Gladiolus Magazine - Print Magazine

Gladiolus Magazine is full of incredible comics and prose focusing on Community, Culture, and Care. The magazine embodies a “for us, by us,” as we do with all Black Josei Press projects.

Gladiolus Magazine has 134 black-and-white pages that feature 23 comics, essays, short stories, interviews, and guides by 38 amazing creatives of color from marginalized genders and sexualities. 

The magazine has content that ranges from Jackie Ormes cut-out paper dolls to horror and josei guides, to comics about sex, romance, gaming, mental health, creator interviews, essays about burnout in the comic industry, and so much more. 

Gladiolus Magazine was funded by The Ellies Award Creator Grant that founder Jamila Rowser (Wash Day Diaries) received from Oolite Arts and The Miami Foundation. 

Magazine Specs

• 8.5 x 11 inches 
• 134 pages
• Color cover
• Black and white interior pages 
• Perfect bound

PRESS

Support This Comic: Jamila Rowser on Gladiolus, Black Josei Press' Stunning Comics and Prose Magazine | Rosie Recommends 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Production

• Editor-in-Chief: Jamila Rowser
• Art Director: Alexandria Batchelor (aka Foxee Design)
• Assistant Project Manager: Jemar Souza
• Copy Editor: Victoria Johnson
• Cover Artist: Sarula Bao

Comics & Illustrations

Aaron Reese, Alexandria Batchelor, Ashanti Fortson, Asiah Fulmore, Emma Rust, Iman Daydream, Jamila Rowser, Kameron White, Lauren Franklin, ONeillJones, rin ascher, Robyn Smith, Sarula Bao, Sam Wade, Steenz, Stephanie Williams and Vincent Cecil

Prose & Guides

Ashanti Fortson, Carrie McClain, Christina Santi, Christine Pasalo Norland, Jacque Aye, Jamila Rowser, Jemar Souza, Lillie J. Harris, Sam Wade, Shannon Wright, Sunmi, and Whit Taylor.

Interviewees & Participants

Aisha Soleil, Daisy Ruiz, Danny Lore, Deb Aoki, Jamila Rowser, Jessica Tseang, Laura Neuzeth, Shamika A. Mitchell, PhD, Sharon Lee De La Cruz, Shar Tuiasoa (aka Punky Aloha), Sloane Leong and Vita Ayala.

BIOS

Jamila Rowser (she/her) is a Queer Black, Puerto Rican, and Dominican award-winning writer, editor, and publisher (Black Josei Press). She is known for her debut graphic novel, Wash Day Diaries, co-created with Robyn Smith (Nubia: Real One), which won the LA Times Book Prize and Ignatz Award and was nominated for an Eisner Award. Jamila enjoys spending her time watching horror movies and cuddling with her cats.

Black Josei Press is an award-winning and critically acclaimed indie comic publisher launched in 2018. It is known for the award-winning comics Wash Day, The Saddest Angriest Black Girl in Town, Gordita: Built Like This, Ignatz nominated Ode to Keisha, and Arrive In My Hands. 

Questions, interview requests, wholesale orders? Email hey@blackjoseipress.com.