Must be getting to awards season as there is a lot of stuff happening. This Awards Roundup is filled to the brim: nominees for the 2023 Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award, NCS Divisional Finalists for the 77th Reuben Awards, the first ever JewCie Awards nominations – as well as the winners of Pop Culture Classroom’s sixth Excellence in Graphic Literature Awards. Scroll on!
2023 RUSS MANNING PROMISING NEWCOMER AWARD
Comic-Con International announced the nominees for the 2023 Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award. The winner will be announced at this year’s Eisner Awards, taking place July 21 at SDCC.
The nominees are:
- Soroush Barazesh, writer/artist of Kings of Nowhere (Dark Horse)
- Shof Coker, co-creator/artist of New Masters (Image)
- Ryan Lang, writer/artist of Issunboshi: A Graphic Novel (Oni)
- Tim Probert, writer/artist of the Lightfall series (HarperAlley)
- Zoe Thorogood, writer/artist of The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott (Avery Hill), writer/artist of It’s Lonely at the Center of the Earth (Image), artist of Rain (Image)
The Russ Manning Award has taken place annually (except for a 2020-2021 Covid break) since 1982. Previous recipients have included Scott McCloud (1985), Jeff Smith (1993), Eleanor Davis (2009), and Tyler Crook (2012). Last year’s awardee was Italian artist Luana Vecchio, who is known for Image series LOVESICK and Bolero.
NCS DIVISIONAL FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR REUBEN AWARDS
June 5, the National Cartoonist Society announced the Divisional finalists for the 77th Reuben Awards. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in Jersey City, September 7th 2023. NCS members have until this coming Monday – June 19 – to vote.
You can check out the comics adjacent Divisional category finalists below. [Note: the awards themselves only list the cartoonists names but we endeavoured to find the work they are most recently known for]
COMIC BOOK
- Brett Bean – Zoo Patrol Squad series (Penguin Workshop), I Hate Fairyland (Image) with Skottie Young
- Ben Bender, Beorn – The Littlest Viking Saga (Red 5 Comics)
- Robert Goodin, The Kurdles (Fantagraphics and self-published)
GRAPHIC NOVEL
- Colleen Doran, adaptations of Neil Gaiman stories Snow, Glass, Apples, Norse Mythology, and Chivalry (Dark Horse)
- Christian Meesey, Time Shopper with Tony Fleecs (self published)
- Alex Ross, Fantastic Four: Full Circle (Abrams ComicArts)
ONLINE COMICS (LONG FORM)
ONLINE COMICS (SHORT FORM)
NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIPS
NOMINEES OF INAUGURAL FIRST JEWCIE AWARDS ANNOUNCED
New York’s Center for Jewish History is holding their own comic con November 11, called JewCE: The Jewish Comics Experience. To complement the event will be the inaugural JewCie Awards. According to their website:
“A vital part of the JewCE convention will be a major public event, the JewCie Awards. The first ceremony ever held in celebration of Jewish comics, the JewCie Awards supports JewCE’s mission by honoring the creators of Jewish comic book narratives, themes, and characters. Such awards serve as a platform to acknowledge and celebrate the unique contributions of artists, storytellers, and creators who have invested their talents and passion into Jewish storytelling through the medium of comics.”
There are nine award categories including a career achievement award (Macherke Award), best writer, best artist, plus awards on Diverse Jewish Representation, Historical Narratives, Autobiography, Contemporary Subjects, Fiction, and Combating Prejudice. It seems the criteria is pretty broad in terms of publication date as books range from quite recent to a 1980s issue of Sandman.
Judges for the first JewCie Awards are Brian Michael Bendis, Jeremy Dauber, Ken Krimstein, Paul Levitz, Arnon Shorr, Julian Voloj, David Walker, Alex Rae, Chari Pere, Danny Fingeroth, and Karen Green.
