, Wey Song, Sam, Liam Coballes, Lake Fama, Lucas James, Sage Coffey, Zhen, Maddie Tacobus, Jam Aden, Tara Madison Avery & Mike Sullivan, Julia KayeOrganizers: The Kao, Min Christensen, and David Daneman
Cover Inks and Design: The Kao
Cover Colors: Min Christensen
Foxlight
A middle grade fantasy graphic novel debut, coming Spring 2025 from Feiwel and Friends, and imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.
Previously announced as Foxes, Fire, and Other Magic
Foxlight is set during the annual Obon Festival and follows a lost fox spirit and the noodle maker who helps him find his way home.
Add it on GoodreadsAuthor/Illustrator: Kyla Aiko
Editor: Emily Settle
The Out Side
Available wherever books are sold
ISBN-13: 9781524880125
ISBN-10: 1524880124
176 pages, paperback, 6″ x 9″
On Sale Now! Nominated for the 2024 Eisner Award for Best AnthologySilver Sprocket || Bluestockings || Bookshop.org || uk.bookshop.org
Books a Million || Wordery || Barnes and Noble || McNally Robinson || Amazon || Indigo || WalmartYou can also ask your local book/comic store to order The Out Side :)
Publisher site
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org (US link only, not UK) where your purchases support local bookstores. I will earn a commission, at no cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase.
★ ALA Booklist (starred review)
“A gorgeous anthology with stories from 29 trans and nonbinary artists.” -Sarah Rice★ YALSA's 2024 Great Graphic Novels for TeensAmerican Booksellers Association
"The Out Side is such a beautiful anthology that shares trans and nonbinary stories from all walks of life. All the authors approach their stories in very different ways; when it comes down to it, they all feel so interconnected and warm." -Olivia Hoover, Book Passage
Add The Out Side on Goodreads here
In this vibrant and affirming comics anthology, 29 trans & nonbinary comic artists share their personal journeys of self-discovery and acceptance.Featuring the work of Sage Coffey, Kyla Aiko, and Coco Ouwerkerk, The Out Side: Trans & Nonbinary Comics includes 29 creators' tales of self-love and affirmation and detailing their experiences with gender and identity. Originally published as a successful Kickstarter campaign, this expanded edition includes comics by Dana Simpson (bestselling author of Phoebe and Her Unicorn), Aidyn Huynh (Snailords), Wren Chavers, and more.Equal parts encouraging, comforting, and life-affirming, The Out Side is a love letter to the trans and nonbinary community, designed to inspire anyone who may be struggling with their own identity and to help educate those who seek greater understanding. As artist Julia Kaye writes in the book's introduction: "I’m so glad this book exists. It’s a loud proclamation of our existence in the face of a culture that has for too long ignored our experiences."
Contributors: Kaz Fantone, Coco Ouwerkerk, Julie Fiveash, Cyrus, Min Christensen, Ashi, DaToonie, Vixtopher, Wren Chavers, Matteo Montero-Murillo Mel Valentine Vargas, Kyla Aiko, Nasr Bin Safwan, Dana Simpson, Lae Louie Schäfer, Veronica Jane, Dashi, Aidyn Huynh, Al Acevedo, Wey Song, Sam, Liam Coballes, Lake Fama, Lucas James, Sage Coffey, Zhen, Maddie Tacobus, Jam Aden, Tara Madison Avery & Mike Sullivan, Julia KayeOrganizers: The Kao, Min Christensen, and David Daneman
Cover Inks and Design: The Kao
Cover Colors: Min Christensen
FAQ
I am anti-NFT and anti-crypto. You may not use my art to train AI, and do not contact me about making NFTs.
What programs do you use to letter?
It depends on the project, but for traditionally published comics/graphic novels I typically usually use Adobe InDesign to lay out text and Clip Studio Paint or Adobe Illustrator to draw speech balloons and sound effects.Adobe software is the industry-standard in traditional book publishing.If you're looking for non-subscription model alternatives, Affinity Publisher is similar to Adobe InDesign and Affinity Designer is similar to Adobe Illustrator (and both go on sale frequently).
What digital brushes do you use?
In Procreate I usually use brushes from these packs.
› Matt's Sketching Set
› Trisketched Ink BrushesI also usually use Procreate Pencil and Derwent (both are included with Procreate).In Clip Studio Paint, I usually use these brushes:
› Content ID: 1850295 文字ペン (second pen) from 主線と文字ペン pack by 塩分ウホウホ
› Content ID: 1730414 6pencil-soft by Rollermets
Resources (all links open in new tabs)
All About Literary Agents (comic creator specific)
› Danielle Chuatico and JesnCin's "Comic Creator's Guide to Literary Agents" (downloadable pdf, pay what you want)
› Wendy Xu's "Why You Should Get an Agent and How to Present Yourself to One: A Primer for Comic Artists"
› Victoria Ying's "Finding an Agent as a Graphic Novelist"
How to Put Together a Graphic Novel Pitch
› Go Komikimok!!'s "Comics Creator's Guide to Graphic Novel Pitch Packet" (Part 1)
› Go Komikimok!!'s FAQ About Pitch Packets (Part 2)
› Go Komikimok!!'s How to Submit Your Pitch to Publishers, Editors, and Agents (Part 3)
› Ethan M. Aldridge's GN Pitch Packet Twitter Thread
› Literary Agent Maria Vicente's "What to Include in a Graphic Novel Pitch Package"
› Victoria Ying's "Scripting a Graphic Novel"
› Victoria Ying's "What's in a Graphic Novel Proposal?"
Complete graphic novel pitch packets usually have these components (there's no standard order):
› Sample Cover Page
› About the Book (back cover copy, page count, b&w/color, genre, demographic, comp titles)
› About the Author (include relevant publishing credits)
› 5 to 20 Completed Sample Pages
› Sample Script
› Character Descriptions and Drawings
› Full Outline/Synopsis
› Extras (concept sketches, thumbnails)
Lettering Tips
› Sara Linsley's Manga Lettering Wiki
› Sara Linsley's Manga Lettering Scripts for Adobe InDesign
› Nate Piekos's "Lettering Tips"
› Nate Piekos's "Comic Book Grammar and Tradition"
› Phil Christie's "The Basics of Manga Punctuation"
› Phil Christie's "Manga Balloon Basics"
Contact
For all book and publishing inquiries, please contact my literary agent Jennifer Azantian at Jen (@) AzantianLitAgency.comOther inquiries: hello (@) aikosmith.com
Kyla Aiko is an award-nominated cartoonist and editor who's always looking for good soup noodle recommendations (the spicier the better).She's currently working on Foxlight, her debut middle grade graphic novel about a lost fox spirit and the noodle maker who helps him find his way home.Clients include Macmillan, Scholastic, HarperCollins, VIZ Media, Square Enix Manga & Books, and Jaw Drop Games.
Books
› Foxlight - forthcoming from Feiwel & Friends› The Out Side: Trans & Nonbinary Comics
Nominated for Best Anthology in the 2024 Eisner Awards
- Andrews McMeel, On Sale Now (Order Here)I also letter comics and have worked on Dandadan, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Unico, Phantom Busters, Kaiju No. 8: B-Side, Love's in Sight!, Gokurakugai, Komi Can't Communicate, and Everything is Fine, among others.
Shows
Upcoming!
⊹⊹pocketbook.hi Oct. 2025
⊹⊹October 25, 2025
⊹⊹McCully-Mōʻiliʻili Public LibraryPast
⊹⊹pocketbook.hi April 2025
⊹⊹Kawaii Kon 2025
⊹⊹multi diy art fair 2024
⊹⊹Small Press Expo 2024
⊹⊹TCAF Toronto Comic Arts Festival 2024
⊹⊹Pride In Panels Festival 2023
⊹⊹Small Press Expo 2023Panels
⊹⊹Manga Lettering Roundtable at Anime NYC 2024
⊹⊹Think of the Children: Queer All-Ages Comics at Pride in Panels: SF Queer Comics Festival 2024
Stockists
If you're interested in stocking my comics, please email me at hello (@) aikosmith.com
| my online shop | ||
| Other Realms | Honolulu, HI | USA |
| Mori by Art and Flea | Honolulu, HI | USA |
| Silver Sprocket | San Francisco, CA | USA |
| Fantom Comics | Washington D.C. | USA |
| Neighborhood Comics | Savannah, GA | USA |
| The Beguiling | Toronto, ON | Canada |
| The Claremont Colleges Library | Claremont, CA | USA |
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