DOUG WRIGHT AWARDS
The Doug Wright Awards were founded in May 2005 to recognize the accomplishments of cartoonists and graphic writers and illustrators working in Canada. They were named after the cartoonist Doug Wright.
Given annually in conjunction with the Toronto Cartoon Arts Festival, they are broken into three subsections. The “Best Book Award”, “The Best Emerging Talent Award”, which in 2012 was renamed “The Spotlight” or “The Nipper Award” and “The Pigskin Peters Award” which was introduced in 2008 and is awarded to avant-garde and other non-traditional works. The “Nipper Award” is named after a character, in Doug Wright’s “Doug Wright’s Family” and “The Pigskin Peters Award” is named after a character in Jimmie Frise’s “Birdseye Centre”.
“Giants of the North” is a separate category acknowledging cartoonists with singularly accomplished careers.
GIANTS OF THE NORTH HALL OF FAME
Inductees & date of induction:
| Doug Wright (2005)
Albric Bourgeois (2005) J. W. Bengough (2006) George Feyer (2006) David Boswell (2011) Katherine Collins (Arn Saba) 2017 Duncan Macpherson (2018) |
James Frise (unknown)
Rand Holmes (unknown) Lynn Johnston (unknown) Martin Vaughn-James (unknown) Peter Whalley (unknown) |
DOUG WRIGHT AWARDS, WINNERS AND NOMINEES:
2015
Best Book:
Fatherland. Nina Bunjevac. Jonathan Cape/Random House.
Ant Colony. Michael Deforge. Drawn & Quarterly.
Safai Honeymoon. Jesse Jacobs, Koyama Press.
The People Inside. Ray Fawkes. Oni Press.
This One Summer. Jillian & Mariko Tamaki. Groundwood.
Spotlight – “The Nipper”:
Meag Fitzgerald for Photobooth: A Biography. Conundrum.
Aaron Costain for Entrophy #10.
Elizabeth Belliveau for One Year In America. Conundrum.
Julie Delporte for Everywhere Antennas. Drawn & Quarterly.
Simon Roy for Tiger Lung. Dark Horse.
Sophie Yanow for War of Streets and Houses. Uncivilized Books.
Pigskin Peters:
Connor Willumsen. “Swinespritzen”.
Julien Ceccaldi. Comics Collection 2010-2013 and Less Than Dust.
Henriette Valium. Great Success! 1983-2013. Crna Hronika.
Patrick Kyle. New Comics #3-5. Mother Books.
Tings Chak. Undocumented: The Architecture of Migrant Detention. The Architecture Observer.
2014
Best Book:
Paul Joins the Scouts. Paul Rabagliati. Conundrum Press.
Palookaville #21. Seth. Drawn & Quarterly.
Science Fiction Joe Ollman. Conundrum Press.
Suseptible. Geneviève Castrée. Drawn & Quarterly.
Very Casual. Michael DeForge. Koyama Press.
Spotlight – “The Nipper”:
Steven Gilbert for The Journal of the Main Street Secret Lodge. Fourth Dimension.
Connor Willumsen for “Calgary: Death Milks a Cow”, “Treasure Island”, “Mooncalf”, “Passionfruit”.
Dakota McFadzean for Other Stories and the Horse You Rode In On. Conundrum Press.
Patrick Kyle for Distance Mover #7-12, New Comics #1-2
Georgia Webber for Dumb #1-3.
Pigskin Peters:
Emily Carroll. “Out of Skin”.
Connor Willumsen. “Calgary: Death Milks a Cow
Seth Scriver. Flexible Tube with Stink Lines.
Julie Delporte. Journal. Koyama Press.
Michael Deforge. Very Casual. Koyama Press.
2013:
Best Book:
The Song of Roland. Michel Rabagliati. Conundrum Press.
Lose #4. Michael DeForge. Koyama Press.
By This You Shall Know Him. Jesse Jacobs. Koyama Press.
Pope Hats #3. Ethan Rilly. Adhouse Books.
Wax Cross. Tin Can Forest. Koyama Press.
Spotlight – “The Nipper”:
Nina Bunjevac for Heartless. Conundrum Press.
Brandon Graham for King City. Image Comics.
Patrick Kyle for Black Mass, Distance Mover, Wowee Zonk #4
George Walker for The Mysterious Death of Tom Thomson. Porcupine’s Quill.
Eric Kostiuk Williams for Hungry Bottom Comics.
Pigskin Peters:
David Collier. Hamilton Illustrated. Wolstak & Wynn.
Michael Comeau. Hellberta #2 and “Sir Softly” from š! #12.
Michael DeForge. “Can Forest” and “Magda Traski” for 4PANEL, special comics features in
Carousel Magazine #28 & #29.
Ginette Laplame. “So what should we do with ourselves?” in Wowee Zonk #4 and “Little Stump” in Wowee Zonk #12.
2012:
Best Book:
Hark! A Vagrant. Kate Beaton. Drawn & Quarterly.
Lose #3. Michael DeForge. Koyama Press.
Mid-Life. Joe Ollman. Conundrum Press.
Paying For It. Chester Brown. Drawn & Quarterly.
Reunion. Pascal Girard. Drawn & Quarterly.
The Great Northern Brotherhood of Canadian Cartoonists. Seth. Drawn & Quarterly.
Spotlight:
Ethan Rilley for Pope Hats #2. Adhouse Books.
Emily Carroll for “The Seven Windows” in The Anthology Project vol. 2, “Margot’s Room” and
Emily Carroll for “The Prince & the Sea” (other cartoons at emcarroll.com/comic.)
Patrick Kyle for Black Mass #5-6.
Betty Liang for Wet T-Shirt #1, “It’s Only a Secret if You Don’t Tell Anyone” in š! #9, “Anna
Betty Liang Freud’s Recurring Dream” and other cartoons at bettyliang.tumblr.com.
Zach Worton for The Klondike.
Pigskin Peters:
Hellberta. Michael Comeau.
Hermoddities. Temple Bates.
Pure Pajamas. Marc Bell
‘Untitled’ by Mum Pittsburg, Jupiter Leucetius! Send Us a King, We Are So Bored. And other Cartoons at connorwillumsen.com. Connor Willumsen.
2011:
Best Book:
Big Foot. Pascal Girard. Drawn & Quarterly.
Chimo. David Collier. Conundrum Press.
Lose # 2. Michael DeForge. Koyama Press.
Moving Pictures. Kathryn Immomen & Stuart Immomen. Top Shelf.
Streakers. Nick Maandag. Self published.
Best Emerging Talent:
Alex Fellows for Spain and Morocco. Self published.
Aaron Costain for Entrophy #5. Self published.
Keith Jones. Catland Empire. Drawn & Quarterly.
James Stokoe for Orc Stain vol 1. Image Comics
Tin Can Forest (aka Marek Colek & Pat shewwchuk) for Baba Yaga and the Wolf. Koyama Press.
Pigskin Peter:
Spotting Deer. Michael DeForge. Koyama Press.
Interior Voice. Jillian Tamaki. Drawn & Quarterly.
Stooge Pile. Seth Scriver. Drawn & Quarterly.
So I’ve Been Told. Maryanna Haardy. Conundrum Press.
Wowee Zonk #3. Patrick Kyle, Ginette Lapalme & Chris Kuzuma, editors. Koyama Press.
2010:
Best Book:
George Sprott: (1894-1975). Seth. Drawn & Quarterly.
Back + Forth. Martha Chubolinska. Porcupine’s Quill.
Hot Potatoe. Marc Bell. Drawn & Quarterly.
Kaspar. Diane Obomsawin. Drawn & Quarterly.
Red: A Haida Manga. Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas. Douglas McIntyre.
Best Emerging Talent:
Michael DeForge for Lose #1. Koyama Press.
Cold Heat Special #7. Picturebox.
Adam Bourret for I’m Crazy. Self Published.
Pascal Girard for Nicolas. Drawn & Quarterly, and It’s Snowing Outside We Should Go For A Walk. Self published.
Sully for The Hipless Boy. Conundrum Press.
Pigskin Peters:
Hot Potatoe. Marc Bell. Drawn & Quarterly.
Bebete. Simon Bosse. L’Ole de Cravah.
Dirty Dishes. Amy Lockhart. Drawn & Quarterly.
Never Learn Anything From History. Kate Beaton. Drawn & Quarterly.
The Collected Doug Wright, vol. 1. Doug Wright. Drawn & Quarterly.
