What are the Minicomic Awards?

The MCAs are a yearly virtual showcase that spotlights unique, challenging, and under-recognized short form comics. Judges picked by the committee gather to discuss and choose the most outstanding works in a variety of categories. This is streamed for the public on the Cartoonist Cooperative’s Youtube channel.

Who runs the awards?

A team of creators from the Cartoonist Cooperative volunteer to work on the MCA Committee. These creators are not competition judges and cannot submit their own comics to the awards.

Where does the money for the awards come from?

From readers like you! The awards are currently funded by donations gathered by the general public.

How do I submit to the awards?

This year we will be taking submissions via a brand new system! On January 1st, creators will be able to register for an account to upload their work under. These accounts will be wiped yearly. Come back when registration is open for a full guide!

Is there an application fee?

No! Application fees create a barrier for creators.

No staff, mods, or other members will ever you for funds or favors in exchange for an application. The only way to submit is through this website. The only people who review entries are the judges for that respective year, who will be listed on the Judges page. There are no other reviewers.

If someone has approached you asking for submission fees, dues, or has linked you an ‘alternative’ submissions form please let us know ASAP at minicomic@cartoonist.coop.

Are there any restrictions on who can apply?

Our only restriction applies to Judges and committee staff- otherwise, anyone from around the world is encouraged to apply.

Are comics made with AI accepted?

Absolutely not. Comics made with AI will be automatically rejected. Any comics revealed later on to have AI used in their creation will have their award rescinded. See the Cartoonist Co-op’s official stance on AI.

How are judges chosen?

Judges are chosen by the MCA committee based on their body of work, contributions to comics community, and standing amongst fellow creators.

How can I support the awards?

There are two ways to support the awards:

• Donate! The awards are always in need of funds to pay creators, provide an eventual Judge stipend, and to upgrade our infrastructure.
• Talk about it! Even if you just share the website with your friends in a Discord server or show up for the awards ceremony itself, participating in the celebration of short work is its own level of support.

Do you accept vertical scrolling comics?

Yes, with a limit of 150 panels.

Can I submit multiple minicomics in a series?

Yes, but they will not be considered as a series, each submission will be considered as a standalone piece.

Can I submit an excerpt of a longer comic?

Yes, but it will be considered a complete standalone piece.

What is the page count limit and what counts as a page?

Minicomic submissions should be 32 pages or less. Page count includes all interior pages, not back/front covers.

How do I submit to the awards?

1. Click on the SUBMIT link in the header if you are logged in, or the REGISTER/LOGIN links in the footer if not. The SUBMIT link will not work if you are not logged in.

2. If you are not Registered, do it now! The creator name is what your work will be credited under. This information can be edited later once registration is completed. If you are a current Cartoonist Cooperative member, this is a separate unrelated account.

3. Complete your registration by activating your account via the email link. If you do not receive one within 48 hours, please contact us at minicomic@cartoonist.coop for support.

4. Once logged in, navigate to the submit page. This is also the page where you can edit your account name, email, password, etc.

5. Scroll down to the Submit Your Comic section.

6. Select your submission category, then the comic you want to upload. It will begin uploading automatically!

Currently we only allow comics to be submitted under one category- if you have a comic that is both horror and general fiction, please pick either horror OR general fiction. You are allowed to submit as many comics as you’d like per category, though.

All comics need to be PDFs under 500mb. There is no maximum width or DPI otherwise, but web resolution is preferred as it will be quicker for judges to read. Do not upload individual comic pages as single page PDFs- they need to be collected into one PDF.

7. Once your comic has uploaded, refresh the page. Your uploads will display below as a row of thumbnails. If you need to replace a comic PDF, reupload with the same name and the staff will use the most recent file. Files will only be deleted before our yearly sweep by email request.

Have a question not answered here (yet)? Contact us at minicomic@cartoonist.coop!