Ginco Award 2019
The 2019 Award-Winners
The winners of the 2019 GINCO-Awards have been announced and those present have been awarded live on stage at the COMIC CON Germany, Stuttgart, on the 29th of June 2019.
The award committee, comprised of Michel Decomain, Anne Delseit, Haiko Hörnig, Martina Schradi and Marie Schröer has honored the following works:
"How much autobiographical content actually is at the core of Maximilian Hillerzer's comic "Maertens, we cannot say. But the mix of crime thriller, surrealism and Quarterlife Crisis has really got to us. However, the case that the titular detective has to solve reluctantly is just an accessory. "Maerten's" strength lies more in the playful alternation between a perfectly captured milieu study and absurd humor. It's a comic that you might enjoy best with a good veggie kebab and it's a well deserved winner in the category "Best Long Comic"." – Haiko Hörnig, translated from German by Lara Keilbart
"Short stories are an art in themselves and among this year's submissions there were so many different short comics that we were really spoilt for choice between all the content and styles (thanks for the incredible variety!), in the end we decided on a title that dealt with a difficult but important subject with just the right humor, with just the right amount of horror and ultimately also comforting, giving a voice both to young and old people." – Anne Delseit, translated from German by Lara Keilbart
"When you look at Green & Gold, it's hard to believe it's a comic book debut: The drawings are so professional, the colours so clear and bright, faces and body language so expressive. Of course Lisa Brenner is an experienced children's book illustrator. But to be able to translate this graphic craft into a gripping youth drama full of lively characters and (so far) gently hinted at LGBTQ themes from the first page on is already impressive. "Green & Gold" is Slice of Life in the best sense of the word. Actually nothing excessively dramatic happens at this boarding school with godfather system, and yet you are immersed in the story from the very beginning and want to know what to do with the charming characters. Let's hope, then, that the two volumes that have been published so far will be followed up quickly!" – Michel Decomain, translated from German by Lara Keilbart
"Numerous submissions, many of them coming from the context of art schools, demonstrated that the medium of comics is an ideal playground for formal and content-related experiments. It is always exciting to see how seemingly arbitrarily chosen objects can become the motor of associative narratives. Our favourite was shown in 2019 as part of the exhibition "my favourite toy" at the Hamburg Comic Festival: The Zine shows the experiences of a doll forgotten in the woods, or rather what can happen to her. All done without words but with detailed black-and-white drawings. Original, disturbing, fascinating." – Marie Schröer, translated from German by Lara Keilbart
Spotlights
In addition to the winners of the main categories, other entries have impressed the committee for different reasons. The GINCO Spotlights shed their light on a work's specific aspects.
The Spotlights have been awarded with €100 each.
The 2019 spotlights shine on (titles sorted A–Z):
- Crossplay by Niki Smith, Iron Circus Comics
"Cosplay has always been an opportunity to try things beyond heteronormative, binary gender cementations. In this setting Niki Smith draws a world of queer eroticism, fantastically free from social boundaries and prejudices. In Crossplay she tells of a group of young people who couldn't be more diverse in identity and self-expression - and they have really hot sex!
Apart from the fact that she delivers excellent artwork with her unmistakable, beautiful style, held in juicy pink / black, with exciting picture composition and storytelling, - Niki Smith has been drawing queer eroticism for over 10 years and finally deserves the appropriate attention in her adopted country. Therefore we set a spotlight onto: Niki Smith with Crossplay. "– Martina Schradi, translated from German by Lisa Rau
- Java Bonds by Nana Yaa Kyere, Webcomic, Self-Publishing
"Many of this year's submissions dealt with mental disorders in a variety of ways. A work particularly impressed us with its accessible directness. 'JAVA BONDS' by Nana Yaa Kyere is a queer slice-of-life story whose protagonist struggles with a cocktail of high sensitivity, anxiety disorder and depression. These sabotage his social behavior and give his thoughts a negative twist, which manifests itself in sometimes insane talks to himself. Anyone who knows Nana knows that a lot of personal things have gone into this story. Visually imaginative, not always subtle, but always credible, emotionally rousing and also peppered with plenty of absurd dialog jokes, 'JAVA BONDS' is a likeable manga work that will definitely not leave anyone cold." – Michel Decomain, translated from German by Lisa Rau
- Massu Schmiedstochter by Ines Korth, Webcomic Self-Publishing, Print version Schwarzer Turm Verlag
"The country needs more and new heroes! And among this year's submissions, a small, brave and brave heroine has been particularly remembered. A heroine who carries a sword but doesn't need it to save her world and who asks the right questions to adults. We direct a GINCO spotlight onto: 'Massu, Schmiedstochter' by Ines Korth." – Anne Delseit, translated from German by Lisa Rau
- Maus und Krokodil by Sebastian Gneiting, Edition Dostal
"A mouse, tattooed, belly-free and in a casual pose, next to it a crocodile, with neat chest hair and a coquettish smile - the cover indicates that we are not dealing with an ordinary couple. As a result, stereotypical role models are challenged as well as stereotypical ideas of what a comic should look like. And if the unconventional imagery already convinces on the screen - how good does it have to look in the original A3 format ?! We throw a Ginco spotlight onto: 'Mouse & Krokodil' by Sebastian Gneiting." – Marie Schröer, translated from German by Lisa Rau
- Zinnober by Ralf Singh, Thorsten Brochhaus, Cristian Docolomansky, Ilaria Fella, Taylor Esposito and Marc Schmitz
"Genre comics from the pen of German creators do not always have it easy. Neither with supercritical readers, perplexed publishing houses or newspaper editors being in love with graphic novels and who, in case of doubt, prefer to report on the umpteenth infusion of a Franco-Belgian classic.
And yet we believe that there is a rosy future for German genre comics. Or rather, vermilion-red!
With the dragon action spectacle 'Zinnober' (German for 'vermillion'), illustrator Ralf Singh, co-author Thorsten Brochhaus and their team have shown how you can set up an international comic project. With success!
For their contribution to the further professionalization of the German genre comics, we throw a ginco spotlight on 'Zinnober' by Ralf Singh, Thorsten Brochhaus, Cristian Docolomansky, Ilaria Fella, Taylor Esposito and Marc Schmitz." – Haiko Hörnig, translated from German by Lisa Rau
