Introducing The Monsoon Awards

Be a part of the historic launch of this unique celebration of Asian comics!

bkk UNZINE is thrilled to announce that the fifth annual BKK Comics Art Festival, scheduled for this upcoming October, will host the The Monsoon Awards, the first pan-Asian prize dedicated to comics. 

Founded by artists Juliette Yu-Ming Lizeray and Boris Aravindabalan, The Monsoon Awards is an independent, artist-led initiative dedicated to honoring excellence in Asian comics and aims to increase visibility for comics creators in Asia and across the Asian diaspora.

The Awards will recognize excellence across seven categories:

• Best Graphic Novel in English

• Best Graphic Narrative in Thai

• Best Short Comic / Zine (under 30 pages)

• Best Webcomic / Serial / Strip

• Best Nonfiction Comic

• Best Experimental Comic

• Best Young Adult Comic

The BKK Comics Art Festival will feature the finalists from each category as part of its exhibition of outstanding comics art, and the awards will culminate in a live ceremony during the festival’s convention weekend.

According to awards co-founder Juliette Yu-Ming Lizeray, Asian comics have shaped global culture for decades. From manga to manhua to independent zines and webtoons, the region has produced some of the most innovative visual storytelling in the world, yet many creators struggle to find platforms for their work and The Monsoon Awards intends to increase visibility for them.

"Monsoons transform landscapes and influence people's ways of life," said Lizeray. "They bring energy, vitality and change. That's what we want this award to represent. The Monsoon Awards celebrates new and original voices shaping Asia's visual imagination.”

While this years’s inaugural edition of The Monsoon Awards will be set in Bangkok, Lizeray revealed plans for the awards to continue its celebration of comics across Asia. "Next year The Monsoon Awards will be in a different city in Asia and highlight another Asian language,” she added. “We want this award to travel, to grow, and to celebrate the rich cultural histories and diversity of Asia."

Creators from or based in an Asian country or of Asian heritage are encouraged to submit their comics for the historic first edition of The Monsson Awards. The submission deadline is 31 May 2026. 

Full eligibility criteria and submission guidelines are available at themonsoonawards.com.