Russ Manning Award
Comic-Con Announces 2025 Manning Award Nominees
Comic-Con is pleased to announce this year’s nominees for the Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award (commonly referred to as The Manning Award):
Richard Blake, writer/artist of Hexagon Bridge (Image)
Pierre-Alexandre Comtois, writer/artist of Sunder, vol. 1 (Mad Cave)
Adrian Gutiérrez, artist of Batman/Superman: World’s Finest and Blue Beetle (DC)
S.S. Julian, writer/artist of Octopolis (Cephalotype)
Barbara Mazzi, writer/artist of Hourglass (Silver Sprocket)
The nominees were chosen by a panel consisting of board and committee members of Comic-Con International and a San Diego comics retailer. The winner will be chosen by past Manning award winners and Russ Manning assistants. The recipient will be announced during the Eisner Awards ceremony on July 25 at Comic-Con in San Diego.
The Manning Award has been given out annually at Comic-Con since 1982. It is presented to a comics artist who, early in their 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.
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