2025 Outstanding Comics Award for Adults
The Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table (GNCRT) Outstanding Comics Award, established in 2024, is given to exceptional graphic novels that appeal to adults, teens, and children in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, and series. These awards aim to increase awareness of the graphic novel medium, raise voices of diverse comic creators, and aid library staff in the development of graphic novel collections.
Fiction 2025
Tongues.
Written by Anders Brekhus Nilsen. Art by Anders Brekhus Nilsen. 2025. Pantheon, $35 (9781524747206).
Drome.
Written by Jesse Lonergan. Art by Jesse Lonergan. 2025. 23rd St., $29.99 (9781259386939).
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.
Written by Anaïs Flogny. Art by Anaïs Flogny. Translated by Dan Christensen. 2025. Abrams ComicArts, $25.99 (9781419785696).
Fiction
Winner
Tongues. Written by Anders Brekhus Nilsen. Art by Anders Brekhus Nilsen. 2025. Pantheon, $35 (9781524747206).
In this multi-layered reinterpretation of the myth of Prometheus, a prisoner watches from above as the humans he so loves fight against a seemingly all-powerful being and his cult of warriors. Meanwhile a small girl follows a talking chicken in hopes of being the chosen one to save the world.
Honors
Drome. Written by Jesse Lonergan. Art by Jesse Lonergan. 2025. 23rd St., $29.99 (9781259386939).
At the birth of humanity, only violence prevailed. When the greater powers create an unbeatable demigoddess to teach peace and harmony, civilization truly begins. But in a world where chaos and order are constantly at battle, who will truly prevail in leading humanity?
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. Written by Anaïs Flogny. Art by Anaïs Flogny. Translated by Dan Christensen. 2025. Abrams ComicArts, $25.99 (9781419785696).
A young immigrant’s life is changed after meeting a kingpin in the Chicago criminal underworld.
Nonfiction 2025
Insectopolis.
Written by Peter Kuper. Art by Peter Kuper. 2025. W.W. Norton & Company, $35 (9781324035718).
Black Arms to Hold You Up.
Written by Ben Passmore. Art by Ben Passmore. 2025. Pantheon, $22 (9780593316122).
Nonfiction
Winner
Insectopolis. Written by Peter Kuper. Art by Peter Kuper. 2025. W.W. Norton & Company, $35 (9781324035718).
A swarm of different Insects enter the New York Public Library to learn about their history and the effects they have on the human world.
Honors
Black Arms to Hold You Up. Written by Ben Passmore. Art by Ben Passmore. 2025. Pantheon, $22 (9780593316122).
A conversational exploration of violence in Black liberation movements across the US.
Series 2025
The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night.
The Night Eaters: Her Little Reapers.
The Night Eaters: Their Kingdom Come.
Written by Marjorie Liu. Art by Sana Takeda. 2022-2025. Abrams ComicArts.
The Department of Truth volume 1: The End of the World.
The Department of Truth volume 2: The City Upon a Hill.
The Department of Truth volume 3: Free Country.
The Department of Truth volume 4: The Ministry of Lies.
The Department of Truth volume 5: What Your Country Can Do for You.
The Department of Truth volume 6: Twilight’s Last Gleaming.
Written by James Tynion IV. Art by Martin Simmonds, Elsa Charretier, Tyler Boss, John J. Pearson, David Romero, Alison Sampson, Jorge Fornes, and Letizia Cadonici. Colors by Matt Hollingsworth, Roman Titov, and Jordie Bellaire. Letters by Aditya Bidikar. Designed by Dylan Todd. Edited by Steve Foxe. 2021-2025. Image Comics, $16.99 (9781534330153).
Search & Destroy volume 1-3.
Written by Atsushi Kaneko. Based on work by Osamu Tezuka. Art by Atsushi Kaneko. Lettering by Phil Christie. Translation by Ben Applegate. 2024-2025. Fantagraphics.
Series
Winner
The Night Eaters: She Eats the Night. Written by Marjorie Liu. Art by Sana Takeda. 2022. Abrams ComicArts, $24.99 (9781419758706).
The Night Eaters: Her Little Reapers. Written by Marjorie Liu. Art by Sana Takeda. 2023. Abrams ComicArts, $29.99 (9781419758720).
The Night Eaters: Their Kingdom Come. Written by Marjorie Liu. Art by Sana Takeda. 2025. Abrams ComicArts, $34.99 (9781419758744).
When their mother forces them to clean up the creepy house next door, twins Billy and Milly discover an entire new world of haunts and mysteries that has shaped their entire lives.
Honors
The Department of Truth volume 1: The End of the World. Written by James Tynion IV. Art by Martin Simmonds. Letters by Aditya Bidikar. Designed by Dylan Todd. Edited by Steve Foxe. 2021. Image Comics, $9.99 (9781534318335).
The Department of Truth volume 2: The City Upon a Hill. Written by James Tynion IV. Art by Martin Simmonds. Letters by Aditya Bidikar. Designed by Dylan Todd. Edited by Steve Foxe. 2021. Image Comics, $16.99 (9781534319219).
The Department of Truth volume 3: Free Country. Written by James Tynion IV. Art by Elsa Charretier, Tyler Boss, John J. Pearson, David Romero, Alison Sampson, and Jorge Fornes. Cover art by Martin Simmonds. Colors by Matt Hollingsworth, Roman Titov, and Jordie Bellaire. Letters by Aditya Bidikar. Designed by Dylan Todd. Edited by Steve Foxe. 2022. Image Comics, $16.99 (9781534321199).
The Department of Truth volume 4: The Ministry of Lies. Written by James Tynion IV. Art by Martin Simmonds. Letters by Aditya Bidikar. Designed by Dylan Todd. Edited by Steve Foxe. 2022. Image Comics, $16.99 (9781534323414).
The Department of Truth volume 5: What Your Country Can Do for You. Written by James Tynion IV. Art by Martin Simmonds, Elsa Charretier, Tyler Boss, John J. Pearson, David Romero, Alison Sampson, and Jorge Fornes. Colors by Jordie Bellaire. Letters by Aditya Bidikar. Designed by Dylan Todd. Edited by Steve Foxe. 2025. Image Comics, $16.99 (9781534369498).
The Department of Truth volume 6: Twilight’s Last Gleaming. Written by James Tynion IV. Art by Martin Simmonds and Letizia Cadonici. Colors by Jordie Bellaire. Letters by Aditya Bidikar. Designed by Dylan Todd. Edited by Steve Foxe. 2025. Image Comics, $16.99 (9781534330153).
While exploring the mentality of flat earth conspiracy believers, Cole Turner gets recruited by a secretive government agency that battles an ideological war against supernatural ideas.
Search & Destroy volume 1. Written by Atsushi Kaneko. Based on work by Osamu Tezuka. Art by Atsushi Kaneko. Lettering by Phil Christie. Translation by Ben Applegate. 2024. Fantagraphics, $14.99 (9781683969327).
Search & Destroy volume 2. Written by Atsushi Kaneko. Based on work by Osamu Tezuka. Art by Atsushi Kaneko. Lettering by Phil Christie. Translation by Ben Applegate. 2025. Fantagraphics, $14.99 (9798875000522).
Search & Destroy volume 3. Written by Atsushi Kaneko. Based on work by Osamu Tezuka. Art by Atsushi Kaneko. Lettering by Phil Christie. Translation by Ben Applegate. 2025. Fantagraphics, $14.99 (9781683969662).
A feral cyborg tears through a robot underworld to reclaim the body parts that were stolen from her.
