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The Observer graphic short story competition

manger.jpg

The Observer, in conjunction with Jonathan Cape and Comica, recently held a competition looking for new comic talent in the form of a graphic short story contest, with the winner’s work to be printed in the paper. Above is an excerpt from the winning entry, Away in a Manger by Catherine Brighton. Other entrants to the contest have started putting their entries online. Drawanyway.com has linked to a fair number of them in a recent post, and John Cei Douglas has started a Flickr group where entrants can post their submissions now that the prize has been awarded.

  • Myf

    Thanks very much for the mention. Yes, debate is getting quite heated over on Darw Anyway.

  • Myf

    Thanks very much for the mention. Yes, debate is getting quite heated over on Darw Anyway.

  • http://jedalexander.blogspot.com/ Jed Alexander

    “Graphic storys”? Why can’t they just bite the bullet and call them “comics”? Also these are so aggressively sober serious, and though the waitress one is beautifully drawn, it’s a little silly. Now that comics are being taken so seriously, they seem to be getting more and more humorless.

  • http://jedalexander.blogspot.com Jed Alexander

    “Graphic storys”? Why can’t they just bite the bullet and call them “comics”? Also these are so aggressively sober serious, and though the waitress one is beautifully drawn, it’s a little silly. Now that comics are being taken so seriously, they seem to be getting more and more humorless.

  • http://jedalexander.blogspot.com/ Jed Alexander

    Also, why always the earth tones? again, too many bright colors and your literary street cred is apparently compromised. Chris Ware–though I love his work–has apparently send the tone for somber.

  • http://jedalexander.blogspot.com Jed Alexander

    Also, why always the earth tones? again, too many bright colors and your literary street cred is apparently compromised. Chris Ware–though I love his work–has apparently send the tone for somber.

  • http://jedalexander.blogspot.com/ Jed Alexander

    “set” the tone

  • http://jedalexander.blogspot.com Jed Alexander

    “set” the tone

  • http://www.lomoore.com/ leonieo

    Hi Jed, I know what you mean about using the term ‘comics’, it’s been disputed a bit. The judges made a point of mentioning that there was a difference between a graphic story and a comic, but this may have been to done to assist the need for specific judging criteria. It may have also been a way to encourage people outside the world of comics to enter. Either way, it’s a bit irritating!

  • http://www.lomoore.com leonieo

    Hi Jed, I know what you mean about using the term ‘comics’, it’s been disputed a bit. The judges made a point of mentioning that there was a difference between a graphic story and a comic, but this may have been to done to assist the need for specific judging criteria. It may have also been a way to encourage people outside the world of comics to enter. Either way, it’s a bit irritating!

  • http://jedalexander.blogspot.com/ Jed Alexander

    There is no difference whatsoever between what’s being called a “graphic story” and a comic. I would like to see them define some formal criteria that would make this so. And I mean form, and not content, because the form is absolutely indistinguishable from what some of us like to call comics. So I agree, it’s pretty irritating. It encourages the dismissal of a complete history of important work. If Krazy Kat is ‘comics”, and Jimmy Corrigan is a “graphic story” what do these terms mean and why are they significant? This new trend of literary cooption by dillitantes of the medium is incredibly annoying. If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck…

  • http://jedalexander.blogspot.com Jed Alexander

    There is no difference whatsoever between what’s being called a “graphic story” and a comic. I would like to see them define some formal criteria that would make this so. And I mean form, and not content, because the form is absolutely indistinguishable from what some of us like to call comics. So I agree, it’s pretty irritating. It encourages the dismissal of a complete history of important work. If Krazy Kat is ‘comics”, and Jimmy Corrigan is a “graphic story” what do these terms mean and why are they significant? This new trend of literary cooption by dillitantes of the medium is incredibly annoying. If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck…