By Zack Quaintance — Vault Comics has had a breakout past couple of years among loves of indie comics in the direct market. The publisher has risen with a character-driven mix of science fiction, fantasy, and horror comics, ranging from Heathen to The Plot to last year’s dynamite 1-2 punch of Barbaric and The Blue Flame. But monthly comics for every Wednesday readers is not all that Vault does — the publisher also has an imprint for middle grade readers, dubbed Wonderbound.

And — despite being an adult (sort of) — I really enjoyed last year’s inauguaral Wonderbound output, especially the fantasy-wresting mash-up, Wrassle Castle. This is all why I reached out to request an interview with Wounderbound editor Rebecca Taylor. There are so many exciting books for young readers coming from this imprint, and Taylor was kind enough today to take some time to talk about them with me.

Check out our full conversation below, with previews of Wonderbound’s year two offerings, some insights about how the line is evolving, and what she looks for in a pitch … enjoy!

INTERVIEW: Editor Rebecca Taylor talks Wonderbound

ZACK QUAINTANCE: So, first and foremost…I know you all have put the lineup out there (and it looks great), but what are some of the things we should expect from Wonderbound in year two?

REBECCA TAYLOR: We have four brand new titles, all of which knock my socks off in different ways. POIKO: QUESTS & STUFF feels like a comic that’s already been a classic for years. Poiko and Kenzie’s adventures have that timeless philosophical whimsey specific to the best kids stories–where the emotional honesty and simplicity warm your heart and punch you in the gut in equal measure. 

KENZIE’S KINGDOM is from one of the most trusted teams in comics when it comes to creating inspirational stories for young readers: Shea Fontana and Agnes Garbowska. Their last team-up was DC Superhero Girls, where they sparked courage and kindness in hundreds of thousands of kids, and their first creator-owned project is going to ignite the same energy. 

The world of THE BROTHERS FLICK: THE IMPOSSIBLE DOORS will make perfect sense to kids and make any adult reading over their shoulder say, “But where on earth are all the grown-ups!” which is, I feel, the best way to tell a kid detective story. Part Tin Tin, part Lemony Snicket, this book offers a new sleuth to children’s literature in Leo Flick who I believe has the gravitas and absurdity to stand the test of time. 

GHOSTER HEIGHTS is one of the only books that has ever made me openly weep at my desk while proofreading. They were happy, wonderful, I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS tears, but still. Ona and Haunty’s story is both important and heart-stealing. How it manages to be that while featuring an extensive sub-cast of ridiculous cats shows the true mastery of the creative team. 

Then we also have more of what Wonderbound readers already love, with two new volumes of WRASSLE CASTLE and the second volume of VERSE! 

ZACK: How has the imprint changed (if at all) from year one?

REBECCA: I think there’s more cohesion to the line in Year 2, so if you’re a fan who’s been following the imprint as a whole, you’ll start to get a better sense of the overall voice of the catalogue. With Year 1, we had a collection of projects that came to us from various pockets, each of which were amazing–it was a bit like throwing a party where you introduce all your favorite people from different parts of your life to each other for the first time. Year 2 was conceived more as a squad-goals line-up from the beginning, so there’s a fun energy that comes with that.  

ZACK: I love the variety of work coming from Vault’s YA imprint (although I must admit Wrassle Castle is my absolute favorite so far), and I’m curious how you as an editor approach each project? Does it change wildly based on the book?

REBECCA: My editorial style is fairly consistent, but each book is still a unique experience because so much of how I approach a project is based on the creative team–how they communicate, what inspires them, the experiences they bring to the table. At the end of the day, art is elemental and wild and free, and creators need a space that allows them to connect to that in the way that works best for them. I’m the architect who builds that space for them, and while I use the same basic materials and structures for everyone, each space is different. 

ZACK: The YA market for graphic novels is so fun and exciting right now. Where do you see Wonderbound fitting into the wider market?

REBECCA: Wonderbound is actually largely a middle-grade imprint, not young adult. The vast majority of our books target 8-12-year-old readers. It’s such an exciting and exploding space in publishing. The vision for Wonderbound is to provide a consistently genre-focused wellspring of books for kids at that age who are consuming graphic novels like wildfire. Sci-fi, fantasy, horror–these platforms are so important when you’re starting to form your identity. We want to be a stocked pantry for kids who are hungry for stories full of adventure and imagination.

ZACK: Finally, what are some of the things you look for in a Wonderbound pitch?

REBECCA: The only absolute qualifiers are that it must be for kids and must be fantasy, sci-fi, or horror. Other than that, I look primarily for voice and imagination. I look for stories that are deeply personal and bring something new to the genre table, whether it’s the worldbuilding, the adventure, or the characters.

I’m also a sucker for stories that celebrate friendship (give me ALL your found family stories), and I love creators who are emotionally ambitious with their stories. Kids may have less life experience than adults, but are just as emotionally complex, and I like stories that honor that.

Check out Wonderbound online!

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Zack Quaintance is a tech reporter by day and freelance writer by night/weekend. He Tweets compulsively about storytelling and comics as Comics Bookcase.