2009:
Best Book:
Skim. Jillian & Mariko Tamaki. Groundwood Books.
Burma Chronicles. Guy Delisle. Drawn & Quarterly.
Drop-in. Dave Lapp. Conundrum Press.
Paul goes Fishing. Michel Rabagliatti. Drawn & Quarterly.
Best Emerging Talent:
Kate Beaton for Hark a Vagrant.
Caitlin Black for Maids In The Mist. Self published.
Jesse Jacobs for Blue winter, Shapes In ‘The Snow. Self published.
Jason Kieffer for Kieffer #2. Self published.
Nick Maanding for Jack & Mandy. Self published.
Pigskin Peters:
Ojinogogo. Matthew Forsythe. Drawn & Quarterly.
Hall Of Best Knowledge. Ray Fenwick. Fantagraphics.
All We Ever Do Is Talk About Wood. Tom Horacek. Drawn & Quarterly.
Small Victories. Jesse Jacobs. Self published.
2008:
Best Book:
The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam. Ann Marie Fleming. Riverhead.
365 Days A Diary. Julie Doucet. Drawn & Quarterly.
Spent. Joe Matt. Drawn & Quarterly.
Southern Cross. Laurence Hyde. Drawn & Quarterly.
Best Emerging Talent.
Jeff Lemire for Essex County vols. 1&2. Top Shelf.
Ethan Rilly for Pope Hats. Self published.
Jason Kieffer for Kieffer #1. Self published.
Nick Maandag for The Experiment. Self published.
Pigskin Peters :
Milk Teeth. Julie Morstad. Drawn & Quarterly.
Little Lessons in Safety. Emily Hoton. Conundrum Press.
Excelsior 1968. John Martz. Self published.
Fire Away. Chris von Szombathy. Drawn & Quarterly.
2007:
Best Book:
This Will End In Tears. Joe Ollman. Insomniac Press.
Shenzen: A Travelogue From China. Guy Delisle. Drawn & Quarterly.
Scott Pilgrim & the Infinite Sadness. Bryan Lee O’Malley. Oni Press.
Gilded Lilies. Jillian Tamaki. Conundrum Press.
Nog-a-dog. Marc Bell & various. Conundrum Press.
Best emerging Talent:
Rebecca Kraatz for House of Sugar. Tulip Tree Press.
Hope Larson for Gray Horses. Oni.
Leanne Shapton for Was She Pretty? Farrar, Strauss & Giroux.
Keith Jones for Bacter-area. Drawn & Quarterly.
Tamara Berger & Sophie Cossette. Mendacity. Kiss Machine.
2006:
Best Book:
Paul Moves Out. Michel Rabagliati. Drawn & Quarterly.
Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea. Guy Delisle Drawn & Quarterly.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World. Bryan Lee O’Malley. Oni.
Dragon slippers: This is What an Abusive Relationship Looks Like. Rosalind B. Penfold. Grove Press.
Wimbledon Green. Seth. Drawn & Quarterly.
Best emerging Talent:
Peter Lorenz for Dark Adaption. Pedlar Press.
Scott Chantler for Northwest Passage. Oni.
Marc Ngui for The Unexpected Tale of Lordie Jones. Conundrum Press.
Mariko & Jillian Tamaki for Skim Kiss Machine.
James Turner for Nil: A Land Beyond Belief. Slave Labor Graphics.
2005:
Best Book:
Clyde Fans Book 1. Seth. Drawn & Quarterly.
Worn Tuff Elbow #1. Marc Bell. Fantagraphics.
Pamplemoussi. Genevieve Castree. L’Ole de Cravan.
The Frank Ritza Papers. David Collier. Drawn & Quarterly.
The New Frontier. Darwyn Cooke. DC Comics.
Best emerging Talent:
Bryan Lee O’Malley for Scott Pilgrim 1. Oni Press.
Rebecca Dart for Rabbithead. Alternate Comics.
Max Douglas & Salgood Sam for Revolver. Self published.
Alex Fellows for Canvas. Fantagraphics.
SOURCE:
Book graphic:
The Doug Wright Awards 2011 An Essay In Comics By Some American. Car., Dustin Harbin. Dustin Harbin, 2011.
Internet:
Doug Wright Awards, 2016: “Home.” “About Us.” “Past Winners.”