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Frank Quitely announced as winner of the Sergio Aragonés International Award for Excellence in Comic Art

By John Freeman on 2 October 2026 • ( 0 )

The National Cartoonists Society and Lakes International Comic Art Festival have announced Frank Quitely as the winner of the Sergio Aragonés International Award for Excellence in Comic Art.

Frank was presented with the award during the Opening Night event of the Festival’s weekend-long Festival in Kendal.

Frank Quitely was first published in the underground comic scene in Glasgow in the early 1990s. This led to work with the Judge Dredd Megazine, Vertigo, DC, Marvel, and Image. Best known for All Star Superman, New-X-Men, We3, and Jupiter’s Legacy.

He’s currently working with Grant Morrison on a new creator-owned project.

The Sergio Aragonés International Award for Excellence in Comic Art, named after the world-famous cartoonist, best known for his work on MAD and as co-creator of Groo, was established in 2017 by The National Cartoonists Society, the world’s largest and most prestigious organisation of professional cartoonists, in partnership with the Lakes International Comic Art Festival, and is presented annually to an exceptional comic artist, animator, or cartoonist.

Previous winners of the Award are Dave McKean (2017), Hunt Emerson (2018), Charlie Adlard (2019), Boulet (2021), Posy Simmonds (2022), VIZ comic, edited by Graham Drury and Simon Thorp (2023), Juanjo Guarnido (2024), and Lorenzo Mattotti (2025).

The Lakes International Comic Art Festival is taking place this weekend in multiple venues across Kendal this weekend (Friday 2nd – Sunday 4th October 2026), with a huge range of comic creators in attendance from around the world, offering creator events, live draws, a free Comics Market, exhibitions and fun for children, too!

This year’s annual event will centre on activities the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal, with elements taking place in other venues around the popular market town, including Kendal Town Hall, Cross Lane Projects Gallery, and businesses across the Town.

The annual Festival is just part of a dynamic, year-round programme of international comic art activity organised by LICAF.

• The Lakes International Comic Art Festival is online at: comicartfestival.com | BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

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John Freeman

John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.

He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.