Cousins and collaborators Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki have been nominated for the 2024 Doug Wright Award for their YA graphic novel Roaming.
Founded in 2005, the Doug Wright Awards have been awarded annually to celebrate the best in comics across Canada. They are named after influential Canadian cartoonist Doug Wright.
This year, 200 entries were submitted to be considered in four categories: best book, emerging talent, small or micro-press book and kids’ book.
Each winner will receive a small cash prize and the winner of the Nipper Award will receive a week-long stay at the Valleyview Artist Retreat.
Roaming is nominated for the Doug Wright Award for best book. It follows best friends Zoe and Dani on a trip to New York City during their first year of college. As a queer romance blossoms between Zoe and Dani’s classmate Fiona — who tags along — friendships get put to the test and all three girls learn more about who they are.
Jillian Tamaki is a Toronto-based cartoonist, illustrator and educator. Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki also co-created the YA graphic novel Skim, which won the Governor General’s Literary Award for young people’s literature — text. Another collaboration, This One Summer, won the Governor General’s Literary Award for young people’s literature — illustration.
Mariko Tamaki is a writer based in Oakland, Calif. Her other books include the YA novels (you) Set Me On Fire and Saving Montgomery Sole. She’s also the author of many superhero comics for DC Comics, Darkhorse and Marvel.
The Next Chapter18:14Mariko and Jillian Tamaki on Roaming and exploring New York City with college friends
The Canadian cousins and creative collaborators’ new graphic novel Roaming explores college friends getting a taste of adulthood in the Big Apple.
Alberta-based writer and illustrator Christopher Twin earned nominations for both the Nipper Award for emerging talent and the Egghead Award for best kids’ book. He is recognized for his graphic novel, Bad Medicine. Inspired by Cree folklore and modern Cree life, it follows five teens who share chilling horror stories around a campfire.
Bad Medicine was also on the 2024 Canada Reads longlist.
Twin is from the Swan River First Nations reservation in northern Alberta. Currently based in Edmonton, he does comic work and illustrations as a freelancer.
Faith Erin Hicks, a comics creator based in Vancouver, is also nominated for an Egghead Award for Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy.
In Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy, a hockey player named Alix is at risk of losing her opportunity to play on the Women’s U18 team when she loses her quick temper while confronting a rude teammate. Alix asks Ezra, a calm and poised boy from the drama club, to help her control her anger. Through this process, they get closer and learn more about each other — could their relationship be more than just a friendship?
The Doug Wright Award shortlist includes:
The Nipper Award is granted to the best emerging talent. The shortlist includes:
The Pigskin Peters Award recognizes the best small or micro-press book. The shortlist includes:
- Endsickness No. 2 by Sofia Alarcon
- The Lonesome Shepherd by James Collier
- Old Caves by Tyler Landry
- Power 9: Part One by John Little and David Little
- Index by Sven, Rachel Evangeline Chiong and Joyce Kim
The Egghead Award is for the best kids’ book. The shortlist includes:
Nominees and winners are chosen by a panel of three judges per category.
This year’s judges include Christian Giroux, Emily Gordon, Chris Houston, Vivi Partridge, JoAnn Purcell, Salgood Sam, Graham Sigurdson, Cory Silverberg, Myriam Steinberg, Irene Velentzas, Georgia Webber and Elaine Will.
Publisher Deni Loubert and cartoonist Maurice Vellekoop will be inducted into the Canadian Cartooning Hall of Fame, Giants of the North.
The Doug Wright Awards winners will be announced at an in-person and livestreamed gala event in Toronto on May 11, 2024.