The 2021 Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards were presented during a live and virtual event on the evening of Saturday, October 23, 2021.
Mike Wieringo Spirit Award
Fan Favorites Winners
- Favorite Hero: Persephone from Lore Olympus (WEBTOON)
- Favorite Villain: Emma from My Deepest Secret (WEBTOON)
- Favorite New Series: Midnight Poppy Land
- Favorite New Talent: Lilydusk
- Favorite Publisher: Rocketship Entertainment
Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist)
- Derf Backderf
- Leeanne M. Krecic (Mongie)
- Stan Sakai – Winner
- Rachel Smythe
- Adrian Tomine
- Sophie Yanow
Best Writer
- Penelope Bagieu
- Anthony Del Col
- Jason Douglas
- N.K. Jemisin
- Marjorie Liu
- James Tynion IV – Winner
- Ram V
Best Artist or Penciller
- Josh Adams
- Jamal Campbell – Winner
- Elsa Charretier
- Hanza Art
- Sana Takeda
Best Inker
- Sanford Greene – Winner
- Brett Hobson
- Jjolee
- Gabriel Hernandez Walta
- Tonci Zonjic
Best Letterer
- Deron Bennett
- Aditya Bidikar – Winner
- DC Hopkins
- Micah Myers
- Chas! Pangburn
Best Colorist
- Toyin Ajetunmobi
- Laura Allred
- Tamra Bonvillain – Winner
- Aladdin Lee Grant Rutledge Collar
- Jacob Phillips
- Joe Todd-Stanton
- Christian Ward
Best Cover Artist
- Gian Carlo Bernal
- Stephanie Hans
- Maan House
- Steve Lieber
- Peach Momoko – Winner
- Kevin O’Neill
- Joe Todd-Stanton
Best Series
- The Department of Truth, Image Comics
- Far Sector, DC
- Lore Olympus, WEBTOON
- My Deepest Secret, WEBTOON
- Usagi Yojimbo, IDW Publishing – Winner
- Wonder Woman: Dead Earth, DC
Best Single Issue or Story
- All-America Comix #1, Image Comics
- Firefly: The Outlaw Ma Reynolds, BOOM! Studios
- Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx, Flying Eye Books (US) / Nobrow Press
- “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin” from Ice Cream Man Presents Quarantine Comix Special #1, Image Comics
- The O.Z., self-published – Winner
- Parallel, Source Point Press
Best Original Graphic Novel
- Buried But Not Dead, Source Point Press
- Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio, Abrams Books
- The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist, Drawn & Quarterly
- Moms, Drawn & Quarterly
- Pulp, Image Comics – Winner
Best Anthology
- Be Gay, Do Comics, IDW Publishing – Winner
- Hey, Amateur! Go From Novice to Nailing It in 9 Panels, IDW Publishing
- Maybe Someday: Stories of Promise, Visions of Hope, A Wave Blue World
- Pandemix: Quarantine Comix in the Age of ‘Rona, self-published
- Votes for Women: The Battle for the 19th Amendment, Little Red Bird Press
Best Humor Comic
- Akissi: Even More Tales of Mischief, Flying Eye Books (US) / Nobrow Press
- ArkhaManiacs, DC
- Billionaire Island, AHOY Comics
- Love and Capes: The Family Way, Maerkle Press/IDW Publishing
- Metalshark Bro 2: Assault on Hamzig Island, Scout Comics – Winner
- Moms, Drawn & Quarterly
- Wicked Things, BOOM! Studios
Best Webcomic
- DPS Only (tapas.io/series/dpsonly/)
- Fangs (tapas.io/series/fangscomic/) – Winner
- Heart of the City (gocomics.com/heartofthecity/)
- Midnight Poppy Land (webtoons.com/en/romance/midnight-poppy-land/list?title_no=1798)
- Shiloh (webtoons.com/en/thriller/shiloh/list?title_no=1649)
- Totally Under Control (insider.com/comic-how-united-states-lost-control-of-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-9)
Best Humor Webcomic
- The Abominable Charles Christopher (karlkerschl.com/abominable/)
- Bagel High (instagram.com/yoyorobot/)
- Beware of Toddler (bewareoftoddler.com)
- Cassandra Comics (tapas.io/series/CassandraComics/)
- Cursed Princess Club (webtoons.com/en/comedy/cursed-princess-club/list?title_no=1537)
- The Middle Age (steveconley.com/the-middle-age/)
- Sarah’s Scribbles (tapas.io/series/Doodle-Time/) – Winner
- xkcd (xkcd.com)
Best Non-fiction Comic Work
- Banned Book Club, Iron Circus Comics
- Chasin’ the Bird: Charlie Parker In California, Z2 Comics
- Come Home Indio, Street Noise Books
- Dancing After TEN, Fantagraphics Books
- Grateful Dead – Origins, Z2 Comics
- Kent State: Four Dead in Ohio, Abrams Books – Winner
- We’ll Soon Be Home Again, Dark Horse Comics
Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel
- Akissi: Even More Tales of Mischief, Flying Eye Books (US) / Nobrow Press
- Cat Kid Comic Club #1, Scholastic Graphix
- Jupiter Jet and the Forgotten Radio, Action Lab Entertainment
- Max Meow: Cat Crusader, Random House
- The Perhapanauts: First Blood, Black Caravan/Scout Comics
- Twins, Scholastic Graphix – Winner
Best Presentation in Design
- Crescent City Monsters, Dream Fury Comics
- Dave Cockrum’s X-Men Artifact Edition, IDW Publishing – Winner
- Electric Black, Black Caravan/Scout
- The Harrowing of Hell, Iron Circus Comics
- Heavy Metal #300, Heavy Metal
- Impossible Jones, Volume 1: Grin & Gritty, Panic Button Press
- Marcy and the Riddle of the Sphinx, Flying Eye Books (US) / Nobrow Press
Watch the 2021 Ringo Awards Ceremony recorded October 23, 2021
The 2021 Ringo Awards Professional Jury...

