Prism Comics Announces Pam Harrison as 2009’s Queer Press Grant Recipient!

Prism Comics recently announced that Pam Harrison is the recipient of its fourth annual Queer Press Grant for her submission, House of the Muses: The Latter Days of Sappho of Lesbos, a comic book series based on the writings of Sappho and Alkaios. The announcement was made at San Francisco’s WonderCon, during Prism’s panel, “Self-Publishing Queer Comics.”

“Among the most important projects performed by Prism throughout the year is finding and nurturing emerging talent from the LGBT community,” said Patricia Jeres, Prism Co-President and Talent and Industry Relations Chair. “We are especially proud to be able to offer this grant to Pam, whose storytelling and incredible 3-D graphic technique really wowed Prism’s Board.”

Harrison, reacting to the news, said, “When I heard the news this afternoon I was overjoyed and ecstatic. As Sappho herself might have put it, ‘I was giddy, overjoyed; I felt myself go hot and cold all over.’ With all its romance, adventure, humor and pathos, its Teen+ rating and diverse LGBT-straight readership, House of the Muses advances the dream of pushing LGBT comics into the mainstream.”

House of the Muses: The Latter Days of Sappho of Lesbos was born during Harrison’s early college days studying New Testament Greek at Western Kentucky University where she discovered Sappho’s poetry that she says, “literally my changed life.” Harrison, an aspiring comics artist since age 12, eventually learned 3-D graphics, which became the basis for the illustrations in the published version of House of the Muses. She has most recently taught night classes in 3DStudio Max at Louisville Technical Institute.

Three issues of “House of the Muses” are now available through various outlets including Harrison’s website, http://houseofthemuses.com, along with Amazon.com and IndyPlanet.com.

The grant announcement was made during Prism’ panel, “Self-Publishing Queer Comics,” one of three panels Prism presented during San Francisco’s WonderCon, the Bay Area’s pre-eminent comics and pop-culture consumer convention. For more information about WonderCon, go to www.comic-con.org/wc.

The Queer Press Grant was made possible through the generous contributions of Jane’s World’s Paige Braddock, Prism Board Member Roger Klorese, and many online contributors. For more information, go to http://prismcomics.org/grant.php. To contribute for next year’s grant, please go to http://apps.facebook.com/causes/176646?fb_page_id=36019749315&m=d0942e64&owner_id=33150264.

The first recipient of the Queer Press Grant was Steve MacIsaac (Shirtlifter), the second was Megan Gedris (YU+ME), and the third was a tie for both Tommy Roddy (Pride High) and Justin Hall (Glamazonia the Uncanny Super Tranny).

For more information on current and past Queer Press Grant winners, please visit their web sites:

Pam Harrison: http://houseofthemuses.com and http://user.drunkduck.com/houseofmuses.
Justin Hall: http://allthumbspress.com.
Tommy Roddy: http://www.pridecomics.com.
Steve MacIsaac: http://www.stevemacisaac.com.
Megan Gedris: http://yume.rosalarian.com.

About Prism Comics
Prism Comics is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the work of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) creators in the comics industry, as well as LGBT themes in comics in general. Incorporated in 2003, Prism Comics publishes an annual resource guide, Prism Comics: Your LGBT Guide to Comics.