Introducing The 2019 RINGO AWARDS Jury
As mentioned before, this winter will see Baltimore Comic Con play host to the 2019 Ringo Awards. If you are unfamiliar with the event, it is an annual celebration of the creativity, skill and fun of comics. Launched back in 2017, the event was created to recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories of comic book creation. It is also the only industry awards nominated by fans and pros alike, with final voting by the comic professional community. Today, comes word of who will fill out the awards jury. Find out more details about each jury member below...
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - April 23, 2019 - The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards is an annual celebration of the creativity, skill, and fun of comics. The awards will be presented on Saturday, October 19, 2019 as part of the fan- and pro-favorite convention, The Baltimore Comic-Con. The Ringo Awards is currently in the midst of the 2019 nomination process, which is inclusive of fans and comic book professionals alike. Please submit your nominations before voting closes at midnight on June 20, 2019.
The Jury
An esteemed jury of comics professionals will participate in the nomination process, selecting favorite works in over 20 categories. The 2019 jury was chosen as a representative cross-section of the comic book industry, with members representing seasoned and venerated educators, retailers, press, and creators across numerous genres.
Dr. Christina Blanch cannot imagine a world without comic books. She owns and manages Aw Yeah Comics in beautiful downtown Muncie, Indiana where she also teaches using comic books as educational tools. Additionally, she writes comic books, most recently Tales from the Crypt and The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood. She attends comic conventions as a writer, educator, and panel moderator. When she isn't working, she stays in her cozy home trying to write with constant interruptions from her two dogs, Luna and Poe.
Tim Lenaghan began working at Diamond Comic Distributors in 2010 after managing the Supplier Operations department for CSN Stores LLC, now Wayfair, a Boston based e-commerce company. He graduated from Connecticut College in 2005 and has BAs in both Philosophy and Classics. As a lifelong comic book enthusiast, Tim also contributed weekly reviews to IGN.com, and participated in Emerson College's Graphic Novel Certificate program. Tim has been working closely with publishers and vendor clients for years while successfully overseeing the management of all categories of Diamond's Purchasing Department since July of 2015.
Afua Richardson is an American comic book illustrator best known for her work in the Eisner Award-winning graphic novel series, Black Panther: World of Wakanda. Other works include Attack on Titan, and cover work for X-Men '92, Captain Marvel, Captain America & the Mighty Avengers, and All-Star Batman. In addition to illustration, Afua is a musician, songwriter, and voice actor. She has been aptly called the Jane of all trades.
Bob Schreck is an award-winning editor who has worked in comics since 1975. His publishing career began at Comico in 1985. By 1991, he joined Dark Horse and was the editor of creator-owned titles and the Legend line, where he shepherded Frank Miller's Sin City and Dark Horse Presents, among many others. In 1997, along with Joe Nozemack, he launched Oni Press, best known for Kevin Smith's Clerks comics. In 1999, Schreck joined DC Comics, becoming Group Editor of the Batman franchise. He shepherded projects including, DK2, Batman: Hush, Sweet Tooth, Batman: Year 100, Daytripper, and Green Arrow. After working briefly at IDW, he landed at Legendary Films as Senior VP-Editor-in-Chief. He has served as the editor for such talents as Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison, Bernie Wrightson, Fiona Staples, Frank Miller, Jeff Lemire, Guillermo del Toro, Lynn Varley, Paul Pope, Len Wein, Amy Reeder, Dave Gibbons, Scott Morse, Grant Morrison, and many others. Currently, Schreck is semi-retired, doing freelance editing and consulting and living in Oregon with his husband, Randy, and their dog, Bandit.
Tom Spurgeon is a longtime comics industry journalist and the current Executive Director at the Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) festival. He was editor at The Comics Journal from 1994-1999 and has performed a similar function producing the commentary, criticism, and news web site The Comics Reporter from 2004 to present. He has won or shared in eight Eisner Awards for his editorial work and writing. Spurgeon has co-authored three books about comics: Stan Lee And The Rise And Fall Of The American Comic Book (Chicago Review Press, 2003), The Romita Legacy (Dynamite, 2010), and We Told You So: Comics As Art (Fantagraphics Books, 2016). He co-wrote the syndicated newspaper strip Wildwood for King Features from 1999-2002. Spurgeon has been Executive Director at CXC since 2015.
Fan and Pro Nomination Categories
* Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist) * Best Writer * Best Artist or Penciller * Best Inker * Best Letterer * Best Colorist * Best Cover Artist * Best Series * Best Single Issue or Story * Best Original Graphic Novel * Best Anthology * Best Humor Comic * Best Comic Strip or Panel * Best Webcomic * Best Non-fiction Comic Work * Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel
* Best Presentation in Design
Jury-Only Nomination (with four bonus jurors)
* The Mike Wieringo Spirit Award
Fan-Only Favorite Categories
* Favorite Hero * Favorite Villain * Favorite New Series * Favorite New Talent
* Favorite Publisher
Hero Initiative Award (selected by the Hero Initiative)
* The Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award
* The Dick Giordano Humanitarian Award
"We continue to be thrilled with the quality of the Ringo Awards jury," said Marc Nathan, Baltimore Comic-Con promoter. "We have great representation from multiple aspects of the industry, bringing talent, knowledge, experience, professionalism, and diversity. We are looking forward to another great ballot come August!"
The 2019 Ringo Awards will be presented on Saturday, October 19, 2019 as part of the fan-and pro-favorite convention, The Baltimore Comic-Con.
