The Gene Day Award for Self-Publishing honours Canadian comic book creators who self-published their work during the previous calendar year and is open to all Canadian citizens who self-publish and self-distribute their comics. The winner receives a Joe Shuster Award and a bursary of $500, to help fund your next comic project.

This award is open to comics self-published from January 1, 2011 to December 31st, 2011. The comics can be in any language. There is no limit on the number of titles submitted per person, if you created 3 comics in 2011 you may submit all 3 titles.

You must attest that that the books were self-published within the appropriate timeline by signing “self-published in 2011” and your signature. Be sure to write an email address your books, or some other way to reach you, so we can communicate with you in the event that your book is selected as a finalist.

Deadline to submit is March 1, 2012.

We ask that you submit 2 copies of your book, to allow copies to be distributed to the jury.

Submissions should be sent to:
Robert Haines
c/o The Dragon
The Old Quebec Street Mall
55 Wyndham Street North, Unit T19B
Guelph, Ontario, N1H 7T8

The Gene Day Award will be given out Saturday, September 15th, 2012, as part of the Montreal ComicCon.

More about the Gene Day Award.

This year the Gene Day Award is being sponsored by The Dragon, a retail comic book store based out of Guelph, ON and a strong supporter of self-published comics. The Dragon sponsors and operates the Kazoo Comics & Zine Expo, a small press fair in Guelph, and has been a finalist for the Will Eisner Spirit of Retailing Award for best comic shop in the world each of the past 2 years.

Summation:

• award is open to non-professional comic creators who self-publish and do not use distribution such as Diamond
• $500 prize plus a Joe Shuster Award winner statue
• submit 2 copies of each title you wish to submit
• work must be self-published from any time in 2011, January 1 to December 31st
• each copy must have “self-published in 2011” and your signature in the book (unless this is printed in the book)
• provide your email address in each copy of the book
• mail to The Dragon in Guelph, ON
• deadline to receive books is March 1, 2012
• works will be looked at by a jury
• Finalists announced along with all other award nominees
• winner announced at Montreal ComicCon

If you have any questions about submitting, please ask! robert@joeshusterawards.com.