The Cartoon Museum and publisher SelfMadeHero has announced that the 2025 First Graphic Novel Award will be open for submission between 9 January 2025 and 22 April 2025.
The 2025 First Graphic Novel Award is for all debut graphic novelists, 18 to 80 and beyond, who are resident in the UK, do not have an agent and have not had a full-length graphic work commercially published. They may be a single creator, or a team, or collaborating with someone who has a story to tell.
The winner will be offered a contract by SelfMadeHero to complete their book for publication and a £500 cash prize sponsored by The bks Agency.
The award is a partnership between the Cartoon Museum, the publisher SelfMadeHero, and First Graphic Novel Award director Corinne Pearlman. The First Graphic Novel Award is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
The panel of judges includes SelfMadeHero publisher Emma Hayley, contemporary artist Janette Parris, and graphic novelists Shazleen Khan, Karrie Fransman and Oscar Zarate.
In addition to the judges’ comments, longlisted entries will be reviewed by literary agent James Spackman at The bks Agency and by chief book buyer Nessa Urquhart at Waterstones.
Emma Hayley, publisher, SelfMadeHero, says: “It’s a joy to be a part of graphic novel publishing in the UK, and the most exciting aspect about it is helping fledgling creators fulfil their vision. The quality and number of submissions for last year’s award is testament to the burgeoning pool of new talent in the UK. I am delighted that SelfMadeHero will be involved again.”
Joe Sullivan, director, The Cartoon Museum, says: “We’re delighted to be partners once again in the First Graphic Novel Award. The Museum has always championed support for emerging comic creators.”
James Spackman at The bks Agency says: “The work submitted last year was just astonishing to me in its variety, ambition and imagination. I can’t wait to see what the ‘25 prize submissions bring.”
The First Graphic Novel 2023 winner was Alex Taylor (aka azbt), whose Bone Broth novel will be published by SelfMadeHero in 2025, the story of Ash, a young transmasculine queer person breaking into adult working life as he starts his first job in a ramen shop in London.
Joined by his colleagues on the wacky adventures they have along the way, he slowly learns the method by which the shop’s traditional bone broth is prepared. This knowledge seems increasingly relevant as one night after heavy drinking at the annual staff party, the team come to find their boss dead on the floor, and must find a creative way to deal with this bubbling situation before it boils over.
“The fun and colourful art style [of Bone Broth] belies the intricate plot lines of this coming-of-age queer thriller set in a ramen shop,” noted Emma Hayley. “Crafted with vigour and spirit, the creator takes us on a somewhat crazy yet wonderful journey that is tasty from beginning to end.”
azbt is a transmasculine genderqueer queer artist, currently based in London. Influenced by his international background, queer identities, and experiences with mental health, azbt works primarily through illustration, comics and zines to explore emotional landscapes, human relationships, and the deconstruction of gender. In 2023 azbt was awarded a micro bursary for trans/non-binary comic creators from Thought Bubble Comic Art Festival, and won the First Graphic Novel Award for his comic Bone Broth due for publication 2025. More of his work can be found at azbtart.com or @azbtart
• For details of entry visit this page on the First Graphic Novel Award web site
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “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: Comic Art, Comics, Creating Comics, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
In Memoriam: Cartoonist Peter Maddocks 
In Review: Thought Bubble 2024 
Get ready to celebrate National Illustration Day! 
Unsung Heroes of Illustration celebrated by artist Pete Beard
Leave a Reply