Stella Aurea ✧ is a SFW and non-profit / for-charity fanzine that seeks to celebrate the life and legacy of Runeterra's brightest star, Mel Medarda! We aim for this zine to be both a digital and physical project that will include illustrations, short form writing, cosplay, and various merchandise.
✧ Zine Status: interest check & Mod apps are OPEN!
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✦ vision statement! ✦
This zine is themed around a gala being held in honor of Mel. We will walk our esteemed guests through an exhibit showcasing the various moments of her life, from her days as a child to being reborn as a mage. Mel’s canon relationships – both platonic and romantic – will be included and depicted in this zine.
The zine will have 4 sections:
i. stella splendida ( splendid star ).
✦ The splendid, little star: covering Mel’s childhood to the innocence lost in her teenage years.
ii. ad astra per aspera ( through suffering to the stars ).
✦ The forsaken daughter: covering Mel’s exile to Piltover and her rise as a councilor.
iii. stellae te sequantur ( may the stars follow you ).
✦ The era of magic: covering Mel's investment in Hextech to her birth as a mage.
iv. alis volat propriis ( she flies with her own wings ).
✦ The wolf’s homecoming: covering Mel’s return to Noxus and remaining what makes her shine brightest - compassionate.
Contributors can read more about application requirements, compensation, and more in our info doc here!
This is an unofficial, fanmade project with no affiliation to Arcane, League of Legends, and Riot Games, nor does Riot Games endorse this project. Mel Medarda, all characters, and locations featured in this project belong to Riot Games. Stock assets for graphics were taken from Freepik.
✦ zine schedule! ✦
*Schedule is subject to change. Any updates will be communicated to both contributors and customers.
| ✧ PHASE | ✧ DATE |
|---|---|
| Mod Applications & Interest Check | April 21st - May 19th (2025) |
| Contributor Applications | June 9th - July 7th |
| Application Results | July 16th - July 21st |
| Pitches Due | July 25th |
| Pitches Confirmed | August 1st |
| Creation Phase Begins | August 4th |
| 1st Check-in | September 1st |
| 2nd Check-in | September 29th |
| 3rd Check-in | October 27th |
| Final Submission | November 17th |
| Final Proof Creation / Buffer for Holidays | December |
| Preorder Period / *Mel Week! ✨ | January 12th - February 9th (2026) |
| Production | February - March |
| Shipping | April (estimate) |
*Details on Mel Appreciation Week will be revealed closer to the date of her 'birthday'.
Please look forward to it!
✦ Meet the Curators! ✦
Our team consists of a variety of fans that bring a mixture of professional and long-time fandom experience to this zine. If you're interested in helping make our project amazing and successful, make sure to apply when mod applications open up in April!
You can see what remaining mod positions we're looking to fill in our info doc here!
Role: Organization, Communications, and Social Media
Mod Chas is excited to be on this journey of leading this project for Mel and her radiant fans. She has fandom experience ranging from creating and organizing fanweeks, adminstrating a forum, running fandom servers, and much more!
Experience:
Mod Intern for Slumbering Princess: A Flayn Zine
Discord Mod for Sunflower: A Leonie Zine
Professional experience in project management / consulting.
Role: Discord Support Mod
While Mod Cass was late to the Arcane fandom, it - and especially Mel Medarda - has captured their heart! From the art to the characters, Arcane has inspired them to get back into writing fanfic.
Experience:
Discord Mod for For A Fistful of Credits Zine
Discord Mod for Tales of the Clone Wars Zine
Event Organizer for NiteArmor Week, WolfWren Week, and Satine Kryze Week
Role: Writing Mod
Mod Gentle describes herself as a Mel lover, first and foremost, and a human second. This is her first time on a zine but she is an avid reader and has been writing fanfiction since 2014!
Experience:
Creator and organizer of the onlymeljay server & events (formerly meljaymicrofics)
CLRD and PR for several manhwa translation groups
Role: Lead Graphic / Formatting Mod
Mod Niki is a Mel Medarda lover, occasional fanfic writer, and longtime nerd. It's been a dream of theirs to work on graphics for a zine and she is very excited to work on this one!
Experience:
Is a professional graphic designer!
Role: Graphic / Formatting Mod
Mod Maye declares themselves as a tired lesbian from the Philippines. They've mostly contributed to fandom via fanfiction and threads for K-Pop, Resident Evil VIII, & Hilda Furacao!
Experience:
Is a professional graphic designer!
Role: Lead Illustrator
Raphaëlle is a huge fan of the Arcane show and loved the diversity within the female cast. Even if Sevika is their forever wife, Mel is also one of their favorites! Apart from that, she is a D&D nerd and most importantly, is very, very gay.
Experience:
Freelance Illustrator, Character Designer, 2D Game Artist
Artist Alley creator for multiple conventions
Role: Intern Writing Mod
Mod Meg has been writing fanfiction since they were a little kid, before they even knew there was a term for it. They've supported and enjoyed their fair share of zines over the years, and is excited to be working on their first!
Experience:
5+ years of organization, fundraising, and volunteer work for mutual aid and charity orgs
Role: Intern Art Mod
Hayden fell in love with Arcane while watching the first season during their studies. They quickly grew fond of three specific characters: Ekko, Scar and, of course, our beloved Mel! She inspired them and their art to such an extent that it pushes them to create!
