The 2020 Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics is now officially accepting submissions and welcomes two new Selection Committee Members: Artist, Colleen Doran, and Marvel’s Blade and DC Comics’ New Teen Titans creator, Marv Wolfman.

The 6^th annual prestigious Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics will once again honor five finalists whose commitment to excellence and inclusion, both on the page as well as behind the scenes, exemplifies the late Mr. McDuffie’s own career producing entertainment that reflects a wide scope of human experience, created by an equally wide scope of human beings.

The winner will be announced via video later this year by returning Master of Ceremonies, actor Phil LaMarr, who voiced both heroes Static/Virgil and John Stewart/Green Lantern in the animated Warner Bros.’ series Static Shock and Justice League Unlimited written by Mr. McDuffie.

The deadline for completed submissions to be received at dwaynemcduffie.com is 11:59pm PST on September 1st, 2020.

List of past winners:

• 2019 – Archival Quality, written by Ivy Noelle Weir & illustrated by Christian “Steenz” Stewart (Oni Press)
• 2018 – Leon: Protector of the Playground, written & illustrated by Jamar Nicholas (Kids Love Comics)
• 2017 – Upgrade Soul, written & illustrated by Ezra Claytan Daniels
• 2016 – Ms. Marvel, written by G. Willow Wilson & illustrated by Adrian Alphona (Marvel Entertainment)
• 2015 – M.F.K. written & illustrated by Nilah Magruder (www.mfkcomic.com)

The Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity in Comics’ Selection Committee consists of prominent comics and animation industry professionals who have themselves demonstrated a commitment to Mr. McDuffie’s vision of inclusiveness in their own lives and work.

This year’s judges are:

• Colleen Doran is a writer/artist, film conceptual artist and cartoonist. She has illustrated hundreds of comic books, graphic novels, book and magazines, and dozens of stories and articles. Her award-winning work has appeared in The Sandman, Wonder Woman, Legion of Superheroes, Teen Titans, Walt Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and her own fantasy series, A Distant Soil.
• Jamal Igle is the writer/artist/Creator of Molly Danger for Action Lab Entertainment and the penciller of the critically acclaimed series, BLACK from Black Mask Studios, as well as many titles for DC, Marvel and Dark Horse. He’s been a storyboard artist for Sony Animation and is also a popular guest lecturer on the subjects of comics and animation.
• Joe Illidge is a veteran of the comic book industry who is currently co-managing editor for Heavy Metal. He’s also a columnist for Comic Book Resources and The Shadow League, and the co-writer of “Solarman” for Scout Comics. He’s previously been a top editor for Valiant Entertainment, Lion Forge Comics, Archaia Press and DC Comics, and began his editorial career at Milestone Media, Inc.
• Heidi MacDonald is the editor-in-chief of Comicsbeat.com and a former editor for Disney and DC Comics. She can be heard on Publishers Weekly’s weekly podcast More To Come and The Beat podcast Three Women in a Hotel Room. 
• Kevin Rubio is a writer/producer who has contributed to Justice League Action, Avengers Assemble, Thunderbirds Are Go!, Green Lantern: The Animated Series and My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic. He is also the creator and writer of the Star Wars graphic novel, Tag & Bink Were Here and Red 5 Publication’s Abyss Vol. I & II. He is an inaugural recipient of the George Lucas Film Award for his Star Wars short film, TROOPS, a Promax Award winner, and Emmy nominee.
• Geoffrey Thorne is the writer/Creator of MOSAIC for Marvel Comics, PRODIGAL for Genre 19 and JOURNEYMEN for Dark Horse Comics. He is also the head writer and Showrunner of Marvel’s Avengers Black Panther’s Quest as well as a writer-producer on such hit series as LEVERAGE, LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT and THE LIBRARIANS.
• Will J. Watkins (Director of the DWAYNE McDUFFIE AWARD for DIVERSITY in COMICS) is a freelance TV and animation writer who is also comic book story/world-building consultant on The Protectors graphic novel published by Athlita Comics. He had a stint as an assistant editor at DC Comics, and before moving to L.A. he co-owned Chicago’s first African American-owned comic book store. He’s currently a staff writer on a cool Freeform show he can’t talk about yet, but that deserves to be made into a comic book.
• Matt Wayne has written on many highly-regarded animation projects including Niko and the Sword of Light, Cannon Busters, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Avengers: Ultron Revolution, Thunderbirds Are Go! and the 2006 Biker Mice from Mars revival. He wrote the Emmy-nominated Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms and was also a writer and Managing Editor at Milestone Media, Inc.
• Marv Wolfman is the multi-award-winning writer who created Blade for Marvel Comics, The New Teen Titans for DC Comics, and legions of other iconic characters and stories. In addition to comic books, he’s written for animation, videogames, novels and more. It’s been said that he’s created more characters who’ve made the jump to movies, TV shows, toys, games and animation than any other writer save Stan Lee.