The Lulu Awards were a group of literary awards in the field of comics, presented by the Friends of Lulu from 1997 to 2010. The awards were intended to "recognize the people and projects that help open the eyes and minds to the amazing comic and cartooning work by and/or about women."[1] The awards were presented at Comic-Con International from 1997 to 2007, at the MoCCA Festival in 2008[2]–2009,[3] and the Long Beach Comic Con in 2010.[4]
Award categories and voting process
The awards were separated into five categories: Lulu of the Year, Kimberly Yale Award for Best New Talent, Volunteer of the Year Award, Women of Distinction Award, and the Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame. In 2009, two additional awards were created: the Leah Adezio Award for Best Kid-Friendly Work and Best Female Character.[5]
Originally, award nominations and voting were limited to Friends of Lulu dues-paying members.[6] In 2007, nominations were opened for the first time to non-members.[7] In the Awards' penultimate year, 2009, a judges panel provided "the list of nominees," and "then the public ... [voted] for the winners in each category."[3] The 2009 judges were Brigid Alverson, Jennifer Babcock, Abby Denson, Cheryl Lynn Eaton, Chris Eberle, Karen Green, and Robert Randle.[3]
Award winners and nominees
Lulu of the Year
The Lulu of the Year honor went to creator(s), book(s), or other projects "whose work best exemplifies Friends of Lulu’s mission."[1] "Nominees must have published comic book, strip, or editorial cartoon work, whether self-published, company-published, or net-published."[8]
- 1997 The Great Women Superheroes, by Trina Robbins (Kitchen Sink Press)
- Action Girl, Sarah Dyer, editor (Slave Labor Graphics)
- Girl Talk, Isabella Bannerman, Ann Decker, & Sabrina Jones, editors (Fantagraphics)
- Leave It To Chance, by James Robinson & Paul Smith (comics)
- Marilyn: The Story of a Woman, Kathryn Hyatt, (7 Stories Press)
- Strangers in Paradise, Terry Moore (Homage Comics)
- 1998 Action Girl, Sarah Dyer, editor (Slave Labor Graphics)
- 1999 Scary Godmother, by Jill Thompson (Sirius Entertainment)
- 2000 Trina Robbins, From Girls to Grrrlz
- 2001 Trina Robbins, and Anne Timmons, Go-Girl!
- Greg Beettam & Stephe Geigen-Miller Xeno's Arrow
- Chynna Clugston-Major, Blue Monday
- Mark Crilley, Akiko
- Les Daniels, Wonder Woman: The Complete History
- Roberta Gregory
- Rachel Hartmann, Amy Unbounded
- Lea Hernandez, Cathedral Child and Rumble Girls
- Janet Hetherington, Eternally Yours
- Lynn Johnston, For Better or For Worse
- Lawrence Marvit, Sparks
- Kevin Mason & Alex Szewczuk Sleeping Dragons
- Scott McCloud, Reinventing Comics
- Dave McKinnon and Terry Wiley, Sleaze Castle/Petra Etcetera
- Linda Medley, Castle Waiting (Olio)
- Terry Moore, Strangers in Paradise
- Carla Speed McNeil, Finder
- Mark Oakley, Thieves and Kings
- Paul Pope, THB
- Powerpuff Girls comics, various, Joan Hilty, editor
- Dave Roman and John Green, Quicken Forbidden
- Sequential Tart, Marcia Allas, editor, and staff
- Posy Simmonds Gemma Bovery
- Jeff Smith, Bone
- Jeff Smith and Charles Vess, Rose
- Jill Thompson, Scary Godmother
- Andi Watson, Breakfast After Noon
- Mary Wilshire
- 2002 Sequential Tart, Marcia Allas, editor
- Chynna Clugston-Major, Blue Monday
- Lea Hernandez, Cathedral Child
- Carla Speed McNeil, Finder
- Jill Thompson, Scary Godmother
- 2007 Abby Denson (Tough Love: High School Confidential)
Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame
"Nominees must have published comic book, strip, or editorial cartoon work, whether self-published, company-published, or net-published. An individual cannot win more than once."[8] In 2010, shortly before the demise of the Friends of Lulu, the Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame was renamed The Female Cartoonists and Comic Book Writers Hall of Fame.[9]
- 1999 Ramona Fradon
- Marge Henderson Buell
- Lynn Johnston
- Trina Robbins
- 2000 Marge Henderson Buell
- 2001 (tie) Trina Robbins and Hilda Terry
- 2002 Lynn Johnston
- Nell Brinkley, early 20th century cartoonist/illustrator
- Wendy Pini, Elfquest
- Barb Rausch, Barbie
- Dorothy Woolfolk Roubicek
- Rumiko Takahashi
- 2003 Wendy Pini
- Lynda Barry, Marlys and One! Hundred! Demons!