Here are all the nominees:
ARTIST HONOREE OF THE YEAR
- Rutu Modan
- Chari Pere
- Typex
- Terri Liebenson
- Liana Finck
- Erez Zadok
- Jorge Miguel
- Jules Feiffer
- Asaf Hanuka
- Rachel Petrowicz
WRITER HONOREE OF THE YEAR
- Jules Feiffer
- Dani Colman
- Typex
- Jordan Gorfinkel
- Neil Kleid
- Dan Goldman
- Alisa Kwitney
- Jules Feiffer
- Asaf Hanuka
- Dani Colman
DIVERSE REPRESENTATION
- But I Live: Three Stories of Child Survivors of the Holocaust, by Charlotte Schallié (Editor), Barbara Yelin (Illustrator), Gilad Seliktar (Illustrator), Miriam Libicki (Illustrator), [2022, New Jewish Press]
- The Unfinished Corner, by Dani Colman and Rachel “Tuna” Petrowicz [2021, Vault/Wonderbound]
- Shanghai Dream, by Philippe Thirault and Jorge Miguel [2019, LifeDrawn/Humanoids]
- Chunky, by Yehudi Mercado [2021, Katherine Tegen Books]
- Intertwined: The Last Jewish Daughter of Kaifeng, by Fabrice Sapolsky, Fei Chen , Ho Seng Hui [2023, FairSquare Comics]
- Let There Be Light, by Liana Finck [2022, Random House]
- Tunnels, by Rutu Modan [2021, Drawn & Quarterly]
HISTORICAL NARRATIVE
- Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation, by Folman [2018, Generic]
- The Koren Tanakh Graphic Novel: Esther, by Jordan Gorfinkiel and Yael Nathan [2023, Koren Publishers Jerusalem]
- When I Grow Up: The Lost Autobiographies of Six Yiddish Teenagers, by Ken Krimstein [2021, Bloomsbury]
- Jose and the Pirate Captain Toledano, by Arnon Z. Shorr and Joshua M. Edelglass [2022, Kar-Ben Publishing]
- Megilat Esther, by JT Waldman [2005, JPS]
- Market Day, by James Sturm [2010, Drawn & Quarterly]
- The Librarian of Auschwitz: The Graphic Novel, by Salva Rubio, Antonio Iturbe, Loreto Aroca [2023, Godwin Books]
- Brownsville, by Neil Kleid and Jake Allen [2006, NBM Publishing] [NBM]
AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVE
- Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant: A Memoir, by Roz Chast [2014, Bloomsbury]
- Fair Enough (series), by Danny Lobell [2018 to present, Stand Up Comic Group]
- For Justice: The Serge and Beate Klarsfeld Story, adapted by Pascal Bresson and Sylvain Dorange [2021, Life Drawn/Humanoids]
- One of Those Days, by Yehuda and Maya Devir (webcomic) [Also: 2020, Random House]
- How to Understand Israel in 60 Days or Less, by Sarah Glidden [2011, Vertigo/First Edition]
- Chunky, by Yehudi Mercado [2021, Katherine Tegen Books]
- Chasing Echoes, by Dan Goldman and Gégê Schall [2019, Life Drawn]
- The Property, by Rutu Modan [2013, Drawn & Quarterly]
- The Realist: Last Day on Earth, by Asaf Hanuka [2015, Archaia]
- The Complete Maus: A Survivor’s Tale, by Art Spiegelman [1996, Pantheon]
- Flying Couch: A Graphic Memoir, by Amy Kurzweil [2016, Catapult]
CONTEMPORARY TOPICS
- The Dairy Restaurant, by Ben Katchor [2020, Schocken]
- The Big Kahn, by Neil Kleid and Nicolas Cinquegrani [2009, NBM]
- All the Answers, by Michael Kupperman [2018, Gallery 13]
- Chunky Goes to Camp, by Yehudi Mercado [2022, Katherine Tegan]
- The Property, by Rutu Modan [2013, D & Q]
- Sylvie, by Sylvie Kantorowitz [2021, Walker Books US]
- Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant: A Memoir, by Roz Chast [2014, Bloomsbury]
- The Realist: Last Day on Earth, by Asaf Hanuka [2015, Archaia]
FICTIONAL NARRATIVE
- Sandman #8 “The Sound of Her Wings”, by Neil Gaiman, Mike Dringenberg & Malcolm Jones III [1989, DC Comics]
- Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem, by Steve Niles and Dave Wachter, [2014, Dark Horse Books]
- Unterzakhn, by Leela Corman [2012, Schocken]
- Hereville Trilogy, by Barry Deutsch [2010-2015, Amulet Books]
- We Only Kill Each Other, by Stephanie Phillips and Peter Krause [2022, Dark Horse Books]
- A Bunch of Jews (and Other Stuff): A Minyen Yidn, by Max B. Perlson and Trina Robbins et al [2017, Bedside Press]
- Tunnels, by Rutu Modan [2021, Drawn & Quarterly]
- The Unfinished Corner, by Dani Colman and Rachel “Tuna” Petrowicz [2021, Vault/Wonderbound]
COMBATING PREJUDICE
- Riad Sattouf
- James Sturm
- Neal Adams, Rafael Medoff, Craig Yoe
- Art Spiegelman
- Peter Kuper
- E. Lockhart
- G. Willow Wilson
- Ronald Wimberly
2023 EXCELLENCE IN GRAPHIC LITERATURE AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Earlier this month, the Pop Culture Classroom announced the winners of its sixth Excellence in Graphic Literature (EGL) Awards. The selecting juries and advisory board comes from an applicant pool of US librarians and educators. The Book of the Year was ADHD graphic memoir Button Pusher, by Tyler Page (First Second). The book is suitable for ages 10-14.
Pop Culture Classroom’s Director of Education Matt Slayter – who oversees the awards – said:
“We believe the EGL Awards are a treasure map to the best graphic novels, comics collections, and manga for unique value in classrooms, libraries, and other educational settings. The teachers and librarians who determined this year’s winners worked hard to ensure that each title is age-appropriate and encourages learning and reflection.”
