On Tuesday Feb 4th 2025, Waterstones Brighton will be hosting a launch event for this year’s First Graphic Novel Award. The First Graphic Novel Award runs biannually, to find up and coming graphic novelists who need help to get their first book length project off the ground.

The competition was founded by Brighton based cartoonist and graphic novel editor Corinne Pearlman, and run in conjuction with graphic novel publisher SelfMadeHero.

2023 First Graphic Novel Award judge Alex Fitch will be chairing a panel discussion with two 2023 entrants to the competition – shortlisted creator Myfanwy Tristram and longlisted artist Kelly Vassie – alongside local graphic novelist Ian Williams to discuss how the competition has helped various comic creators over the years to break into the industry.

Books that have been published due to either winning the Award, or being short/longlisted in recent years include:

Hannah Eaton’s Naming Monsters, Zara Slattery’ s Coma, Sabba Khan’s The Roles We Play, Denise Dorrance’s Polar Vortex, Jenny Robins’ Biscuits, Jade Sarson’s For the Love of God Marie!, Veronika Muchitsch’s Cyberman, Gareth Brookes’ The Black Project, and Blanche and Clarrie Pope’s Welcome Home.

Waterstones Brighton, 71-74 North St, BN1 1ZA

7pm-8.30pm with book signing afterwards

£3 entry fee – includes a glass of wine, beer or soft drink