Glyph Comics Awards

The Glyph Comics Awards recognize the best in comics made by, for, and about people of color from the preceding calendar year. While it is not exclusive to black creators, it does strive to honor those who have made the greatest contributions to the comics medium in terms of both critical and commercial impact. By doing so, the goal is to encourage more diverse and high quality work across the board and to inspire new creators to add their voices to the field.

The awards are named for the blog Glyphs: The Language of the Black Comics Community, at Pop Culture Shock, started in 2005 by comics journalist Rich Watson as a means to provide news and commentary of comics with black themes, as well as tangential topics in the fields of black science-fiction/fantasy and animation.

The Glyph Comics Awards have been presented at the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention, in Philadelphia, since 2006.

2006

 * Omar Bilal, creator of the Museum of Black Superheroes website
 * Guy LeCharles Gonzalez, senior comics editor at Pop Culture Shock
 * Stephanie Brandford, moderator of the Dwayne McDuffie forum at VHive
 * Eliot Johnson, co-founder of the fan club STEEL (Stop Trying to Eliminate Ethnic Legends) and former columnist with Broken Frontier
 * Rich Watson, Glyph Comics Awards founder

2007

 * Johanna Draper Carlson, founder of the review website ComicsWorthReading.com
 * Pam Noles, professional writer and former Eisner Awards judge
 * Calvin Reid, senior editor for Publishers Weekly and former Eisner Awards judge
 * Hannibal Tabu, online comics reviewer and professional fiction writer
 * Rich Watson, Glyph awards founder

2008

 * Cheryl Lynn Eaton, comics journalist and founder of the Ormes Society
 * Prof. William Foster, comics historian and lecturer
 * Tony Isabella, comics writer and columnist
 * Katherine Keller, editor-in-chief, Sequential Tart
 * Rich Watson, Glyph awards founder

2009

 * Valerie D'Orazio, president of the Friends of Lulu
 * Nathan Erhardt, writer, Comics Nexus
 * Ed Mathews, columnist, Pop Image
 * Tim O'Shea, writer/interviewer, TalkingWithTim.com
 * Elayne Riggs, comics reviewer and commentator

2010

 * David Brothers, comics blogger (4th Letter!)
 * Carol Burrell, editorial director, Graphic Universe/Lerner Publishing Group
 * Brian Cronin, writer, Comic Book Resources
 * Katie & Dan Merritt, co-owners, Green Brain Comics

2011

 * Jennifer Contino, comics journalist
 * Martha Cornog, graphic novel columnist for Library Journal
 * Joseph Phillip Illidge, writer, Expo Weekly
 * J. Caleb Mozzocco, writer for Newsarama
 * Chad Nevett, writer for Comics Should Be Good

2012

 * Omar Bilal, webmaster, BlackSuperhero.com
 * Robin Brenner, editor-in-chief, NoFlyingNoTights.com
 * David Brothers, comics blogger, 4thLetter.com
 * Tim Callahan, comics blogger, Comic Book Resources

2013

 * Maurice Waters, Owner and Operator of Blackscifi.com
 * Hannibal Tabu, Review columnist at Comic Book Resources
 * Omar Bilal, Owner and Operator of Museum of Black Superheroes
 * Eric Deggans, TV and Media Critic, Tampa Bay Times

Pioneer Award

 * 2004: Samuel Joyner, cartoonist
 * 2005: Bertram Fitzgerald, editor and publisher, Golden Legacy Comics
 * 2006: Turtel Onli, creative artist and educator
 * 2007: Larry Fuller, underground comics artist and publisher

Story of the Year

 * 2006: Nat Turner, Kyle Baker, writer and artist
 * 2007: Stagger Lee, Derek McCulloch, writer, Shepherd Hendrix, artist
 * 2008: Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm, Percy Carey, writer, Ronald Wimberly, artist
 * 2009: Bayou, Jeremy Love, writer and artist
 * 2010: Unknown Soldier #13-14, Joshua Dysart, writer, Pat Masioni, artist
 * 2011: ''Fist Stick Knife Gun, Geoffrey Canada, writer, Jamar Nicholas, artist
 * 2012: Princeless, Jeremy Whitley, writer, M. Goodwin, artist
 * 2013: Monsters 101, Muhammad Rasheed, writer/artist
 * 2014: Watson and Holmes #6, Brandon Easton (writer) and N. Steven Harris (artist)
 * 2015: Shaft, David F. Walker (writer) and Bilquis Evely (artist)
 * 2016: Revelation: Brotherman-Dictator of Discipline, Dawud Anyabwile (artist), Guy A. Sims (writer), and Brian McGee (colorist)

