Are you an aspiring cartoonist or graphic novelist? Do you have an idea for a story that’s simply burning to be told? If so, gather up your drawing materials as entries are now open for the Rachel Cooke Graphic Short Story Prize, run by The Observer newspaper since 2007, in association with the book publisher Faber.
The winner will take home £1000 and their work will appear in The Observer New Review in print and online (the runner-up receives £250, and their story will also be published online).
Added to that, there’s the thrill of knowing your work has been read and admired by two terrific guest judges: writer, poet, naturalist and historian of science, Helen McDonald, author of the wonderful H Is for Hawk, which was adapted into a film earlier this year; and Chris Riddell, award-winning author, illustrator and political cartoonist for The Observer.
For this 20th Anniversary challenge, British Journalism Award winner Killian Fox will join them on the judging panel, alongside Angus Cargill, publishing director at Faber, Paul Gravett, the director of Comica festival; and Tom Oldham from Gosh London.
The Rachel Cooke Graphic Short Story Prize competition is open to anyone aged sixteen and over who is a resident of the UK or the Republic of Ireland, except for employees of Faber & Faber, the Observer, Comica, their families and any other company connected with the competition.
Winners in recent years include Kirsten Campbell last year, for “Eulogy for a Centipede” the overall winner of a challenge that solicited over one hundred entries; Lesley Imgart (2024), for “Witch Way”; and Anna Readman (2024), for “Dancing Queen”.
“Last year, we renamed the prize in honour of the late great Observer writer Rachel Cooke,” Killian notes, “whose keen eye turned up some truly extraordinary talents since she began judging it in 2007.”
To enter, you must create a four-page comic designed to run over a double-page spread in The Observer New Review – a story that has a beginning, a middle and an end, and that is told through striking, original illustrations.
The closing date is 30th November 2026 and the winner will be announced in March 2027, with a special event to mark the 20th anniversary of the prize.
AI submissions are banned. “AI – We believe in the power of human creation. The use of artificial technology (“AI”) in the creation of an entry is prohibited,” the rules clearly note. “In the event that it is determined that AI has been used to create a submission, that submission shall immediately be removed from consideration.”
Founded in 1929, Faber publish some of the most innovative graphic novelists working today, including Emily Carroll, Adrian Tomine, Luke Healy, Chabouté, and Young Comics Laureate Mollie Raye, aka Raye. Releases include the recently-published Dogs on Dates by Luke Healy and the forthcoming Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman, illustrated by Sarah Maxwell-McNicol.
The British Sunday newspaper The Observer is owned by Tortoise Media, which bought the publication from The Guardian last year, and it’s great to see they are continuing this annual comic challenge, which they partnered on for the first time last year.
The ‘slow journalism’ start-up, co-founded by former BBC executive James Harding and former US Ambassador Matthew Barzun, officially took over the title from the Guardian Media Group in April 2025.
• For more details on the Rachel Cooke Prize, how to enter and the Entry Form, visit faber.co.uk
• Check out graphic novels published by Faber
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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.
Categories: British Comics, Comics, Comics Competitions, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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