The GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book is an annual award that honors comic books for excellence in the depiction of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, and queer) characters and themes. It is one of several categories of the annual GLAAD Media Awards, presented by GLAAD—an American non-governmental media monitoring organization—at ceremonies in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco between March and June.
The award was introduced in 1992 as a non-competitive category at the 3rd GLAAD Media Awards. The first honoree was the second volume of The Flash, an ongoing comic book series published by DC Comics and written by William Messner-Loebs. No award was given from 1993 through 1995, but one comic has been recognized every year since 1996. Outstanding Comic Book became a competitive category in 1997. While the award initially encompassed all types of comics—such as comic books, comic strips, and graphic novels—GLAAD split the category into two starting with the 33rd ceremony in 2022; Outstanding Comic Book and Outstanding Original Graphic Novel/Anthology.
For a comic to be eligible, it must be targeted at a general audience and be sold nationwide in comic retail stores. Furthermore, it must be published by one of the United States' four mainstream comic book publishers—Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, Image Comics, or Marvel Comics—or their subsidiaries. A title from another publisher is eligible at GLAAD's discretion if it manages to attain a degree of visibility and impact similar to that of one of the four mainstream publishers.
Comic books selected by GLAAD are evaluated based on four criteria: "Fair, Accurate, and Inclusive Representations" of the LGBT community, "Boldness and Originality" of the project, significant "Impact" on mainstream culture, and "Overall Quality" of the project. GLAAD monitors mainstream media to identify which comic books will be nominated, while also issuing a Call for Entries that encourages media outlets to submit titles for consideration. Comics created by and for an LGBT audience must be submitted in order to be considered for nomination, as GLAAD does not monitor such works for defamation. Winners are determined by a plurality vote by GLAAD staff and board, Shareholders Circle members, as well as volunteers and allies.
Since its inception, the award has been given to 27 comics. Green Lantern, Young Avengers, Strangers in Paradise, and Star Wars: Doctor Aphra are the only comics to have received the award twice, with only Green Lantern achieving consecutive wins; in 2002 and 2003. Judd Winick is the writer with the most wins, having been nominated four times and winning three; two for Green Lantern. Strangers in Paradise also has the distinction of being the most-nominated comic, having been nominated 7 times. With nine nominations and one win, James Tynion IV has been nominated more often than any other writer. With four nominations, The Authority is the comic that has been nominated the most often without a win; with six nominations, Brian K. Vaughan is the most-nominated writer without a win.
Since the mid-2000s the award has received some criticism for its emphasis on mainstream comics—including its exclusion of non-mainstream comics, webcomics, and manga—as well as failing to recognize comic book artists alongside writers in nominations, though artists were eventually honored alongside writers as of the 34th GLAAD Media Awards.
Winners and nominees + Table key Indicates the winner
1990s
+ Award year Comic Writer(s) Publisher 1992(3rd) DC Comics 1996(7th) Maggie Sawyer, Metropolis S.C.U. DC Comics 1997(8th) Death: The Time of Your Life Vertigo (DC Comics) Love and Rockets Hernandez brothers Fantagraphics Books Prime and Len Strazewski Marvel Comics DC Comics 1998(9th) For Better or For Worse Andrews McMeel Publishing and Brian Augustyn DC Comics Superboy and the Ravers 1999(10th) Supergirl DC Comics Vertigo (DC Comics) Starman DC Comics Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Marvel Comics Young Heroes in Love and Dev Madan DC Comics
2000s
