“Be Prepared” sent our contributors on their way with one word as a loose token of inspiration: “SURVIVAL.”

The written words in this issue were prepared a little different than usual. Our writers were given preliminary sketches, rough concepts and illegible notes from our contributing illustrators. They concepted their stories in unison with their assigned collaborators—dueling artists, refining a work together until the final pieces were complete. What we’re left with are stories accompanied by illustration and yet inspired first by illustration.