- Barb Rausch, Vicki Valentine and Barbie
- Dorothy Woolfolk Roubicek
- Rumiko Takahashi
Kimberly Yale Award for Best New Talent
"Awarded to a woman who has worked in the comic book & comic strip industry for less than two years. The category [was] named for a comic book writer & Friends of Lulu founding member who died in 1997."[8]
- 1997 Jessica Abel, Artbabe
- Jen Benka, Manya
- Ariel Bordeaux, Deep Girl
- Kris Dresen, Manya; Action Girl
- Jennifer Graves, Robin; Supergirl
- Kathryn Hyatt, Marilyn: The Story of a Woman
- Carla Speed McNeil, Finder, Shanda the Panda
- Ursula O'Steen, Girl Talk, Pure Friction
- Elizabeth Watasin, A-Girl, Action Girl
- Christina Z, Witchblade
- 1998 Carla Speed McNeil, Finder
- 1999 Devin Grayson, Catwoman, Black Widow
- Dawn Brown, Little Red Hot
- Chynna Clugston-Major, "Blue Monday" in Action Girl and Oni Double Feature
- Jane Fisher & Kirsten Petersen, WJHC
- Rachel Hartman, Amy Unbounded
- Ariel Schrag, Definition; Potential
- Jen Sorensen, Slowpoke
- Tara Tallan, Galaxion
- Maggie Whorf, BoHoS
- 2000 Rachel Hartman (Amy Unbounded)
- Kalah Allen (Jann of Renew)
- Rachel Nacion,[11] misspelled "Rachel Ancion"[12][13] (Shades of Blue)
- Suzanne Baumann,[14] misspelled "Suzanne Bowman"[12] (Fridge Magnet Stories)
- Chynna Clugston-Major (Blue Monday)
- Leela Corman,[15] misspelled "Leelah Corman"[12] (Flim Flam, Queen's Day)
- Alison Williams (Sorcerer's Children)
- 2001 Anne Timmons (Go Girl)
- 2002 (tie) Gisele Lagace (Cool Cat Studio) and Ashley-Jane Nicolaus (writer, Haven)
- 2005 Vera Brosgol (Flight, Hopeless Savages B-Sides)
- Stephanie Freese (Ripped from the Headlines)
- Dorothy Gambrell (Cat and Girl)
- Emily Horne (www.asofterworld.com)
- Tintin Pantoja (Sevenplains, Girlamatic.com, and MentalTentacle.com)
Volunteer of the Year Award
"Voted on by the Friends of Lulu board."[5] Not presented at the 2010 awards.
- 2003:
- Dave Roman (Editor, Broad Appeal)
- Chris Kohler (webmaster)
- 2004 Charlie Boatner
- 2005 Marc Wilkofsky (New York Chapter)
- 2006 Donnie Tracey (Gotham City Limits)
- 2007:
- 2008 Lee Binswanger
- 2009 Marion Vitus[18]
Women of Distinction Award
Criteria for inclusion were similar to the Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame, except that the award was open to all women in the comic book field, not just writers and artists.[8]
- 2009 Joanne Carter Siegel
Leah Adezio Award for Best Kid-Friendly Work
- 2010[9] Diana Nock: The Intrepid Girlbot[10]
Best Female Character
- 2009 Monica Villarreal, from Wapsi Square by Paul Taylor