The Fifth Annual Prism Awards winners and finalists were December 27, 2021. The juried awards were founded by Prism Comics, The Queer Comics Expo and The Cartoon Art Museum to recognize, promote, and celebrate diversity and excellence in queer comics and graphic novels.

Winner and Finalist Awards are presented to comic works by queer creators that promote the growing body of diverse, powerful, innovative, positive or challenging representations of LGBTQAI+ characters and stories in fiction or nonfiction comics.

2021 PRISM AWARDS

Webcomics

• Winner: Superpose (Artist & Writer: Seosamh; Artist & Writer: Anka)
• Finalist: Shaderunners (Artist: Alex Assan; Writer: Lin Darrow)
• Finalist: A Guide To A Healthy Relationship (Creator: Copper)

Short Form Comics

• Winner: God Sees Me Crying in the Bathroom Stall (Creator: Vincy Lim)
• Finalist: QAT Person Number 3 (Creator: Dylan Edwards)
• Finalist: The Unfading Flower (Creator: Hari Conner)

Small/Midsize Press

• Winner: To Cut (Creator: Noella Whitney)
• Finalist: How To Be Ace: A Memoir of Growing Up Asexual (Creator: Rebecca Burgess)
• Finalist: Sasha From The Gym (Creator: Otava Heikkilä)

Mainstream Press

• Winner: The Low Low Woods (Publisher: DC Comics, Written by: Carmen Maria Machado & Joe Hill Art by: Dan McDaid & Dani Strips)
• Finalist: The Deep & Dark Blue (Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Creator: Niki Smith,)
• Finalist: Juliet Takes a Breath  (Publisher: Boom Studios, Writer: Gabby Rivera; Illustrator, Celia Moscote; Colorist, James Fenner; Letterer: DC Hopkins)

Anthology

• Winner: A.B.O. Comix: A Queer Prisoners Anthology Vol 4 (Publisher: A.B.O. Comix, Editor: Casper Cendre,)
• Finalist: Ambrosia: Trans Masc & Non Binary Erotic Comics (Edited by: Tab Kimpton and Jade Sarson)
• Finalist: Confined Before COVID19: A Pandemic Anthology by LGBTQ Prisoners (Publisher: A.B.O. Comix, Editor: Casper Cendre)

Young Readers (13 and under)

• Winner: The Deep & Dark Blue (Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Creator: Niki Smith,)
• Finalist: The Magic Fish by (Publisher: Random House Graphic, Creator: Trung Le Nguyen)
• Finalist: Space Battle Lunchtime Vol. 3: A Dish Best Served Cold (Publisher: Oni Press, Creator: Natalie Riess)

The 2019 Prism Awards for Excellence in LGBTQ+ Comics were announced during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con on July 18.

The Prism Awards are presented to comic works by queer authors and works that promote the growing body of diverse, powerful, innovative, positive or challenging representations of LGBTQAI+ characters in fiction or nonfiction comics. 

The awards are administered by Prism Comics, The Queer Comics Expo, and the Cartoon Art Museum.

The 2019 Prism Award winners are:

SHORT FORM

• see me by e Jackson  https://eshiel.itch.io/seeme

WEBCOMIC

• SuperButch by Barry Deutsch & Becky Hawkins http://superbutchcomic.com

SMALL TO MIDSIZE PRESS

• Meal by Blue Delliquanti and Soleil Ho (Iron Circus)  https://ironcircus.com/product/meal

MAINSTREAM

• Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass by Lilah Sturges, polterink, and Jim Campbell (Boom! Studios)  http://www.boom-studios.com/2018/10/31/lumberjanes-the-infernal-compass-on-sale-now

ANTHOLOGY

• ABO Comix Vol 2: A Comic Anthology by LGBTQ Prisoners edited by Casper Cendre   http://www.abocomix.com/store/p2/abo1.html

The judges who read and evaluated this year’s submissions are:

Short Form Judges: Mey Valdivia Rude (writer at them, Autostraddle); Joamette Gil (Heartwood: Non-binary Tales of Sylvan Fantasy); Sfé R. Monster (The Beyond Anthologies)

Webcomic Judges: Matt Lubchansky (The Nib); Ajuan Mance (Gender Studies); Zora Gilbert (Dates: An Anthology of Queer Historical Fiction Stories, Books 1 and 2)

