Announcing the winners of the 2024 CARTOONIST STUDIO PRIZE
Today, Comics Beat is proud to be announcing the shortlist nominees for the 2024 Cartoonist Studio Prize! The twelfth annual Cartoonist Studio Prize is presented by The Center for Cartoon Studies and The Beat.
Each year, the Cartoonist Studio Prize will be awarded to work that exemplifies excellence in cartooning. The creators of two exceptional comics for this year will be awarded $1,000 each. The winners were selected by The Beat and The Schulz Library staff at The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS).
This year, there were thirteen nominees in each the “long-form” category and the “short-form” category. Each of the nominees in both categories represented some of the very best sequential graphic narrative 2023 had to offer. But of course, there can regrettably only be one winner for each category.
Winner for Best Long-Form Comic
The winner in the Best Long-Form Comic category is The Great Beyond by Léa Murawiec. The Great Beyond was translated by Aleshia Jensen and published by Drawn & Quarterly in October 2023.
Here’s the description of the graphic novel from the publisher:
“Manel Naher wants out. In a world where your name is currency, it’s tough to make ends meet. It’s even tougher when you share a name with a rising pop star. The city is unbearable—endless high-rises, social climbers left and right, and nothing but names as far as the eye can see. But Manel is looking a little bit farther, just beyond the horizon, and she’s even convinced her buddy Ali of how much more could be lying in wait right outside city limits.
“When a sudden heart attack induced by diminished name recognition foils Manel’s plans, gradual change becomes a catalyst for a complete lifestyle overhaul. This stylish, absurd comedy of contemporary manners skewers the human condition in persistent self-promo. Sharp, architectural lines are accented by decisively mellow hues, building a humorously grim world unexpectedly bathed in nothing but light.”
You can find The Great Beyond at Drawn & Quarterly’s website by clicking here.
Winner for Best Short-Form Comic
The winner in the Best Short-Form Comic category is 10-10 to the Wind by Cole Degenstein. 10-10 to the Wind was published in September 2023 by Fieldmouse Press.
Here’s the description of 10-10 to the Wind from the publisher:
“Goldie is a long-distance trucker who loves the open road – but there is only so much isolation one man can withstand. The solitude that comes with his line of work makes the brief moments he spends with other people all the more important, and he seeks meaningful human interaction via CB radio in hopes of interrupting his isolated day-to-day with tender connections. Poetic and tender, 10-10 to the Wind is Cole Degenstein’s highly anticipated debut graphic novella.”
You can find 10-10 to the Wind at Fieldmouse Press’ website by clicking here.
2024 Cartoonist Studio Prize
Have you had a chance to read either The Great Beyond or 10-10 to the Wind? If so, what did you think? The Beat is waiting to hear from you! Be sure and let us know, right here in the comment section or over on social media at our Bluesky page.
