The Art of the News: Comics Journalism,edited by Katherine Kelp-Stebbins and Ben Saunders (Oregon State University Press) Another former student alleged that during a review of a “Lolita” assignment, Woodruff once asked a female junior if she had ever had sex “because this is the most sexless Lolita I’ve ever seen.” Jonathan H. Gray: The way I am sitting at my desk casually side-eyeing all of this and unable to say anything lol

Wild to see my old college department chair who vocally and obviously despised comics, considered them "low art" and made comics student's lives complete hell for decades get Eisner nominated four times over for his first graphic novel. Oh, sorry, "graphic opera". As a openly gay man in my late sixties, I have been called “f—-t” more times than I would choose to remember, and seen too many die too young during the AIDs epidemic. In my work as an artist and educator in my over 40 year career, I have attempted to help break and blur some cultural barriers that are still deeply enmeshed within our present day society. Artists must be brave, particularly telling the stories that they need to tell. Francis challenges the torches and pitchforks, he is stronger than the misunderstandings, the bullying, and the hate. I am too! According to a source familiar with this year's Eisner Awards judging process, the 2022 graphic novel Francis Rothbart! The Tale of a Fastidious Feral by Thomas Woodruff was submitted for consideration by its publisher, Fantagraphics (as is customary with the Eisner process over the years). Released to the public in the final days of 2022, the book wasn't widely known - even to the the judges. Pogo The Complete Syndicated Comic Strips: Volume 8: Hijinks from the Horn of Plenty, by Walt Kelly, edited by Mark Evanier and Eric Reynolds (Fantagraphics)Zoe Thorogood received the most personal nominations, totaling five, with three for “Rain,” and two for her memoir “It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth.” Thomas Woodruff and Tom King tied in second place, with Woodruff earning four nominations for “Francis Rothbart!,” while King was nominated for “Batman: One Bad Day: The Riddler,”“Love Everlasting,” and “The Human Target.” In my work as an artist and educator in my over 40 year career, I have attempted to help break and blur some cultural barriers that are still deeply enmeshed within our present day society. Artists must be brave, particularly telling the stories that they need to tell. Francischallenges the torches and pitchforks, he is stronger than the misunderstandings, the bullying, and the hate. I am too! My sophomore year he told me I should just go ahead and drop out bc I’d never make it as an artist. Over a decade later, his words still contribute to my own ongoing severe impostor syndrome,” admitted Eisner award-winning artist Jen Bartel. Tom King, Batman: Killing Time, Batman: One Bad Day, Gotham City: Year One, The Human Target, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (DC); Love Everlasting (Image)

If I tried to say anything, it was my word against his. Me, who is a perceived failure to him because I’m not a practicing illustrator. Versus him, who makes “graphic operas” and is the kind of showboat that makes the school and department look “cool”. The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster! by Mo Willems (Union Square Kids) Best Publication for Kids (ages 9-12)The purpose of the judging was to sincerely put forward some of the best work submitted for consideration, and to have missed the problematic aspects of the book's narrative has been hugely disappointing," says our source familiar with the situation. (The book has been criticized for potentially racist depictions of characters, as well as scenes of child sexuality.) "The judges, I think, took the book as highly experimental and abstract, not accounting for the more concrete, racial elements to it." Fantagraphics has 13 nominations, led by Thomas Woodruff’s Francis Rothbart! The Tale of a Fastidious Feral,which received nods for Best Graphic Album–new, Best Painter/Multimedia Artist, Best Lettering, and Best Publication Design. In addition, Fantagraphics dominated the Archival Collection categories, with 3 in the Comic Strip category and two in the Comic Book category.