Introducing the 2019 Ringo Awards Jury

An esteemed jury of comics professionals will participate in the nomination process, selecting favorite works in over 20 categories. The 2019 jury was chosen as a representative cross-section of the comic book industry, with members representing seasoned and venerated educators, retailers, press, and creators across numerous genres.

Dr. Christina Blanch cannot imagine a world without comic books. She owns and manages Aw Yeah Comics in beautiful downtown Muncie, Indiana where she also teaches using comic books as educational tools. Additionally, she writes comic books, most recently Tales from the Crypt and The Damnation of Charlie Wormwood. She attends comic conventions as a writer, educator, and panel moderator. When she isn’t working, she stays in her cozy home trying to write with constant interruptions from her two dogs, Luna and Poe.

Bob Schreck is an award-winning editor who has worked in comics since 1975. His publishing career began at Comico in 1985. By 1991, he joined Dark Horse and was the editor of creator-owned titles and the Legend line, where he shepherded Frank Miller’s Sin City and Dark Horse Presents, among many others. In 1997, along with Joe Nozemack, he launched Oni Press, best known for Kevin Smith’s Clerks comics. In 1999, Schreck joined DC Comics, becoming Group Editor of the Batman franchise. He shepherded projects including, DK2, Batman: Hush, Sweet Tooth, Batman: Year 100, Daytripper, and Green Arrow. After working briefly at IDW, he landed at Legendary Films as Senior VP-Editor-in-Chief. He has served as the editor for such talents as Neil Gaiman, Harlan Ellison, Bernie Wrightson, Fiona Staples, Frank Miller, Jeff Lemire, Guillermo del Toro, Lynn Varley, Paul Pope, Len Wein, Amy Reeder, Dave Gibbons, Scott Morse, Grant Morrison, and many others. Currently, Schreck is semi-retired, doing freelance editing and consulting and living in Oregon with his husband, Randy, and their dog, Bandit.

Tom Spurgeon is a longtime comics industry journalist and the current Executive Director at the Cartoon Crossroads Columbus (CXC) festival. He was editor at The Comics Journal from 1994-1999 and has performed a similar function producing the commentary, criticism, and news web site The Comics Reporter from 2004 to present. He has won or shared in eight Eisner Awards for his editorial work and writing. Spurgeon has co-authored three books about comics: Stan Lee And The Rise And Fall Of The American Comic Book (Chicago Review Press, 2003), The Romita Legacy (Dynamite, 2010), and We Told You So: Comics As Art (Fantagraphics Books, 2016). He co-wrote the syndicated newspaper strip Wildwood for King Features from 1999-2002. Spurgeon has been Executive Director at CXC since 2015.

* Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)
* Best Writer
* Best Artist or Penciller
* Best Inker
* Best Letterer
* Best Colorist
* Best Cover Artist
* Best Series
* Best Single Issue or Story
* Best Original Graphic Novel
* Best Anthology
* Best Humor Comic
* Best Comic Strip or Panel
* Best Webcomic
* Best Non-fiction Comic Work
* Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel

* Best Presentation in Design

* Favorite Hero
* Favorite Villain
* Favorite New Series
* Favorite New Talent

* Favorite Publisher

* The Mike Wieringo Spirit Award

“We continue to be thrilled with the quality of the Ringo Awards jury,” said Marc Nathan, Baltimore Comic-Con promoter. “We have great representation from multiple aspects of the industry, bringing talent, knowledge, experience, professionalism, and diversity. We are looking forward to another great ballot come August!”