+ Award year Comic Writer(s) Publisher 2000(11th) Strangers in Paradise Abstract Studios WildStorm (DC Comics) Vertigo (DC Comics) Supergirl DC Comics Top 10 America's Best Comics / WildStorm (DC Comics) 2001(12th) Pedro and Me Henry Holt and Company and Mark Millar WildStorm (DC Comics) Jenny Sparks: The Secret History of the Authority Promethea America's Best Comics / WildStorm (DC Comics) Top 10 2002(13th) Green Lantern DC Comics Buffy the Vampire Slayer Various Dark Horse Comics Strangers in Paradise Abstract Studios Top 10 America's Best Comics / WildStorm (DC Comics) User Vertigo (DC Comics) 2003(14th) Green Lantern DC Comics WildStorm (DC Comics) Murder Mysteries Dark Horse Comics Strangers in Paradise Abstract Studios X-Statix Marvel Comics 2004(15th) Catwoman DC Comics WildStorm (DC Comics) Gotham Central and Ed Brubaker DC Comics How Loathsome and Tristan Crane Comics Lit / NBM Publishing Strangers in Paradise Abstract Studios 2005(16th) Luba Fantagraphics Books Ex Machina WildStorm (DC Comics) Hard Time and Mary Skrenes DC Comics My Faith in Frankie Vertigo (DC Comics) Strangers in Paradise Abstract Studios 2006(17th) Young Avengers Marvel Comics Gotham Central and Ed Brubaker DC Comics Strangers in Paradise Abstract Studios Top 10: The Forty-Niners America's Best Comics / WildStorm (DC Comics) Y: The Last Man Vertigo (DC Comics) 2007(18th) Fun Home Houghton Mifflin 52 , Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid DC Comics American Virgin Vertigo (DC Comics) Manhunter DC Comics Y: The Last Man Vertigo (DC Comics) 2008(19th) Strangers in Paradise Abstract Studios American Virgin Vertigo (DC Comics) Dynamite Entertainment Midnighter , Brian K. Vaughan, Christos Gage, Justin Gray, Jimmy Palmiotti and Keith Giffen WildStorm (DC Comics) , Greg Rucka, and Tony Bedard DC Comics 2009(20th) Buffy the Vampire Slayer , Jeph Loeb and Joss Whedon Dark Horse Comics Vertigo (DC Comics) Final Crisis: Revelations DC Comics Secret Six Young Avengers Presents , Brian Reed, Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Paul Cornell, Kevin Grevioux and Matt Fraction Marvel Comics
2010s
+ Award year Comic Writer(s) Publisher 2010(21st) Detective Comics DC Comics Buffy the Vampire Slayer , Steven S. DeKnight, Drew Z. Greenberg, Jim Krueger, Doug Petrie, Joss Whedon Dark Horse Comics Madame Xanadu Vertigo (DC Comics) Secret Six DC Comics X-Factor Marvel Comics 2011(22nd) X-Factor Marvel Comics Avengers: The Children's Crusade Marvel Comics Buffy the Vampire Slayer , Brad Meltzer, Joss Whedon Dark Horse Comics Fogtown Vertigo (DC Comics) Veronica Archie Comics 2012(23rd) Batwoman and W. Haden Blackman DC Comics Avengers: The Children's Crusade Marvel Comics Secret Six DC Comics Veronica Present: Kevin Keller Archie Comics X-Factor Marvel Comics 2013(24th) Kevin Keller Archie Comics Astonishing X-Men Marvel Comics Batwoman and W. Haden Blackman DC Comics Buffy the Vampire Slayer , Scott Allie, Jane Espenson, Drew Z. Greenberg Dark Horse Comics Earth 2 DC Comics 2014(25th) Young Avengers Marvel Comics Batwoman and W. Haden Blackman DC Comics Fearless Defenders Marvel Comics Husbands: The Comic and Brad Bell Dark Horse Comics Life with Archie Archie Comics 2015(26th) Rat Queens Image Comics Hawkeye Marvel Comics Lumberjanes and Grace Ellis Boom! Studios Memetic Saga and Fiona Staples Image Comics 2016(27th) Lumberjanes and Grace Ellis Boom! Studios Angela: Queen of Hel Marvel Comics Harley Quinn and Jimmy Palmiotti DC Comics Midnighter Image Comics 2017(28th) Boom! Studios All-New X-Men Marvel Comics Black Panther DC Comics Bombshells DC Comics Kim & Kim Black Mask Studios Love Is Love IDW Publishing Lumberjanes and Grace Ellis Boom! Studios Midnighter / Midnighter and Apollo DC Comics Patsy Walker, A.K.A Hellcat! Marvel Comics Saga and Fiona Staples Image Comics 2018(29th) Black Panther: World of Wakanda , Ta-Nehisi Coates, Yona Harvey, Rembert Browne Marvel Comics America Marvel Comics Boom! Studios Batwoman and James Tynion IV DC Comics Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love Goldie Vance Boom! Studios Iceman Marvel Comics Lumberjanes and Grace Ellis Boom! Studios Quantum Teens Are Go Black Mask Studios Boom! Studios 2019(30th) Exit, Stage Left!: The Snagglepuss Chronicles DC Comics Batwoman and K. Perkins DC Comics Bingo Love Image Comics Fence Boom! Studios Iceman Marvel Comics Lumberjanes: The Infernal Compass Boom! Studios Oh S#!t It's Kim & Kim Black Mask Comics Runaways Marvel Comics Star Wars: Doctor Aphra and Simon Spurrier Strangers in Paradise XXV Abstract Studios
2020s