ABOUT
INERTIA is a SFW fanzine focusing on the original donghua To Be Hero X (凸变英雄X). This zine will feature original fan illustrations, comics, and stories relating to the characters / events from To Be Hero X. This zine will be a P4P (Pay for Production) physical zine with physical merch, and will also be offered as a free digital PDF.
SCHEDULE
If you are planning on applying as a contributor, please familiarize yourself with our schedule. The schedule is subject to change as the project progresses.
| SCHEDULE | DATE |
|---|---|
| Zine Announcement | August 1 |
| Interest Check | September 15 - October 15, 2025 |
| Contributor Apps | October 16 - November 15, 2025 |
| Contributor Results | November 23, 2025 |
| Pitches | November 30, 2025 |
| Check-in #1 | December 31, 2025 |
| Check-in #2 | January 31, 2026 |
| Check-in #3 | February 28, 2026 |
| Final Submissions | March 31, 2026 |
| Pre-order Interest Check | April 16 - 30, 2026 |
| Pre-order Store Open | May 1 - 31, 2026 |
| Production and Shipping | TBD |
| Leftover Sales | TBD |
| Digital Release | TBD |
MODS
lillachan (Twitter | Carrd)
Head, Social Media, Graphics and Layoutmy superpower is excel spreadsheets
Fleurellis (Twitter)
Writingmy superpower is crying in the club
natsumi (Twitter | Carrd)
Finance & Shippingmy superpower is gambling
sharo (Twitter | Carrd)
Artmy superpower is https://youtu.be/A_HjMIjzyMU
FAQ
What is a zine?
A zine is a collaborative fan project, in which fans for a certain piece of media or a certain theme come together to create content. It includes art, writing, and sometimes accompanying merchandise, whether it be physical or digital.What type of content will be featured/is allowed?
This zine will feature SFW, canon and general content from the series. AI-generated or assisted works will not be allowed in the zine.How will the shipping be handled?
Shipping costs will vary depending on your location. We will provide further details during pre-orders. Packages will be shipped from the United States.Do I need to have experience to apply for the zine?
For Contributors, no previous experience is necessary!
Can I apply for multiple roles?
Yes, but contributors will only be accepted for one role.How will contributors be compensated?
All contributors will receive a digital copy of the zine. In addition, we would like to provide the contributors a physical copy of the zine and merchandise, including shipping. Since this is a P4P zine and no profits are being made, we will be factoring this as a cost to the final prices.Can I post my work to social media/sell my work?
During the zine production phase, please refrain from posting your progress on social media. You will be able to post previews of your piece (30%) during zine pre-orders. Further instructions and a template will be provided when the time comes. All our creators are welcome to post their work once the zine concludes. A more specific date will be given once the zine is in its production phase. You own and retain the rights to the work you produce.
Contributor Applications
INTERTIA is a To Be Hero X Zine featuring writing and fanart in the style of a hero magazine! This zine will feature SFW, canon, and general content from the series.Please read carefully through our guidelines and requirements for the role(s) you would like to apply for! You are able to apply for multiple roles, but contributors will only be accepted for one role.Contributor Applications & Guidelines
Read through the information listed in the application and familiarize yourself with the guidelines
Review the schedule to ensure that you will be able to adhere to it
If you need to drop out of the zine at any time for any reason, properly communicate with the moderators
Be prepared to create a Discord account, as this will be the main form of communication for the Zine
While To Be Hero X art and writing is encouraged, it is not required
If your portfolio or samples are via Google Drive, please double check that the folder permissions will allow us to view your work
Do not use Discord links for portfolio/samples - the links expire and content will not be viewable
Do not use Instagram pages for portfolio, they are not easily viewable on desktop
Contributor applications will close on November 15th at 11:59PM PST
Page & Spot Artist Requirements
Page Artists will be responsible for either 1 illustration, 1 spread, or a 1-2 page comic
Page Artists will be assigned a hero that must be included in their art from the choice they select in their application. However, this does not mean that you are limited to drawing just one hero, as we encourage pieces with multiple heroes! This assignment is to ensure that all heroes have some representation in the zine.
Spot Artists will be responsible for 1 advertisement and spot art for 2 writers
You are required to link your portfolio.The portfolio should be a Google Drive folder or a similar webpage that demonstrates the full range of your skills
There should be at least 5 pieces within the portfolio
You will also be required to link 3 of your best works
Your use of color, composition, style, anatomy, and backgrounds will be scored
Merch Artist Requirements
Merch Artists will be assigned 2 merch items from the choices they select in their application
You are required to link your portfolio. The portfolio should be a Google Drive folder or a similar webpage that demonstrates the full range of your skills
There should be at least 5 pieces within the portfolio
You will be required to link to 3 of your best works
Please provide samples in the style you would like to use for the zine
Sharing examples of merch you have created are encouraged
Your use of color and style will be scored
Writer Requirements
Writers will be responsible for min 1k - max 2.5k word piece.
Writers are able to pitch from the following options: story, news article, hero interview, tier list / power charts, or something else (specify in the pitch)
You will be required to link 3 of your best works, at least one of which should be a complete, standalone work and within 1.5-2.5k words.
Please keep the total word count of your samples under 6k words
You can submit an optional writing portfolio
Your characterization, use of dialogue and syntax, understanding of grammar, and overall readability will be scored