The winners for the 2021 Ringo Awards were announced last night at the Baltimore Comic-Con, marking the fifth year for the awards program named for artist Mike Wieringo, who passed away in 2007.
Nominees were chosen by fans, along with a panel of judges that included retailer and online host Amy Dallen, Teaching Graphic Novels author Dr. Katie Monnin, podcaster/broadcast journalist John Siuntres, cartoonist Steenz and artist Brain Stelfreeze.
In addition the Ringos, a few other awards were presented during last night’s ceremony:
- Artist Gene Ha was presented the Hero Initiative’s Dick Giordano Humanitarian Award.
- Marvel’s Joe Quesada received the Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award.
- The Mike Wieringo Spirit Award, which is voted on by the professional jury as well as three additional, perennial jurors: Matt Wieringo, Todd Dezago, and Mark Waid, went to Folklords by Matt Kindt and Matt Smith.
You can find the replay of the event’s livestream on YouTube. The rest of the winners are:
Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)
- Derf Backderf
- Mongie
- WINNER: Stan Sakai
- Rachel Smythe
- Adrian Tomine
- Sophie Yanow
Best Writer
- Penelope Bagieu
- Anthony Del Col
- Jason Douglas
- N.K. Jemisin
- Marjorie Liu
- WINNER: James Tynion IV
- Ram V
Best Artist or Penciller
- Josh Adams
- WINNER: Jamal Campbell
- Elsa Charretier
- Hanza Art
- Sana Takeda
Best Inker
- WINNER: Sanford Greene
- Brett Hobson
- Jjolee
- Gabriel Hernandez Walta
- Tonci Zonjic
Best Letterer
- Deron Bennett
- WINNER: Aditya Bidikar
- DC Hopkins
- Micah Myers
- Chas! Pangburn
Best Colorist
- Toyin Ajetunmobi
- Laura Allred
- WINNER: Tamra Bonvillain
- Aladdin Lee Grant Rutledge Collar
- Jacob Phillips
- Joe Todd-Stanton
- Christian Ward
Best Cover Artist
- Gian Carlo Bernal
- Stephanie Hans
- Maan House
- Steve Lieber
- WINNER: Peach Momoko
- Kevin O’Neill
- Joe Todd-Stanton
Best Series
- The Department of Truth, Image Comics
- Far Sector, DC Comics
- Lore Olympus, WEBTOON
- My Deepest Secret, WEBTOON
- WINNER: Usagi Yojimbo, IDW Publishing
- Wonder Woman: Dead Earth, DC
Best Single Issue or Story
- All-America Comix #1, Image Comics
- Firefly: The Outlaw Ma Reynolds (BOOM! Studios)
- Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx, Flying Eye Books (US) / Nobrow Press
- “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin” from Ice Cream Man Present Quarantine Comix Special #1, Image Comics
- WINNER: The O.Z., self-published
- Parallel, Source Point Press
Best Original Graphic Novel
- Buried But Not Dead, Source Point Press
- Kent State, Abrams Books
- The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist, Drawn & Quarterly
- Moms, Drawn & Quarterly
- WINNER: Pulp, Image Comics
Best Anthology
- WINNER: Be Gay, Do Comics, IDW Publishing
- Hey, Amateur! Go From Novice to Nailing It in 9 Panels, IDW Publishing
- Maybe Someday: Stories of Promise, Visions of Hope, A Wave Blue World
- Pandemix: Quarantine Comix in the Age of ‘Rona, self-published
- Votes for Women: The Battle for the 19th Amendment, Little Red Bird Press
Best Humor Comic
- Akissi: Even More Tales of Mischief, Flying Eye Books (US) / Nobrow Press
- ArkhaManiacs, DC
- Billionaire Island, AHOY Comics
- Love and Capes: The Family Way, Maerkle Press/IDW Publishing
- WINNER: Metalshark Bro 2: Assault on Hamzig Island, Scout Comics
- Moms, Drawn & Quarterly
- Wicked Things, BOOM! Studios
Best Webcomic
- DPS Only (tapas.io/series/dpsonly/)
- WINNER: Fangs (tapas.io/series/fangscomic/)
- Heart of the City (gocomics.com/heartofthecity/)
- Midnight Poppy Land (webtoons.com/en/romance/midnight-poppy-land/list?title_no=1798)
- Shiloh (webtoons.com/en/thriller/shiloh/list?title_no=1649)
- Totally Under Control (insider.com/comic-how-united-states-lost-control-of-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-9)
Best Humor Webcomic
- The Abominable Charles Christopher (karlkerschl.com/abominable/)
- Bagel High (instagram.com/yoyorobot/)
- Beware of Toddler (bewareoftoddler.com)
- Cassandra Comics (tapas.io/series/CassandraComics/)
- Cursed Princess Club (webtoons.com/en/comedy/cursed-princess-club/list?title_no=1537)
- The Middle Age (steveconley.com/the-middle-age/)
- WINNER: Sarah’s Scribbles (tapas.io/series/Doodle-Time/)
- xkcd (xkcd.com)
Best Non-fiction Comic Work
- Banned Book Club, Iron Circus Comics
- Chasin’ the Bird: Charlie Parker In California, Z2 Comics
- Come Home Indio, Street Noise Books
- Dancing after Ten, Fantagraphics Books
- Grateful Dead – Origins, Z2 Comics
- WINNER: Kent State, Abrams Books
- We’ll Soon Be Home Again, Dark Horse Comics
Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel
- Akissi: Even More Tales of Mischief, Flying Eye Books (US) / Nobrow Press
- Cat Kid Comic Club #1, Scholastic Graphix
- Jupiter Jet and the Forgotten Radio, Action Lab Entertainment
- Max Meow: Cat Crusader, Random House
- The Perhapanauts: First Blood, Scout Comics
- WINNER: Twins, Scholastic Graphix
Best Presentation in Design
- Crescent City Monsters, Dream Fury Comics
- WINNER: Dave Cockrum’s X-Men Artifact Edition, IDW Publishing
- The Harrowing of Hell, Iron Circus Comics
- Heavy Metal #300, Heavy Metal
- Impossible Jones, Volume 1: Grin & Gritty, Panic Button Press
- Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx, Flying Eye Books (US) / Nobrow Press
Fan Awards
In addition to the jury-selected awards, the Ringos also have five categories that are selected completely by open voting.
- Favorite Hero: Persephone from Webtoon’s Lore Olympus
- Favorite Villain: Emma from Webtoon’s My Deepest Secret
- Favorite New Series: Midnight Poppy Land on Webtoon
- Favorite New Talent: Lilydusk, creator of Midnight Poppy Land
- Favorite Publisher: Rocketship