Best Writer

 * 2006: Lance Tooks, Lucifer's Garden of Verses: Darlin' Niki
 * 2007: Derek McCulloch, Stagger Lee
 * 2008: James Sturm, Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow
 * 2009: Jeremy Love, Bayou
 * 2010: Alex Simmons, Archie & Friends
 * 2011: Joshua Dysart, Unknown Soldier
 * 2012: Jeremy Whitley, Princeless
 * 2013: Brandon M. Easton, Shadowlaw
 * 2014: Brandon M. Easton, Watson and Holmes #6
 * 2015: Keef Cross, Day Black
 * 2016: Juliana “Jewels” Smith, (H)afrocentric

Best Artist

 * 2006: Kyle Baker, Nat Turner
 * 2007: Kyle Baker, The Bakers
 * 2008: Kyle Baker, Nat Turner: Revolution
 * 2009: Jeremy Love, Bayou
 * 2010: Jay Potts, World of Hurt
 * 2011: Richard Koslowski, BB Wolf and the 3 LPs
 * 2012: Sara Pichelli, Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man
 * 2013: Chris Samnee, Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #6
 * 2014: N. Steven Harris, Watson and Holmes #6
 * 2015: Nelson Blake 2, Artifacts
 * 2016: Dawud Anyabwile, Brotherman: Dictator of Discipline: Revelation Book One

Best Male Character

 * 2006: Huey Freeman, The Boondocks
 * 2007: Stagger Lee, Stagger Lee; Derek McCulloch, writer, Shepherd Hendrix, artist; inspired by the life of Lee Shelton
 * 2008: Emmet Wilson, Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow''; co-created by James Sturm, writer, and Rich Tommaso, artist
 * 2009: Black Lightning, Final Crisis: Submit; Grant Morrison, writer, Matthew Clark, Norm Rapmund, Rob Hunter, and Don Ho, artists
 * 2010: Isaiah Pastor, World of Hurt; created by Jay Potts, writer and artist
 * 2011: Geoff, Fist Stick Knife Gun; created by Geoffrey Canada, writer, and Jamar Nicholas, artist
 * 2012: Miles Morales; Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man; Brian Michael Bendis, writer, Sara Pichelli, artist; inspired by the character created by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko
 * 2013: Mort; Monsters 101; Muhammad Rasheed, writer/artist
 * 2014: Jack Maguire; Nowhere Man: You Don't Know Jack; Jerome Walford, writer/artist
 * 2015: Bass Reeves; ''Bass Reeves: Tales of the Talented Tenth; Joel Christian Gill, writer/artist

Best Female Character

 * 2006: Darlin' Niki, Lucifer's Garden of Verses: Darlin' Niki
 * 2007: Thomasina Lindo, Welcome to Tranquility; co-created by Gail Simone, writer, Neil Googe, artist
 * 2008: Amanda Waller, Checkmate; Greg Rucka, writer, Joe Bennett & Jack Jadson, artists
 * 2009: Lee Wagstaff, Bayou,, Jeremy Love, writer and artist
 * 2010: Aya, Aya: The Secrets Come Out, created by Marguerite Abouet, writer, Clement Oubrerie, artist
 * 2011: Selena, 28 Days Later, created by Michael Alan Nelson, writer, Declan Shalvey and Marek Oleksicki, artists
 * 2012: Adrienne; Princeless; created by Jeremy Whitley, writer, and M. Goodwin, artist
 * 2013: Dyana; Night Stalker; Orlando Harding, writer; David Miller, artist
 * 2014: Ajala Storm; Ajala: A Series of Adventures; Robert Garrett (writer) and N. Steven Harris (artist)
 * 2015: Ajala Storm; Ajala: A Series of Adventures; Robert Garrett (writer) and N. Steven Harris & Walt Msonza Barna, (artists)
 * 2016: Moon Girl; Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur; Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder (writers) and Natacha Bustos and Amy Reeder (artists)

