Lulu Awards: Your Vote Has Been Counted

This is a quick post to let you know that the votes are in for the 2009 Lulu Awards, and I am counting them right now. We have received an unprecedented amount of votes this year: I thank everyone who participated in this year’s voting, as well as the fabulous panel of judges who made our nominations possible.

I am also currently making arrangements regarding the announcement of the winners, and will post here specific information regarding the date & venue. If time permits, I will also send out a bulk email to those who have voted to give them this information.

2009 Lulu Awards Nominees: VOTE NOW!

The following is a list of the nominees for the 2009 Lulu Awards. The Lulu Awards recognizes the  the people and projects that helped to open eyes and minds to the amazing comic and cartooning work by and/or about women.

VOTING IS NOW OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE LULU AWARDS!! Email us with your picks (one from each category) at

friendsoflulumail@yahoo.com

along with your full name, by Monday, OCTOBER 19. One ballot per person, please.

The winners will be revealed in November at a date & venue to be announced soon on this website.

This year’s judges are:

Brigid Alverson – writer, editor, columnist, and blogger

Jennifer Babcock – comic book historian and creator

Abby Denson – writer, cartoonist, and teacher

Cheryl Lynn Eaton – blogger and writer

Chris Eberle – comics retailer

Karen Green – academic librarian and columnist

Robert Randle – purchasing assistant manager, Diamond Distributors

UPDATE: Due to an error, Tracy White & Sabrina Jones were nominated in the “Best New Talent” category. Tracy & Sabrina have actually been on the comic scene longer than the required three years maximum, but we would still urge you to read Tracy’s innovative webcomic Traced, and buy Sabrina’s critically-acclaimed Isadora Duncan: A Graphic Biography. Anybody who has already voted for Tracy & Sabrina will be contacted and offered another chance to vote for this category. We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

And now here are the nominees for the 2009 Lulu Awards:

Kim Yale Award for Best New Talent

(must have first published work within the last three years)

Kate Beaton, Hark, A Vagrant

Liz Baillie, My Brain Hurts

Mariko Tamaki, Skim

Madeline Rosca, Hollow Fields

Kathryn Immonen, Hellcat

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Lulu of The Year

(awards the creator/s, book, or other project whole work best exemplifies Friends of Lulu’s mission)

Shaenon K. Garrity, Skin Horse

Lynda Barry, What It Is

Danielle Corsetto, Girls With Slingshots

Nate Powell, Swallow Me Whole

Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, Skim

Terry Moore, Echo

Jessica Abel, Life Sucks, Drawing Words and Writing Pictures

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Woman of Distinction

(nominees work in the comic industry in non-creator roles such as editing, publishing, reporting, or retail)

Joanne Carter Siegel, widow of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel

Gina Gagliano, Marketing Associate at First Second Books

Jackie Estrada, Eisner Committee & Exhibit A Press

Francoise Mouly, Editorial Director of Toon Books

Mimi Cruz, owner of Night Flight Comics

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Leah Adezio Award For Best Kid-Friendly Work

Korgi, Christian Slade

Sardine in Outer Space, Emmanuel Guibert and Joann Sfar

Gary the Pirate, Scott Christian Sava

Rapunzel’s Revenge, Shannon, Dean & Nathan Hale)

Stinky, Eleanor Davis

Tiny Titans, Art Baltazar

Hereville, Barry Deutsch

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The Female Cartoonists And Comic Book Writer’s Hall Of Fame

(formerly, The Female Cartoonists Hall Of Fame)

CLAMP, Chobits, Kobato, Cardcaptor Sakura, and many many more

Tove Jansson, Moomin

Natsuki Takaya, Fruits Basket

Gail Simone, Wonder Woman, Secret Six, Birds of Prey

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Best Female Character

Monica Villarreal, Wapsi Square by Paul Taylor

Kimberly “Skim” Keiko Cameron, Skim by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki

Rapunzel, Rapunzel’s Revenge by Shannon, Dean, and Nathan Hale

Barbara Thorson, I Kill Giants by Joe Kelly & JM Ken Niimura

Mirka, Hereville by Barry Deutsch

Melanie, Melody by Ilias Kyriazis

Julie Martin, Echo by Terry Moore

BONUS: Here is a gallery of the female characters our panel of judges picked as the most fascinating of the past year…

Lulu Awards: New Categories!

This year at the Lulu Awards we have two new categories:

Leah Adezio Award for Best Kid-Friendly Work:

Leah, who passed away in 2007, was very active in Friends of Lulu and was also comics creator in her own right. She had a passion for children’s comics and this award is in memory of her. This award is for a kid-friendly work that best exemplifies the Friends of Lulu motto “Comics Are For Everyone.”

Best Female Character:

For a lead female character from an ongoing or limited comic book series or comic strip, original graphic novel or novella. Whether in print or online.

These categories are in addition to our established set of four:

Kim Yale Award for Most Talented Newcomer
Nominees must have published work, whether self-published, company-published, or net-published. Nominees must be nominated for this category within two years of their first professionally published work or three years of their first self published work. An individual may not be nominated more than twice and cannot win more than once.

Lulu of the Year
For the creator, book or other entity whose work best exemplifies Friends of Lulu’s mission statement. Nominees must have published work, whether self-published, company-published, or net-published.

Woman of Distinction
For outstanding achievement within the comic book industry in non-creator roles, such as editing, publishing, reporting, or retail.

The Female Cartoonists Hall Of Fame
Nominees must have published work, whether self-published, company-published, or net-published. An individual cannot win more than once.

We also have an award for Volunteer of the Year that is voted on by the Friends of Lulu board.

Please contact us at info@friends-lulu.org for more information or to inquire avout sending review copies to our judges panel.

Lulu Awards 2009 Judges Selected!

We are very happy to announce that the judges for the 2009 Lulu Awards have been selected! We have brought together a diverse and knowledgeable team from a variety of interests, disciplines, and occupations from within the comic book industry and fandom. (for a list of Lulu Awards categories, click here)

The judges are:

Brigid Alverson – writer, editor, columnist, and blogger

Jennifer Babcock – comic book historian and creator

Abby Denson – writer, cartoonist, and teacher

Cheryl Lynn Eaton – blogger and writer

Chris Eberle – comics retailer

Karen Green – academic librarian and columnist

Robert Randle – purchasing assistant manager, Diamond Distributors

In a change from last year, the judges panel will provide the list of nominees. Then the public will vote for the winners in each category.

The nomination process is open from now until September 14th.

Voting by the public will take place between September 14th and October 1st.

Note to publishers/comic creators wishing to submit review copies:

We have a list of judges who wish to receive review copies. Please email us at info@friends-lulu.org for more information & their contact info. Lulu loves the environment: please try to send scans/pdfs whenever possible! Please note that individual publishers/comic creators assume all responsibility in getting said materials to the judges, including cost of shipping & the delivery of electronic files in a proper format.

This is gearing up to be a great Lulu Awards this year and we are really excited! We have new categories to announce, and other goodies!

And our hearty thanks to the judges for volunteering their time!!!

Judges Selection For The Lulu Awards Starts This Week

This year’s Lulu Awards will have a panel of judges selecting the nominees, with voting then opened up to the public. We are currently in the process of judge selection, seeking out a diverse and well-read panel. More details regarding this year’s Lulu Awards as they develop.