Prism Comics and the Queer Comics Expo have announced the finalists for the first annual Prism Awards! The Prism Awards are being established this year (2017) to recognize, promote and celebrate diversity and excellence in the field of queer comics. The panel of 12 expert judges have selected several works in each category which expand the growing body of diverse, powerful, innovative, positive or challenging representations of LGBTQAI+ characters in fiction and nonfiction comics. The winners in each category will be announced at a ceremony at the Queer Comics Expo on Saturday July 8th, starting at 4pm at the SOMArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan St, San Francisco.

Check out the list below for the nominees and congrats to everyone involved and nominated!

BEST SHORT FORM COMIC FINALISTS

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 FINALISTS

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 FINALISTS

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 FINALISTS

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 FINALISTS

Beyond: The Queer Sci-Fi & Fantasy Comic Anthology edited by Sfé R. Monster & Taneka Stotts
https://www.beyond-press.com/
POWER & MAGIC: The Queer Witch Comics Anthology edited by Joamette Gil
https://gumroad.com/powerandmagicpress
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/

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THE 2017 PRISM AWARD JUDGES

Rob McMonigal is a nonbinary writer who lives in Portland Oregon with too many cats and is the head writer of the Eisner Nominated comics review site, www.panelpatter.com.

Ajuan Mance is a genderqueer nerd, a Professor at Mills College, the author of Inventing Black Women and Proud Legacy, the editor of the anthology Before There Was Harlem, and the creator of the portrait series 1001 Black Men. http://8-rock.com/

Kirwan McHarry authored “Border Dwellers in Boys’ Love Manga” in On the Edge of the Panel (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2015), and co-edited a special section on BL manga for the Journal of Graphic Novels ! and Comics (4:1: 1-8). http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/21504857.2013.793207

Jon Erik Christianson is a comics journalist who aspires to Lois Lane greatness (in a universe where she’s given her due credit). https://twitter.com/HonestlyJon

Jack Baur is a Teen Services Librarian at the Berkeley Public Library, and the co-host of the (erratically updated) In the Library With a Comic Book podcast, available at http://inthelibrarywithacomicbook.org.

AJ Real is an educator, QPOC, blue lantern, Hufflepuff, games enthusiast, and Pokémon master. He can be found online wherever evil and heteronormativity must be vanquished. https://twitter.com/darkshifter

Mel Reiff Hill is the illustrator and co-author of the GENDER book, an illustrated gender 101 for everyone! Find more of their work online at rowdyferret.com

Nia King is the the author of Queer & Trans Artists of Color, Volumes 1 & 2 and the host and producer of We Want the Airwaves podcast. Artactivistnia.weebly.com

Brian Andersen is a life-long comic book lovin’ gay geek, a contributor to The Advocate and writer of “Stripling Warrior,” featuring gay Mormon superheroes.  http://www.sosuperduper.com/

Heidi MacDonald is the editor in chief of Comics Beat, an awarding winning site about graphic novels. comicsbeat.com

Mey Rude is a bi, trans Chicana and is a writer/editor at Autostraddle and consults on and edits comic books.  https://twitter.com/meyrude

William O. Tyler is the creator of WoT’s Cinephilia, a webcomic that studies the love of movies and how they shape us. williamotyler.com