Glyph Comics Awards


The Glyph Comics Awards is an annual award ceremony for comic creators who are people of color. The ceremony was initiated with the goal of inspiring young writers from diverse backgrounds to participate in the comics industry.
The awards are named after Glyphs: The Language of the Black Comics Community, at Pop Culture Shock, a blog founded in 2005 by comic journalist Rich Watson as "a means to provide news and commentary on 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.

Judges

2006

Source:
  • 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 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

Source:
  • 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
  • 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. Calendar 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

Source:
  • 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''

    2014

Source:
  • Pamela Thomas, Glyph Comics Awards Chairperson and curator of the Museum of UnCut Funk, a virtual museum that celebrates 1970s Black culture
  • Omar Bilal, founder of the Museum of Black Superheroes
  • Johanna Draper Carlson, founder of ComicsWorthReading.com
  • Hannibal Tabu, author, comics reviewer, and editor-in-chief of Komplicated at The Good Men Project
  • Maurice Waters, owner of Black-Scifi.com
  • Joseph Wheeler III, president of the New Art Order, founder of the OnyxCon convention, and creator of the UAC ANKh Project

    2016

Source:
  • Pamela Thomas, Glyph Comics Awards chair
  • Michael A. Gonzales, author, writer, blogger
  • Regina L. Sawyer, owner of Lockett Down Publications
  • Grace D. Gipson, doctoral student, University of California, Berkeley
  • Jiba Molei Anderson, CEO of Griot Enterprises
  • Mark A. Randolph, writer, educator, and collector

    2020

  • Shenkarr Davis, Glyph Comics Award chair
  • Crystal Sparrow, freelance writer
  • Carla Wiley, co-founder of Progeny's Legacy Jamaa
  • William Mason Jones, founder of Afrofuturism Network
  • Deirdre Hollman, founder of the Black Comics Collective
  • Tatiana Bacchus, videographer/filmmaker

    List of Glyph Comics Awards winners

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 and N. Steven Harris
  • 2015: Shaft, David F. Walker and Bilquis Evely
  • 2016: Revelation: Brotherman-Dictator of Discipline, Dawud Anyabwile, Guy A. Sims, and Brian McGee
  • 2017: March Book Three, John Lewis and Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell
  • 2018: Matty's Rocket: Book One, Tim Fielder
  • 2019: Is'Nana the Were-Spider, Vol 2: The Hornet’s Web, Greg Anderson Elysee and Daryl Toh
  • 2020: Malika — Fallen Queen Part One, Roye Okupe ; Sunkanmi Akinboye and Etubi Onucheyo

    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, Afrocentric
  • 2017: John Lewis & Andrew Aydin, March Book Three
  • 2018: Jamar Nicholas, Leon: Protector of the Playground
  • 2019: Greg Anderson Elysee, Is 'Nana the Were-Spider, Vol 2: The Hornet’s Web
  • 2020: Newton Lilavois, ''''

    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
  • 2017: Brian Stelfreeze, Black Panther
  • 2018: Shauna J. Grant, Princess Love Pon
  • 2019: Khary Randolph, Roger Robinson, and Manuel Garcia, Noble, Vol 2: Never Events
  • 2020: Gian Carlo Bernal, ''''

    Best Male Character

  • 2006: Huey Freeman, The Boondocks; Aaron McGruder, writer/artist
  • 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
  • 2016: Arron Day ; BlackJack: There Came a Dark Hunter; Alex Simmons, writer; Tim Fielder, artist
  • 2017: Matt Trakker; M.A.S.K. — Mobile Armored Strike Kommand; Brandon Easton, writer; Tony Vargas & Tommy Lee Edwards, artists
  • 2018: Is 'nana the Were-Spider; Is 'nana the Were-Spider: The Hornet's Web #1, Greg Anderson-Elysee, writer/artist
  • 2019: Noble; Noble, Vol 2: Never Events, Brandon Thomas, Khary Randolph, Roger Robinson, and Manuel Garcia
  • 2020: Is'nana the Were-Spider; Is 'nana the Were-Spider: The Ballads of Rawhead and John Henry, Greg Anderson Elysee and David Brame & Walter Ostlie

    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 and N. Steven Harris
  • 2015: Ajala Storm; Ajala: A Series of Adventures; Robert Garrett and N. Steven Harris & Walt Msonza Barna,
  • 2016: Moon Girl; Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur; Brandon Montclare and Amy Reeder and Natacha Bustos and Amy Reeder
  • 2017: Lily Brown; Malice in Ovenland vol. #1; Micheline Hess, writer/artist
  • 2018: Matty Watty; Matty's Rocket: Book One Tim Fielder
  • 2019: Blackstarr; Blackstarr: Birth of a Supernova Part 1, by Charlene R. Jones and Corey Thomas
  • 2020: Iyanu; Iyanu, Child of Wonder Chapter One, by Roye Okupe and Godwin Akpan