The 17th annual Doug Wright Awards, honoring the past year’s best books by Canadian cartoonists, was held during an online ceremony last night. Best Book was awarded to Sophie Bédard for “Lonely Boys.” Published by Pow Wow Press last November, the Québécois comedy-drama tells the story of three young women who used to be roommates, and are struggling to reconcile their relationship as they move on with their lives.
The Nipper, or prize for Best Emerging Talent, was awarded to Veronica Post for “Langosh & Peppi: Fugitive Days” (published by Conundrum Press). The book explores the 2015 European refugee crisis through the eyes of Langosh, a homeless Canadian man living in Budapest, Hungary, and his faithful dog Peppi. Post is a furniture maker and teacher from Halifax, Nova Scotia, and “Langosh & Peppi” was informed by her travels to Europe when the crisis was at its peak.
The Pigskin Peters award for Best Small or Micro-Press Book went to Scott Carruthers for his debut graphic novel “The Noiseless Din” (Popnoir Editions), an experimental book emphasizing a fragmentary approach to storytelling. The Egghead award for Best Kids’ Book went to Mandi Kujawa, Hana Kujawa, Claude St. Aubin, and Lovern Kindzierski for “A Slug Story” (Renegade Arts Entertainment), which tells the story of Marcus, a lonely boy recovering from a brain injury, and who bonds with a fellow patient over their mutual love of insects while staying at the hospital.
This year’s inductee into Giants of the North: The Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame was Fred Kelly (1921 – 2005), a writer/artist who contributed to the “Canadian Whites” era of superhero titles during the Second World War, when trade restrictions prevented American comics from crossing the border. The award was accepted over video by his widow, Rita Kelly. The DWA also paid tribute to Bill Wright (1953 – 2020), the son of Doug Wright and Phyllis Wright Thomas, who passed away in December. Known in the family as “the real Nipper,” Bill was the inspiration for many of his father’s comics.
Congratulations to all the winners, and be sure to watch their acceptance speeches during the ceremony at the link below:
