I’m off to San Diego for Reuben awards weekend. I stopped long ago trying to guess who would win the Reuben and the division awards. But Tom Heintjes posts his predicts each year. I should look them up (and anyone else) and see who’s got the clearest crystal ball.
For the top prize, Tom says it’s going to Stephan Pastis.
NOMINEES FOR THE REUBEN AWARD: In the running for cartooning?s top award (contrary to common belief, only one Reuben Award is handed out each year; the others are divisional awards) are Wiley Miller, Stephan Pastis, Hilary Price and Mark Tatulli. (Yes, four nominees rather than the traditional three.) Pastis? Reuben nomination is his sixth. Notably, none of the nominees produce a traditional family-humor strip. SHOULD WIN: Pastis? strip represents everything the comics page needs more of to ensure its creative (and economic) viability: edgy subversion and a willingness to push the envelope of what is considered typical fare for the comics page. WILL WIN: Longtime readers of this newsletter know that we felt sure that Pastis would win cartooning?s top award last year. We were wrong then, but we think 2014 will be the Year of the Rat.
I’ll be posting the winners via Twitter as it happens on Saturday evening. Follow me at @dailycartoonist to get the winners in real-time.