The winners of the 2021 Ringo Awards were announced Saturday night, October 23, at the Baltimore Comic Con, which was live and streamed. The awards are named and given out in honor of the late artist Mike Wieringo who made a name for himself as the co-creator of Tellos and worked on DC Comics properties like The Flash and Marvel Comics Fantastic Four and others.
The awards, founded by Cards, Comics, and Collectibles in Reisterstown, Maryland, celebrate creators and new works from the preceding calendar year as nominated by both industry professionals and fans, with final nominees chosen by all comic professionals.
Judging is done by a select jury of five professionals who represent a cross-section of the comics industry who vote by ranking the seven choices in each category in order of preference.
For more on the panel of judges, check out this link.
The following are this year’s nominees and winners by categories:
Best Series
- The Department of Truth, Image Comics
- Far Sector, DC Comics
- Lore Olympus, WEBTOON
- My Deepest Secret, WEBTOON
- Usagi Yojimbo, IDW Publishing
- Wonder Woman: Dead Earth, DC Comics
Winner: Usagi Yojimbo, IDW Publishing
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
- The O.Z., self-published
- Parallel, Source Point Press
Winner: The O.Z., David Pepose & Ruben Rojas, self-published
Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)
- Derf Backderf
- Mongie
- Stan Sakai
- Rachel Smythe
- Adrian Tomine
- Sophie Yanow
Winner: Stan Sakai
Best Writer
- Penelope Bagieu
- Anthony Del Col
- Jason Douglas
- N.K. Jemisin
- Marjorie Liu
- James Tynion IV
- Ram V
Winner: James Tynion IV (“Wynd“)
Best Artist or Penciller
- Josh Adams
- Jamal Campbell
- Elsa Charretier
- Hanza Art
- Sana Takeda
Winner: Jamal Campbell (“Far Sector “)
Best Inker
- Sanford Greene
- Brett Hobson
- Jjolee
- Gabriel Hernandez Walta
- Tonci Zonjic
Winner: Sanford Greene (“Bitter Root “)
Best Letterer
- Deron Bennett
- Aditya Bidikar
- DC Hopkins
- Micah Myers
- Chas! Pangburn
Winner: Aditya Bidikar (“Ice Cream Man: Quarantine Comix Special”)
Best Colorist
- Toyin Ajetunmobi
- Laura Allred
- Tamra Bonvillain
- Aladdin Lee Grant Rutledge Collar
- Jacob Phillips
- Joe Todd-Stanton
- Christian Ward
Winner: Tamra Bonvillain (“Once and Future “)
Best Cover Artist
- Gian Carlo Bernal
- Stephanie Hans
- Maan House
- Steve Lieber
- Peach Momoko
- Kevin O’Neill
- Joe Todd-Stanton
Winner: Peach Momoko
Other Winners include:
- Best Original Graphic Novel: “Pulp” by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips, Image Comics
- Best Anthology: “Be Gay, Do Comics,” IDW Publishing
- Best Humor Comic: “Metalshark Bro 2: Assault on Hamzig Island” by Bob Frantz, Kevin Cuffe & Walter Ostlie, Scout Comics
- Best Webcomic: “Fangs” by Sarah Andersen\
- Best Humor Webcomic: “Sarah’s Scribbles” by Sarah Andersen
- Best Non-Fiction Comic Work: “Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio” by Derf Backderf, Abrams Books
- Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel: “Twins” by Varian Johnson & Shannon Wright, Scholastic Graphix
- Best Presentation in Design: “Dave Cockrum’s X-Men Artifact Edition,” IDW Publishing
Ringo Spirit Award: Matt Kindt and Matt Smith – BOOM! Studios “Folklords”
Hero Initiative’s Lifetime Achievement Award: Marvel Creative Director Joe Quesada w
Dick Giordano Humanitarian Award: Gene Ha
Fan Awards went to:
- Favorite Hero: Persephone from “Lore Olympus”
- Favorite Villain: Emma from Hanza Art’s “My Deepest Secret”
- Favorite New Series: “Midnight Poppy Land”
- Favorite New Talent: creator Lilydusk of “Midnight Poppy Land”
- Favorite Publisher: Rocketship
For a list of last year’s winners, check out this link.
Comic Watch congratulates both the winners and nominees of 2021.