Small to Midsize Press Comic Judges: Juliette Capra (Crowded); Noella Whitney (Dates: An Anthology of Queer Historical Fiction Stories, Book 2 ); Heidi MacDonald (editor-in-chief of Comicsbeat)

Mainstream Publisher Comic Judges: Brian Andersen (Stripling Warrior); AJ Real (writer, Advanced Death Saves); Jack Baur (Librarian, Berkeley Public Library)

Anthology Judges: e jackson (Flux); Hazel Newlevant (Sugar Town); Rob McMonigal (founder and head writer at Panel Patter)

The Prism Awards Organizing Team: Ted Abenheim (Prism Comics); Nina Taylor Kester (Queer Comics Expo, Cartoon Art Museum); Maia Kobabe (Gender Queer: A Memoir).   

The nominees for the 2019 Prism Awards for Excellence in LGBTQ+ Comics were announced on May 1.

The Prism Awards are presented to comic works by queer authors and works that promote the growing body of diverse, powerful, innovative, positive or challenging representations of LGBTQAI+ characters in fiction or nonfiction comics. 

The awards are administered by Prism Comics, The Queer Comics Expo, and the Cartoon Art Museum. They will be presented during Comic-Con International in San Diego in July.

The nominees for the 2019 Prism Awards are:

SHORT FORM NOMINEES

• You Don’t Have To Be Afraid of Me by Victor Martins  https://helloboyfriend.itch.io
• Fazenda De Sangue Azul by H. Pueyo and Dante Luiz  https://danteluiz.com/tagged/comics
• see me by e Jackson  https://eshiel.itch.io/seeme

WEBCOMIC NOMINEES

• SuperButch by Barry Deutsch & Becky Hawkins http://superbutchcomic.com
• After the Fog by H-P Lehkonen   https://hplehkonen.com/blog/after-the-fog
• Null Point by Amara Sherm  https://sparklermonthly.com/series/null-point

SMALL TO MIDSIZE PRESS NOMINEES

• It Will Be Hard by Hien Pham(self published)  https://wavingpeople.itch.io/it-will-be-hard
• Meal by Blue Delliquanti and Soleil Ho (Iron Circus)  https://ironcircus.com/product/meal
• The Lie and How We Told It by Tommy Parish (Fantagraphics)   http://www.fantagraphics.com/thelie

MAINSTREAM NOMINEES

• Runaways #12 by Rainbow Rowell, Kris Anka, Matthew Wilson and Joe Carmagna (Marvel)  https://www.marvel.com/comics/characters/1010747/runaways
• Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles #6 by Mark Russell, Brandee Stilwell, Paul Mounts, Jeremy Lawson, Rose Campbell, Ben Caldwell, Mark Morales, Gus Vazquez, Sean Parsons and Mike Feehan (DC)  https://www.dccomics.com/comics/exit-stage-left-the-snagglepuss-chronicles-2018/exit-stage-left-the-snagglepuss-chronicles-1
• Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass by Lilah Sturges, polterink, and Jim Campbell (Boom! Studios)  http://www.boom-studios.com/2018/10/31/lumberjanes-the-infernal-compass-on-sale-now

ANTHOLOGY NOMINEES

• ABO Comix Vol 2: A Comic Anthology by LGBTQ Prisoners edited by Casper Cendre   http://www.abocomix.com/store/p2/abo1.html
• Group Chat edited by Carolynn Calabrese, Jenny Mott, Ashley Gallagher, Rachel Weiss  https://pome-mag.com/pome-press
• Being True: LGBTQ+ Comics From The Boston Comics Roundtable edited by Renie Jesanis, Kyri Lorenz, and Steph Rose Glass  https://bostoncomics.com/bcr-at-fanexpo-boston-being-true-debuts

The judges who read and evaluated this year’s submissions are:

Short Form Judges: Mey Valdivia Rude (writer at them, Autostraddle); Joamette Gil (Heartwood: Non-binary Tales of Sylvan Fantasy); Sfé R. Monster (The Beyond Anthologies)

Webcomic Judges: Matt Lubchansky (The Nib); Ajuan Mance (Gender Studies); Zora Gilbert (Dates: An Anthology of Queer Historical Fiction Stories, Books 1 and 2)

Small to Midsize Press Comic Judges: Juliette Capra (Crowded); Noella Whitney (Dates: An Anthology of Queer Historical Fiction Stories, Book 2 ); Heidi MacDonald (editor-in-chief of Comicsbeat)

Mainstream Publisher Comic Judges: Brian Andersen (Stripling Warrior); AJ Real (writer, Advanced Death Saves); Jack Baur (Librarian, Berkeley Public Library)

Anthology Judges: e jackson (Flux); Hazel Newlevant (Sugar Town); Rob McMonigal (founder and head writer at Panel Patter)

The Prism Awards Organizing Team: Ted Abenheim (Prism Comics); Nina Taylor Kester (Queer Comics Expo, Cartoon Art Museum); Maia Kobabe (Gender Queer: A Memoir).   