The winners and finalists by category are as follows:
CHILDREN’S FICTION
- WINNER: Mamo, by Sas Milledge (BOOM! Studios)
- Alcatoe and the Turnip Child, by Isaac Lenkiewicz (NoBrow, US Inc. / Flying Eye Books)
- Hilda: The Trolberg Stories, by Luke Pearson (NoBrow, US Inc. / Flying Eye Books)
- Minecraft: Open World – Into the Nether, by Stephanie Ramirez (Dark Horse)
- Prunella and the Cursed Skull Ring, by Matthew Loux (First Second Books)
- Putuguq and Kublu and the Attack of the Amautalik, by Roselynn Akulukjuk, Danny Christopher, and Astrid Arijanto (Inhabit Media)
MIDDLE GRADE – FICTION
- WINNER: Frizzy, by Claribel A. Ortega and Rose Bousamra (First Second Books)
- Ghosts of Science Past, by Joseph Sieracki and Jesse Lonergan (BIG, an Imprint of Humanoids)
- Sisters of the Mist, by Marlyn Spaaij (Nobrow US Inc. / Flying Eye Books)
- Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky – The Graphic Novel, by Robert Venditti, Kwame Mbalia, and Olivia Stephens (Disney)
- Twig, by Skottie Young and Kyle Strahm (Image Comics)
- Wynd, by James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas (BOOM! Studios)
MIDDLE GRADE – NON-FICTION
- WINNER: Button Pusher, by Tyler Page (First Second Books)
- Alice On the Run: One Child’s Journey Through the Rwandan Civil War, by Gaspard Talmasse (Life Drawn, an Imprint of Humanoids)
- The First Heart Transplant, by Brandon Terrell and Dante Ginevra (Graphic Universe)
- Magical History Tour Vol.7: Gandhi, by Fabrice Erre and Sylvain Salvoia (Papercutz)
- Magical History Tour Vol.8: The Vikings, by Fabrice Erre and Sylvain Salvoia (Papercutz)
- Science Comics: Bridges — Engineering Masterpieces, by Dan Zettwoch (First Second Books)
YOUNG ADULT – FICTION
- WINNER: Side Effects, by Ted Anderson and Tara O’Connor (Seismic Press)
- The Stretcher Bearers, by Reid Beaman and Ryan Beaman (Dead Reckoning)
- Thieves, by Lucie Bryon (Nobrow US Inc. / Flying Eye Books)
- Twelfth Grade Night, by Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm, and Jamie Green (Disney Publishing Worldwide, Disney Hyperion)
- Unretouchable, by Sofia Szamosi (Graphic Universe)
- The Well, by Jake Wyatt and Choo (First Second Books)
YOUNG ADULT – NON-FICTION
- WINNER: Victory. Stand!, by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile (Norton Young Readers)
- But I Live, by Barbara Yelin, Gilad Seliktar, and Miriam Libicki (New Jewish Press)
- Improve: How I Discovered Improv, by Alex Graudins (First Second Books)
- Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag, by Michael Anthony and Chai Simone (Street Noise Books)
- Movements and Moments, by Various (Drawn and Quarterly)
- We Survived the Holocaust, by Frank Baker and Tom Ogline (Image and Wonder)
ADULT – FICTION
- WINNER: The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, by Ram V and Filipe Andrade (Boom! Studios)
- The Keeper, by Tananarive Due, Steven Barnes, and Marco Finnegan (Abrams ComicArts)
- The Last Session: Roll for Initiative, by Jasmine Walls and Dozerdraws (Mad Cave Studios)
- The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night, by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda (Abrams ComicArts)
- Ripple Effects, by Jordan Hart and Bruno Chiroleu (Fanbase Press)
- Shuna’s Journey, by Hayao Miyazaki (First Second Books)
ADULT – NON-FICTION
- WINNER: Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands, by Kate Beaton (Drawn & Quarterly)
- Look Again, by Elizabeth Trembley (Street Noise Books)
- Radical: My Year with a Socialist Senator, by Sofia Warren (Top Shelf Productions)
- Ronan and Endless Sea of Stars, by Rick Louis and Lara Antal (Abrams ComicArts)
- Vann Nath: Painting the Khmer Rouge, by Matteo Mastragistino and Paolo Castaldi (Life Drawn, an Imprint of Humanoids)
- What is Home, Mum?, by Sabba Khan (Street Noise Books)
MOSAIC AWARD (“stories about and from diverse communities, ethnicities, nationalities, faiths, and identities”)
- WINNER: Alice on the Run: One Child’s Journey Through the Rwandan Civil War, by Gaspard Talmasse (Life Drawn, an Imprint of Humanoids)
- Button Pusher, by Tyler Page (First Second Books)
- Mamo, by Sas Milledge (BOOM! Studios)
- The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, by Ram V and Filipe Andrade (Boom! Studios)
- Movements and Moments, by Various (Drawn and Quarterly)
- Putuguq and Kublu and the Attack of the Amautalik!, by Roselynn Akulukjuk, Danny Christopher, and Astrid Arijanto (Inhabit Media)
- Victory. Stand! — Raising My Fist for Justice, by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile (Norton Young Readers)
- What is Home, Mum?, by Sabba Khan (Street Noise Books)
We at the Beat are endeavouring to improve our coverage of international awards and news. If there is an award (especially those not in the English language) that we might have missed – do let us know at either [email protected] or [email protected].
