Russ Manning Award

Self-portrait by Russ Manning

Nominations Open for Russ Manning Newcomer Award

Submissions Deadline is May 30

Submissions are now being accepted for the 42nd annual Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award. The award will be presented on July 25 during the Eisner Awards Ceremony at Comic-Con in San Diego.

Started in 1982 in conjunction with the West Coast Comics Club (which no longer exists), this award honors a comics artist who, early in his or her career, shows a superior knowledge and ability in the art of creating comics. The deadline for all submissions is May 30.

To qualify for the award:

1. The artist must be a newcomer to the comic field, with no professional work published prior to January 2021. Exceptions to this rule are:

A. Work done as an unaccredited assistant to another artist

B. Small press with a print run of 500 or less

C. A one-shot in a new talent anthology comic

2. The artist’s work must have been published prior to submission.

3. A sample of the artist’s work must be included.

4. A sample of the artist’s pencil work should be submitted if it was inked by another artist.

5. If multiple names are credited to the work, what the artist contributed must be made clear.

6. If selected as a nominee, the artist (or publisher) should be prepared to provide 25 copies of the work to be sent to the judges.

All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of representatives from Comic-Con and the comics community, who will select the five finalists. The winner will then be chosen by a blue-ribbon panel of comics professionals, including prior Russ Manning winners and Russ Manning’s former assistants.

Submissions should include a submissions form and be sent to Russ Manning Award, Comic-Con International, 4375 Jutland Drive, San Diego, CA 92117. For questions about submitting, contact Jackie Estrada: jackie@comic-con.org.

About the Russ Manning Award

The Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award has been given out annually at Comic-Con since 1982. It is presented to a comics artist who, early in his or her career, shows a superior knowledge and ability in the art of creating comics. It is named for Russ Manning, the artist best known for his work on the Tarzan and Star Wars newspaper strips and the Magnus, Robot Fighter comic book. Russ was a popular guest at the San Diego convention in the 1970s.

The first recipient of the award was former Manning assistant Dave Stevens, who went on to create The Rocketeer. Other past recipients have included Jan Duursema, Steve Rude, Scott McCloud, Art Adams, Eric Shanower, Dan Brereton, Jeff Smith, Gene Ha, David Petersen, Eleanor Davis, Tyler Crook, Dan Mora, Anne Szabala, Zoe Thorogood, and Greg Smallwood, to name a few.

The nominees are chosen by a panel consisting of board and committee members of Comic-Con International and a San Diego comics retailer. The winner is chosen by past Manning award winners and Russ Manning assistants. The recipient is announced during the Eisner Awards ceremony at Comic-Con in San Diego.

Previous Award Recipients

2020s

2024 Oliver Bly
2023 Zoe Thorogood
2022 Luana Vecchio

2010s

2019 Lorena Alvarez
2018 (TIE) Hamish Steele, Pablo Tunica
2017: Anne Szabla
2016: Dan Mora
2015: (TIE) Jorge Corona, Greg Smallwood
2014: Aaron Conley
2013: Russel Roehling
2012: Tyler Crook
2011: Nate Simpson
2010: Marian Churchland

2000s

2009: Eleanor Davis
2008: Cathy Malkasian
2007: David Petersen
2006: R. Kikuo Johnson
2005: Chris Bailey
2004: Eric Wight
2003: Jerome Opena
2002: Tan Eng Huat
2001: Goran Sudzuka
2000: Alan Bunce

1990s

1999: Jay Anceleto
1998: Matt Vander Pool
1997: Walt Holcomb
1996: Alexander Maleev
1995: Edvin Biukovic
1994: Gene Ha
1993: Jeff Smith
1992: Mike Okamoto
1991: Daerick Gross
1990: Dan Brereton

1980s

1989: Richard Piers Raynor
1988: Kevin Maguire
1987: Eric Shanower
1986: Art Adams
1985: Scott McCloud
1984: Steve Rude
1983: Jan Duursema
1982: Dave Stevens