The 2018 PRISM Awards were presented at Comic-Con International in San Diego on July 21. The awards are given to “recognize, promote and celebrate diversity and excellence in the field of queer comics.”

Short Form Comics

• To Measure by Noella Whitney, 2017 – http://no-whit.com/

Webcomics

• O Human Star by Blue Delliquanti, (excerpts from 2017) – http://ohumanstar.com/

Small To Midsize Press Comics and Graphic Novels

• The Boys Who Became Hummingbirds by Daniel Heath Justice and Weshoyot Alvitre, Alternate History Comics Inc., June 2017 – http://ahcomics.com/wordpress/moonshot-volume-2/

Mainstream Comics and Graphic Novels

• The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag, Scholastic Graphix, 2017 – https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/the-witch-boy-by-molly-ostertag/

Anthologies

• Dates: An Anthology of Queer Historical Fiction Volume 2 edited by Zora Gilbert and Cat Parra, August 2017 – http://datesanthology.com/collaborators2016

Prism Award Judges

• AJ Real (Advanced Death Saves edited by Josh Trujillo) – @darkshifter
• Ajuan Mance (Gender Studies; Alphabet; We’re Still Here) – http://8-rock.com/ @8_rock
• Brian Andersen (Stripling Warrior; So Super Duper; The Advocate) – www.sosuperduper.com, @superbrian
• e jackson (Flux; Drawing a Dialogue podcast) – @ehetja
• Gillian Pascasio (The Kiss of the Demoness) – @7CLUBS
• Gina Biggs (Love Not Found) – @ginabiggs
• Hari Conner (Finding Home) – hari-illustration.com @haridraws
• Heidi MacDonald (The Beat, The News Blog of Comics Culture) – http://www.comicsbeat.com/ @comixace
• H-P Lehkonen (Life Outside the Circle) – webtoons.com. @hplehkonen
• Jack Baur (Librarian, Berkeley Public Library) – inthelibrarywithacomicbook.org @kcorstel
• Mey Valdivia Rude (Autostraddle) – @meyrude
• Rob McMonigal (Panel Patter) – www.panelpatter.com @rob_mcmonigal
• Scout Tran-Caffee (Villainette; Falling Sky) – xo.villainette.com
• Sfé R. Monster (Beyond: The Queer Sci-Fi & Fantasy Comic Anthology, Vols. 1 and 2; webcomic Eths’ Skin) – sfemonster.com @sfemonster
• William O. Tyler (WoT’s Cinephilia) – @williamotyler

The Prism Awards organizing team is Ted Abenheim, Nina Taylor Kester and Maia Kobabe.

https://twitter.com/AspireDisnDat/status/1021056915856449538

The 2018 PRISM Award nominees have been posted. The awards “recognize, promote and celebrate diversity and excellence in the field of queer comics.”

The winners will be announced at the Prism Awards panel at Comic-Con International in San Diego on July 21.

Short Form Comics

• To Measure by Noella Whitney, 2017 – http://no-whit.com/
• Contact High by James F Wright and Josh Eckert, August 2017 – http://www.jamesfwrites.com/comics/
• Figurinha by Dante Luiz, May 2017 – http://danteluiz.com/publications
• There’s More Than One! by Justin Hubbell, June 2017 – http://www.justinhubbell.com/more-than-one-longform/
• It Was 1973, and Tiffany Banks Was Totally Winning at Gender by Ajuan Mance, 2017 – http://8-rock.com/

Webcomics

• Cans of Beans, chapter 9 by Tamara Go, 2017 – http://www.cansofbeans.com/
• SuperButch Issue 1 by Becky Hawkins and Barry Deutsch, 2017 – http://superbutchcomic.com/
• Monster Pop! by Maya Kern, (excerpt from 2017) – http://monsterpop.mayakern.com/
• O Human Star by Blue Delliquanti, (excerpts from 2017) – http://ohumanstar.com/
• Superpose by Ciaran and Anka C, (excerpt from August 2017-November 2017) – http://superpose.sp-gu.com/