Experience:
Organizer & Art Mod on the JoJo's Retro Adventures Fanzine
Experience as a colourist assistant on published French cartoons
Freelance illustrator & comic artist
✦ frequently asked questions! ✦
What’s a zine?
A fanzine (‘fan magazine’) is a fan-created, non-official publication which consists of a collection of stories and artwork around a central theme - such as a series, character, or ship.If this is your first time applying for or buying a zine, we recommend checking out the following links:
✦ A Beginners Intro to Zines by atozines
✦ A Beginners Guide to Preordering Physical Zines by atozines
What is the theme of this zine?
The theme of Stella Aurea is to showcase Mel’s life through an exhibit curated by her loved ones. The zine will be divided into four sections where each contributor will be able to dive further into her character.
Is the zine going to be physical or digital?
This will be a physical zine and buyers will have the option of purchasing the digital zine as well. There will be various bundles available with a variety of merchandise.
Will there be ships in this zine?
Ship content will be accepted into the zine but be very limited. Solo, platonic, and group pieces are preferred when submitting a pitch.
Will other characters be featured?
Yes! We would like to see a balance between pieces focused on Mel herself and also being depicted platonically with a nice range of characters - including characters she knew in canon but could’ve had more of a substantial relationship with (ex. Caitlyn, Viktor, etc.) or characters she could've had an interesting dynamic with if given the chance to interact (Vi, Ekko, Sky, etc.).
What gets in depends on how strong the pitch is!
Please note: We are committed to accurate and respectful disability representation for any and all disabled characters included in this zine.
Are trans deceptions of Mel and other Arcane characters allowed?
Absolutely! Creators are welcome to include trans depictions of any/all characters from the show in their contributions.
Are AUs allowed?
Technically, no. But we are open to ‘what ifs’ for pitches. For instance, a contributor could pitch the idea of Mel meeting Ekko and Heimerdinger in Zaun during season 2 and that would be welcomed!We are also aware of how popular skins are in League of Legends and welcome contributors to pitch any ideas for a page / spread based around a Mel skin for the ‘alis volat propriis’ section of the zine. Things such as Star Guardian Mel would be lovely to see!
Is this going to be a for-profit or for-charity zine?
This will be a for-charity zine. Our chosen charity will be announced once we have finalized our choice. Any proceeds left remaining after our contributors have been compensated will be donated and the final amount posted publicly.Our charity nominees will be focused on assisting black femmes in areas around mental health, art, or STEM. Please suggest organizations when our interest check opens!
How much will the zine cost?
Stella Aurea plans on offering tiered bundles and their corresponding prices will be announced once our preorders are live. Follow us and stay tuned!
How will contributors be compensated?
Contributors will receive a free digital PDF of the zine, and depending on the sales, will also be rewarded with a physical copy of the book and a full bundle + all unlocked stretch goals.
Contributors can read more about application requirements, compensation, and more in our info doc here!
How many contributors will there be for the zine?
The contributors will be divided in four sections (*this is a tentative estimate of the number of contributors we hope to have, including guests. Final numbers are dependent on the results of our interest check):
i. stella splendida ( splendid star ).
- 8 artists and 2 writers
ii. ad astra per aspera ( through suffering to the stars ).
10 artists and 3 writers
iii. stellae te sequantur ( may the stars follow you ).
11 artists and 3 writers
iv. alis volat propriis ( she flies with her own wings ).
11 artists and 2 writers
We are estimating 6-8 merch artists for this zine.
Are contributors allowed to collaborate?
We highly encourage it! Artists that sign up to be a spot illustrator can volunteer to work with a writer based on what pitch inspires them the most. We welcome artists and writers working with the formatting mod to create a unique experience for the zine’s stories.
Can contributors post/sell their pieces after the zine is completed?
Contributors retain all the rights to their work! They will be able post and/or sell their works after the zine project is completed. Not adhering to this request will result in you being removed from the project and not compensated.
When can I apply?
Mods applications will open near the end of April! Contributor applications are scheduled to open June 9th and end on July 7th.
How will the zine be distributed?
All digital copies will be sent through email and physical copies will be shipped via postal service. We’ll send out a shipping address change form before our shipping period to account for any buyer that has moved in between ordering.
Will you ship internationally?
We’ll be shipping internationally to as many regions as we can! Please note that there may be some shipping restrictions based on the country.
Is there any way for me to know that funds are being appropriately used?
This zine is committed to being transparent with our contributors / customers to ease your peace-of-mind and make this a pleasant, enjoyable experience for everyone. We will post production updates after pre-orders close and keep buyers updated on the status of the zine via our socials. When we have had leftover sales and deem our project complete, the mods will release a finance sheet publicly.
Additional questions?
If you have any additional questions, you can send us an email at [email protected], reach out to us via DMs over at twitter / bluesky, or send an ask over at our tumblr!
Lady Medarda thanks you for your interest in Stella Aurea!
This is an unofficial, fanmade project with no affiliation to Arcane, League of Legends, and Riot Games, nor does Riot Games endorse this project. Mel Medarda, all characters, and locations featured in this project belong to Riot Games. Stock assets for graphics were taken from Freepik.