The 2025 Ringo Awards have officially wrapped, and this year’s winners paint a vibrant picture of a comics industry that’s as daring and diverse as ever. From breakout hits like The Pedestrian sweeping both fan and jury categories to indie standouts and digital-first heroes claiming top honors, this year’s ceremony spotlighted creators and publishers who are redefining what modern comics can be.
Hosted during Baltimore Comic-Con, the Ringos once again celebrated the full spectrum of the medium—superhero icons, self-published innovators, and everything in between. Veteran talents like Kelly Thompson, Chris Samnee, and Jordie Bellaire took home well-deserved accolades, while fresh voices such as Annie Wright and webcomic sensations like Señorita Cometa proved that the future of comics is as bright (and bold) as its legacy.
Here’s a look at the full list of winners—and why this year’s selections capture such an exciting, evolving moment for the comics community.
Fan Favorites
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Favorite Villain: Mr. Barnaby – Warm Fusion (DSTLRY)
A deliciously twisted win — this character clearly resonated as a villain fans loved to hate. -
Favorite New Series: The Pedestrian (Magma Comix)
A powerful signal that a rising series is making waves among readers and industry alike. AIPT has certainly covered it and loved it! -
Favorite New Talent: Annie Wright
Recognition for fresh voices is always encouraging. She’s one to watch.
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Favorite Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Winning publisher honors shows their growing reputation and connection with fans.
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Favorite Hero: Alex – Señorita Cometa (WEBTOON)
A win for accessibility, diversity, and the hero stories resonating online.
Jury & Fan-Selected Winners
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Best Series: The Pedestrian (Magma Comix)
Earning both fan-favorite and jury recognition — that kind of double endorsement speaks volumes. -
Best Cover Artist: Bilquis Evely
Her cover work stood out enough to win the top design honor. No surprise there.
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Best Letterer: Richard Starkings
Lettering often goes unsung — this win reminds us how important that craft is, and Starkings has been doing it for decades!
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Best Humor Webcomic: Nothing Butt Nightwing (DC Go!/DC Comics)
A humorous take on comic tropes that caught enough attention to merit the prize. Glad to see DC leaning into Nightwing’s asset. -
Best Original Graphic Novel: Jane American (self-published)
Self-publishing success — always great to see indie creators break through. -
Best Artist or Penciller/Inker Team: Chris Samnee
A veteran creator whose artistry has long been admired — now formally recognized. They’ve been crushing it at DC Comics for the last year, undoubtedly a big reason for the win.
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Best Writer: Kelly Thompson
Her winning underscores strong storytelling in mainstream and independent comics. The past few years have been rich with awards for Kelly!
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Best Presentation in Design: Batman Year One Artist’s Edition (IDW / Designer: Chip Kidd)
This award shows the value of how comics are packaged and preserved as art objects. As an owner of this insanely large edition, it feels extra special and historic in its presentation. -
Best Anthology: Transphoria (Lifeline Comics)
Highlighting the power of collected voices and short-form work to make an impact. -
Best Kids Comic or Graphic Novel: Hilda and Twig Hide from the Rain (Flying Eye Books)
Important to see children’s comics honored — audiences of all ages matter. -
Best Non-fiction Comic Work: In the Shadows of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones (Oni Press)
A reminder that comics can illuminate history, biography and real world stories. -
Best Cartoonist (Writer/Artist): Eric Powell
Recognizing full-creator work — craft, vision and execution all rolled into one. As a longtime fan of Goon, this is well earned.
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Best Webcomic: Renaissance of Raven (DC Go!/DC Comics)
Web-first storytelling is being taken seriously in the awards arena. -
Best Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
Outstanding color work can define mood, tone and texture in comics. Having won the Eisner at SDCC this year, this is no surprise to me!
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Best Humor Comic: Smut #1 (self-published)
Again, an indie success that shows the creative freedom and risk-taking rewarded here. -
Best Single Issue or Story: Batman and Robin Year One #1 (DC Comics)
A high-profile win, indicative of both mainstream appeal and craft excellence. Oh, what do you know, drawn by Chris Samnee!
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Mike Wieringo Spirit Award: Welcome to the Maynard (Dark Horse Comics)
An award that captures the spirit of innovation, passion and community. -
Hero Initiative Awards:
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Dick Giordano Humanitarian of the Year: Stan Sakai
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Hero Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award: Kevin Nowlan
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Brogan Fidelity Award: Mike McKone
These honors highlight service, legacy and ongoing contribution beyond just creative work.
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Notable Commentary
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The sweeping success of The Pedestrian (winning both Favorite New Series and Best Series) suggests that Magma Comix is producing a breakout property — one that’s capturing both fan love and industry respect.
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Kelly Thompson’s Best Writer win underscores a moment where strong character-driven work is being celebrated in an era of major publisher dominance.
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Chris Samnee and Bilquis Evely’s wins in the art/cover categories reaffirm that visual creators remain central to a comic’s identity — and that whether you’re working on interior pages or a single stunning cover, excellence is being noticed.
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The presence of so many self-published winners (Jane American, Smut #1) signals that independent creators are making major headway in the awards ecosystem.
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Webcomic and digital-first wins (Señorita Cometa, Renaissance of Raven) show the Ringo Awards continuing to embrace the full spectrum of comics: print, digital, indie, mainstream.
In short: the 2025 Ringo Awards reflect a comics landscape that values innovation, independent voices, and strong craft — while still celebrating the big names and beloved characters. Congratulations to all the winners!
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