Small To Midsize Press Comics and Graphic Novels

• Steam Clean by Laura ?eni?š, May 2017 – http://retrofit.storenvy.com/products/20070341-steam-clean-by-laura-kenins
• The Boys Who Became Hummingbirds by Daniel Heath Justice and Weshoyot Alvitre, Alternate History Comics Inc., June 2017 – http://ahcomics.com/wordpress/moonshot-volume-2/
• My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Ferris, Fantagraphics, February 2017 – http://www.fantagraphics.com/my-favorite-thing-is-monsters/

Mainstream Comics and Graphic Novels

• Iceman by Sina Grace (writer), Alessandro Vitti (artist), Kevin Wada (artist), Marvel Comics, 2017 – https://www.amazon.com/Iceman-Vol-1-Thawing-Out/dp/1302908790/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1530740163&sr=1-2&keywords=iceman+sina+grace
• Heavy Vinyl by Carly Usdin (Writer), Nina Vakueva (Pencils), Irene Flores (Inker), Rebecca Nalty (Colorist), Jim Campbell (Lettere)r, Boom Studios, 2017 – https://shop.boom-studios.com/series/detail/625/hi-fi-fight-club
• The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag, Scholastic Graphix, 2017 – https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/books/the-witch-boy-by-molly-ostertag/

Anthologies

• Dates: An Anthology of Queer Historical Fiction Volume 2 edited by Zora Gilbert and Cat Parra, August 2017 – http://datesanthology.com/collaborators2016
• Power & Magic: IMMORTAL SOULS edited by Joamette Gil, 2017 – http://powerandmagic.tumblr.com/
• Oh Joy Sex Toy, Volume 4 edited by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan, 2017 – https://onipress.com/collections/limerence-press/products/copy-of-oh-joy-sex-toy-volume-4

Judges

• AJ Real (Advanced Death Saves edited by Josh Trujillo) – @darkshifter
• Ajuan Mance (Gender Studies; Alphabet; We’re Still Here) – http://8-rock.com/  @8_rock
• Brian Andersen (Stripling Warrior; So Super Duper; The Advocate) – www.sosuperduper.com, @superbrian
• e jackson (Flux; Drawing a Dialogue podcast) – @ehetja
• Gillian Pascasio (The Kiss of the Demoness) – @7CLUBS
• Gina Biggs (Love Not Found) – @ginabiggs
• Hari Conner (Finding Home) – hari-illustration.com  @haridraws
• Heidi MacDonald (The Beat, The News Blog of Comics Culture) – http://www.comicsbeat.com/  @comixace
• H-P Lehkonen (Life Outside the Circle) – webtoons.com. @hplehkonen
• Jack Baur (Librarian, Berkeley Public Library) – inthelibrarywithacomicbook.org  @kcorstel
• Mey Valdivia Rude (Autostraddle) – @meyrude
• Rob McMonigal (Panel Patter) – www.panelpatter.com  @rob_mcmonigal
• Scout Tran-Caffee (Villainette; Falling Sky) – xo.villainette.com
• Sfé R. Monster (Beyond: The Queer Sci-Fi & Fantasy Comic Anthology, Vols. 1 and 2; webcomic Eths’ Skin) –  sfemonster.com  @sfemonster
• William O. Tyler (WoT’s Cinephilia) –  @williamotyler

The Prism Awards organizing team is Ted Abenheim, Nina Taylor Kester and Maia Kobabe.

[Thanks to Cate Eldridge for the story.]

The winners of the first annual Prism Awards were announced July 8 at the Queer Comics Expo. The awards have been created to “recognize, promote and celebrate diversity and excellence in the field of queer comics.” The award judges are listed at the linked article.

The finalists are shown here, with the winners in boldface.