Rising Star Award

 * 2006: Robert Roach, The Roach
 * 2007: Spike, Templar, Arizona
 * 2008: Marguerite Abouet, Aya
 * 2009: Damian Duffy and John Jennings, The Hole: Consumer Culture
 * 2010: Jay Potts, World of Hurt
 * 2011: Jamar Nicholas, Fist Stick Knife Gun
 * 2012: Whit Taylor, Watermelon
 * 2013: Raymond Ayala, writer, H.O.P.E.
 * 2014: Alverne Ball (writer), Jason Reeves and Luis Guerrero (artists), One Nation #1
 * 2015: Alverne Ball & Jason Reeves (writers), Lee Moyer and Ari Syahrazad (artists), One Nation: Old Druids
 * 2016: Chuck Collins (writer and artist), Bounce!

Best Reprint Publication

 * 2006: Birth of a Nation: a Comic Novel softcover, Crown
 * 2007: Deogratias: A Tale of Rwanda, First Second; Mark Siegel, editor, Alexis Siegel, translator
 * 2008: Aya, Drawn & Quarterly; Chris Oliveros, publisher, Helge Dascher, translator
 * 2009: Me and the Devil Blues V1, , Del Rey Manga; David Ury, translator/adapter
 * 2010: Aya: The Secrets Come Out, Drawn & Quarterly
 * 2011: Superman vs. Muhammad Ali Deluxe HC, DC Comics
 * 2014: Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story, Fellowship of Reconciliation / Top Shelf Productions
 * 2015: Techwatch, Chameleon Creations

Best Cover

 * 2006: Nat Turner #1, Kyle Baker, illustrator
 * 2007: Stagger Lee, Shepherd Hendrix, artist
 * 2008: Sentences: The Life of MF Grimm; Ronald Wimberly, illustrator
 * 2009: Unknown Soldier #1; Igor Kordey, illustrator
 * 2010: Luke Cage Noir #1; Tim Bradstreet, illustrator
 * 2011: Unknown Soldier #5; Dave Johnson, illustrator
 * 2012: Chew #27; Rob Guillory, illustrator
 * 2013: Indigo Hit List 1.0 ; Charlie Goubile and Mshindo Kuumba I, artists
 * 2014: Route 3 #2: A Date… A Destiny; Sean Hill, artist
 * 2015: Offset #1: "The Man Who Travels with a Piece of Sugarcane": Tristan Roach, artist
 * 2016: Blue Hand Mojo: Dust to Dust, John Jennings (writer and artist)

Best Comic Strip or Webcomic

 * 2006: The K Chronicles, Keith Knight, writer and artist
 * 2007: The K Chronicles, Keith Knight, writer and artist
 * 2008: The K Chronicles, Keith Knight, writer and artist
 * 2009: Bayou, Jeremy Love, writer and artist
 * 2010: The K Chronicles, Keith Knight, writer and artist
 * 2011: The K Chronicles, Keith Knight, writer and artist
 * 2012: Fungus Grotto, Shatia Hamilton, writer
 * 2013: Mama's Boyz, Jerry Craft, writer/artist
 * 2014: The Adigun Ogunsanwo, Carles C. J. Juzang, writer/artist
 * 2015: Kamikaze; Alan and Carrie Tupper (writers and artists); Havana Nguyen (artist)

Fan Award for Best Comic

 * 2006: Black Panther: Who is the Black Panther?, Reginald Hudlin, John Romita, Jr., Klaus Janson, Axel Alonso
 * 2007: Storm, Eric Jerome Dickey, David Yardin & Lan Medina and Jay Leisten & Sean Parsons
 * 2008: Fantastic Four: The New Fantastic Four; Dwayne McDuffie, writer, Paul Pelletier & Rick Magyar, artists
 * 2009: Vixen: Return of the Lion; G. Willow Wilson, writer, Cafu, artist
 * 2010: Luke Cage Noir; Mike Benson and Adam Glass, writers, Shawn Martinbrough, artist
 * 2011: Captain America/Black Panther: Flags of our Fathers; Reginald Hudlin, writer, Denys Cowan, artist
 * 2013: Ascended: The Omega Nexus, Roger Reece and Jerry Reece (writers) (Fan Award for Best Work)
 * 2014: Watson and Holmes #6, Brandon Easton (writer) and N. Steven Harris (artist) (Fan Award for Best Work)
 * 2015: OneNation: SafeHouse, Jason Reeves (writer), Samax Amen & Deon De Lange (artists)