Nominees have been announced recently for several different book awards programs, many of which include comic or graphic novel categories.
Let’s start with the Nebula Awards, which recognize the best in science fiction literature, games and media — and now comics, too. The Nebulas added a “Best Comic” category this year (along with a “Best Poem” category), and the nominees include:
- Second Shift, written and illustrated by Kit Anderson, published by Avery Hill
- Carmilla Volume 3: The Eternal, written by Amy Chu and illustrated by Soo Lee, published by Dark Horse’s Berger Books imprint
- Helen of Wyndhorn, written by Tom King and illustrated by Bilquis Evely, published by Dark Horse
- Fishflies, written and illustrated by Jeff Lemire, published by Image Comics
- Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters: The Killing Stone, by Jessica Maison, published by Wicked Tree
- Strange Bedfellows, written and illustrated by Ariel Slamet Ries, published by HarperAlley
- The Flip Side, written and illustrated by Jason Walz, published by Rocky Pond
- The Stoneshore Register, written by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by M. K. Perker, published by Dark Horse’s Berger Books
The Nebula Awards are voted on by full, senior and associate members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. Winners will be announced at the 2026 Nebula Conference in Chicago in early June.
British Book Awards | Everything seems to be coming up comics these days; not only have the Nebulas added comics to the roster, but so have the British Book Awards with the inaugural “Book of the Year – Graphic Novel” category.
According to the awards site, “The inaugural Graphic Novel of the Year salutes the unique combination of narrative complexity and artistry that graphic storytelling brings to the literary landscape. The 2026 shortlist shows comics is a big tent with titles crossing age ranges and genres, from the biggest-selling children’s authors to sweeping adult graphic memoirs.”
The shortlist includes:
- Bunny vs Monkey: Intergalactic Monkey Business! by Jamie Smart, published by Phoenix Comic Books
- Dog Man: Big Jim Believes by Dav Pilkey, published by Scholastic
- Ginseng Roots by Craig Thompson, published by Faber in the UK, originally published by Uncivilized Books
- InvestiGators: Case Files by John Patrick Green, Steve Behling and Chris Fenoglio, published by MacMillan
- This Slavery by Ethel Carnie Holdsworth, text adapted by Sophie Rickard and illustrated by Scarlett Rickard, published by SelfMadeHero.
- Who Killed Nessie? written by Paul Cornell and illustrated by Rachael Smith, published by Avery Hill
Winners will be announced May 11.
Lambda Literary Awards | Lambda Literary has announced the nominees for the 35th annual Lambda Literary Awards, which celebrate “the very best in LGBTQ literature.” The awards include an “LGBTQ+ Comics” category, and this year’s nominees are:
- Gaysians by Mike Curato, published by Algonquin Books.
- Love, Misha by Askel Aden, published by First Second.
- Precious Rubbish by Kayla E., published by Fantagraphics.
- Soften the Blow by Bread Tarleton, published by Fieldmouse Press.
- Spent by Alison Bechdel, published by Mariner Books.
Winners will be announced June 12.
Ringo Awards | Finally, nominations are now open for the annual Ringo Awards, which are presented annually at the Baltimore-Comic Con. This year they’ll be presented on Sept. 26.