BEST SHORT FORM COMIC 

• Nothing Wrong With Me by Dylan Edwards http://www.studiondr.com/  – https://thenib.com/nothing-wrong-with-me
• Flux by E Jackson http://eshiel.com/ – http://flux.eshiel.com/
• Liar by Hari Conner http://www.hari-illustration.com/ – https://gumroad.com/l/BtKou#
• The Kiss of the Demoness by Gillian Pascasio http://7clubs.tumblr.com/

BEST WEBCOMIC 

• With Great Abandon by EH MacMillian https://withgreatabandon.tumblr.com/
• Failing Sky: Ghost Story by Scout Tran-Caffee http://failingsky.com/ghoststory
• Villainette by Scout Tran-Caffee http://strip.villainette.com

BEST COMIC FROM A SMALL TO MIDSIZE PRESS

• Destiny, NY Volume One: Who I Used to Be by Pat Shand (Writer), Manuel Preitano (Artist), Jim Campbell (Letterer), and Shannon Lee (Editor) https://www.storenvy.com/stores/980896-continuity-entertainment
• Short Gay Stories by H-P Lehkonen http://hplehkonen.com/
• Active Voice The Comic Collection by P. Kristen Enos (writer), Heidi Ho (contributing writer), Casandra Grullon (artist), Derek Chua (artist), Leesamarie Croal (artist), Beth Varni (artist), and Dan Parent (cover art) http://www.pkristenenos.com/avgraphicnovel/

BEST SINGLE ISSUE FROM A MAINSTREAM PUBLISHER 

• Supergirl: Being Super #1 by Mariko Tamaki (writer), Joëlle Jones (pencils), Sandu Florea (inks), Kelly Fitzpatrick (colorist), Saida Temofonte (letters), Jones and Fitzpatrick (cover art) https://www.comixology.com/Supergirl-Being-Super-2016-1/digital-comic/431009
• The Backstagers #1 by James Tynion IV (writer), and Rian Sygh (artist) https://www.comixology.com/The-Backstagers-1-of-8/digital-comic/410464
• Lumberjanes #17 by Noelle Stevenson (writer), Shannon Watters (writer), and Brooke Allen (artist) https://www.comixology.com/Lumberjanes-17/digital-comic/260036

BEST ANTHOLOGY 

• Beyond: The Queer Sci-Fi & Fantasy Comic Anthology edited by Sfé R. Monster & Taneka Stotts
• POWER & MAGIC: The Queer Witch Comics Anthology edited by Joamette Gil
• Food Porn edited by Gina Biggs http://comicorgy.com/print/food-porn-print-edition/
• Chainmail Bikini: The Anthology of Women Gamers edited by Hazel Newlevant http://chainmail-bikini.com/

[Thanks to JJ for the story.]

The Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal chapter of Romance Writers of America announced the winners of the 2016 PRISM Contest for Published Authors.

The Prism Contest is a pay-for-play award that costs a fee to enter.

The winners were announced at FF&P’s The Gathering at RWA National earlier this month.

DARK PARANORMAL

• Prism Award Winner (tie): Harvest Moon by Lisa Kessler
• Prism Award Winner (tie): Releasing the Demons by L.D. Rose
• 2nd place: Blood, Pain, and Pleasure by Nadine Mutas
• 3rd place: Blood Surfer by Debra Jess

LIGHT PARANORMAL

• Prism Award Winner: Southern Spirits by Angie Fox
• 2nd place: Sentinel Lost by A.E. Jones
• 3rd place: The Cougar’s Trade by Holley Trent

FANTASY

• Prism Award Winner (tie): Forbidden by Katrina Snow
• Prism Award Winner (tie): Tempest by Sherry Jesberger
• 2nd place: Rising Fire by Terri Brisbin 3rd place: Treasured Claim by Jami Gold

FUTURISTIC

• Prism Award Winner: Dark Horse by Michelle Diener
• 2nd place: Echo 8 by Sharon Fisher
• 3rd place (tie): Honour Bound by M.A. Grant
• 3rd place (tie): Shades of Treason by Sandy Williams

TIME TRAVEL/STEAMPUNK

• Prism Award Winner: The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack
• 2nd place: Charming the Professor by Donna MacMeans
• 3rd place: Steam Me Up, Rawley by Angela Quarles

NOVELLA

• Prism Award Winner: The Klockwerk Kraken by Aidee Ladnier
• 2nd place: Under a Mating Moon by Celia Breslin
• 3rd place: Desires at War by Kira Shayde

YOUNG ADULT

• Prism Award Winner: Altered by Marnee Blake
• 2nd place: Illusion by Lea Nolan
• 3rd place: Greta and the Glass Kingdom by Chloe Jacobs

BEST FIRST BOOK

• Forbidden by Katrina Snow

BEST OF THE BEST (tie)

• Forbidden by Katrina Snow
• Tempest by Sherry Jesberger