CBR is once again searching for a cartoonist and the NYCC will fly him or her to New York. When is someone going to make a reality show out of this?

Comic Book Resources (http://www.comicbookresources.com), the leading comic book news and resource Web site, is proud to announce the return of its wildly popular art contest, COMIC BOOK IDOL, hosted by comics writer J. Torres (“Wonder Girl,” “Alison Dare”).

COMIC BOOK IDOL seeks to find the next great artistic talent in comics. After a one-month submissions process, ten finalists will be selected to compete in a five-week contest. Each week, the contestants are given an assignment, which will be critiqued by some of comics’ top creative talents. Additionally, the submissions are judged by the public, who vote to determine which contestants will move on to the next round. Once the votes are in, two contestants will be voted off COMIC BOOK IDOL, and the process begins again until after five weeks, when there will be just two finalists remaining.

In the two previous COMIC BOOK IDOL contests, contestants and winners have gone on to work for major publishers including Marvel Comics, Image Comics, Top Cow Productions, Aspen Comics, Oni Press and others.

“This has been a long time coming and I can’t wait for the launch of COMIC BOOK IDOL 3,” said CBR Executive Producer Jonah Weiland. “The previous contests have seen a wide array of talent, with many of them finding paying, steady work within the industry. Comics isn’t an easy industry to break into, but with COMIC BOOK IDOL, we’re able to bring ten new artistic talents to the attention of major comics publishers, and what can be better than that?”

New York Comic Con is the main sponsor of COMIC BOOK IDOL 3 and will provide the winner with an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City for the 2008 show to meet and network with editors from major publishers. Greg Topalian, Event Director for NYCC, notes, “This is a terrific opportunity to encourage talent and a trip to New York City is a perfect way for the winner to make contacts in the industry.”

Further details on the contest will be made available in the coming weeks, including additional prizes and whom our celebrity panel of judges will include.

Submissions for COMIC BOOK IDOL 3 begin on September 4, with Round One of the contest beginning October 3.

COMIC BOOK IDOL 3 is a presentation of Comic Book Resources and is sponsored by the New York Comic Con.