Comics illustrator Akvile Magicdust wins the ELCAF x WeTransfer award

Lithuania-based illustrator Akvile Magicdust (aka Akvile Miseviciute) has won this year’s ELCAF x WeTransfer award, which funds the development, publication and marketing of a publication idea. She has been awarded £3,500 will be supported in bringing the project to fruition in time for ELCAF 2018.

Open to exhibitors of any edition of ELCAF, the East London Comic Arts Festival, this is the second annual iteration of the self-publishing award after Nous Vous’ Nicolas Burrows won last year. His book, The Elephant Hotel, made as a result of the prize, was launched at this year’s event.

Akvile creates a weekly comic for Vice named Lucy the confused girl, in which a sassy protagonist goes on misadventures with an alien and a tiger. Her deadpan and relatable work covers familiar themes in an unusual setting, with great comic timing.

Rob Alderson, editor-in-chief at WeTransfer, told It’s Nice That: “This award is all about working with artists to make their passion projects possible. The standard of submissions was really high, but the way Akvile tells stories which touch on big themes in a very lighthearted way makes her a really exciting winner.”