Every year Isotope, the legendary SF comics shop, presents the Isotope Award for Excellence in Mini-Comics. This year will mark the fifth presentation of the award, and the judges and rules have been announced:

San Francisco comics retailer James Sime, proprietor of Isotope – the comic book lounge, announced today that submissions for the fifth-annual Isotope Award for Excellence in Mini-Comics will be accepted until March 15th at midnight. “In 2007 one mini-comic creator’s career will be forever changed,” said Sime, “So fire up your xerox machines and get ready to submit your minis for the fifth annual Isotope Award!”

The five comic professionals who will serve as judges for the Isotope Award this year include:

Danica Novgorodoff – 2006 winner of the Isotope Award for her mini-comic A LATE FREEZE. Danica is a comics author, artist and also a designer for First Second Books.

Johanna Draper Carlson – Publishers Weekly writer, and the brilliant mind behind Comics Worth Reading. Johanna’s open-minded reviews and enthusiastic reporting set the bar for commentary throughout the industry.

Jason McNamara – Xeric award winning author of all-ages graphic novel FIRST MOON, PopImage columnist, & returning Isotope Award judge.

Kirsten Baldock – The Isotope’s Special Projects Director is also a librarian, bartender, and the author of the SMOKE AND GUNS graphic novel.

James Sime – Proprietor of Isotope – the comic book lounge in San Francisco.


The award, a beautiful trophy sculpted by designer Crowe, made entirely from carved ebony fossil stone and satin silver, has also launched the professional comic careers of Rob Osborne (1000 STEPS TO WORLD DOMINATION), Josh Cotter (SKYSCRAPERS OF THE MIDWEST), Daniel Merlin Goodbrey (THE LAST SANE COWBOY), and now Danica Novgorodoff (A LATE FREEZE). “The attention this award has brought to our winners always brings us such joy,” said Baldock, “Osborne, Cotter, and Goodbrey’s minis have all been picked up by great indy publishers, and Danica Novgrodoff’s A LATE FREEZE is now available through Diamond Comics Distributor. What could be better than that?”

Entry to this competition is five copies of your mini-comic sent to Isotope’s address (326 Fell St. San Francisco, CA 94102) before the March 15th deadline. The award will be given out at a grand ceremony during APE AFTERMATH at the Isotope in conjunction with San Francisco’s ALTERNATIVE PRESS EXPO. San Francisco’s APE convention has been a forum for small and independent publishers in the industry for many years. Because of the nature of this award, the winner will be contacted in advance and must be present at the Isotope at 9 PM on Saturday, April 21st for the award presentation ceremony.

“Get your submissions in and give yourself a chance to grab the gold and the glory that we all know you deserve!” Sime said with a smile, “And don’t forget to order a copy of Danica’s book on page 281 of the January Previews!”

For more information contact the Isotope at (415) 621 – 6543 or at [email protected]