AMY DALLEN
Host and writer for geek media, both independently and on shows for Geek & Sundry (The Wednesday Club, Talkin’ Comics Weekly), DC Universe (former host of DC Daily), and Collider (Collider Heroes). She is known for her performances (Callisto 6, Shield of Tomorrow), tabletop and video game streaming, and for her commentary drawing on over a decade in comics retail as a staff member at House of Secrets in Burbank, CA.

DR. KATIE MONNIN
First author to discuss teaching with graphic novels in 21st century classrooms. Alongside the award-winning Teaching Graphic Novels (2010), she has also written eight more books about teaching graphic novels and pop culture in 21st century classrooms. In 2018, Dr. Monnin created and launched Why so serious? Productions, an educational organization. Dr. Monnin also wrote a monthly column for Diamond Bookshelf called “Katie’s Korner: Graphic Novel Reviews for Schools and Libraries” from 2010 – 2020. DC Comics also works with Dr. Monnin to create academic reading guides.

JOHN SIUNTRES
Host and producer of shows for CBS Radio, CBS-TV, ESPN, Fox Sports Network, and the former Sporting News Radio Network. Creator of the Word Balloon Podcast, a talk show podcast featuring one on one interviews with comic book creators, novelists, screenwriters, and actors. In 2011 USA TODAY’S POP CANDY Blogger Whitney Matheson rated Word Balloon the number 1 comic book podcast. John was also featured on The Science Channel as an on-camera expert on the 8-part TV series, Prophets Of Science Fiction.

STEENZ
St. Louis-based cartoonist, editor, and professor. Cartoonist on the syndicated comic strip Heart Of The City, the co-creator of Dwayne McDuffie Award-winning GN Archival Quality, and is featured in short story anthologies such as Eisner- and Ignatz Award-winning Elements: Fire, Mine!, and Dead Beats. Launched and edited the popular RPG periodical Rolled & Told. Currently teaches cartooning at Webster University while editing titles from Mad Cave Studios.

BRIAN STELFREEZE
A multi-talented artist, with experience penciling, inking, coloring, painting, and writing. A founding member of Gaijin Studios. A prolific and acclaimed cover artist. Brian’s creative output can be found on BOOM! Studios’ Day Men, Marvel Comics’ Black Panther, and DC Comics’ Shadow of the Bat. BOOM! Studios’ recently released The Signature Art of Brian Stelfreeze, a definitive look at his publishing career.
Steve Rotterdam kicks off 2021 Ringo Awards as Keynote Speaker
Steve Rotterdam, Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for AfterShock Comics, honored the Ringo Awards as the 2021 keynote presenter at the event.
Steve’s career in marketing and creative leadership spans just over 40 years, having worked independently and as part of teams on behalf of numerous entertainment, publishing, toy, and consumer packaged goods brands – everything from Universal Pictures and DC Comics to Hasbro Games and Nabisco Brands. Steve currently oversees the implementation of all direct market and book trade activities, as well as strategic management and consumer promotion at AfterShock.
Leveraging the publisher’s marketplace dominance in horror, science fiction, crime noir, fantasy, and historical fiction, Steve developed and continues to manage AfterShock’s “Read Dangerously” campaign, a rallying cry not just for the company, but for the industry as a whole. Prior to joining AfterShock, Steve led Bonfire Agency, a marketing and communications agency he founded that remains devoted to helping consumer brands establish and deepen connections to consumers of comic culture.
At DC Comics, under the leadership of Paul Levitz, he served as SVP of Sales & Marketing, and was responsible for the strategic planning, program development, and sales of all integrated advertising, custom publishing, promotion and sponsorship initiatives across all imprints, both print and digital.