First Place
Vincent Medellin
The Campus Ledger, Johnson County CC, Overland Park, Kan.

Judge's comments: Elaborate storyline, engaging (and complex) art, good pacing. The characters are clearly defined through their dialogue, and the back and forth helps engage the reader. The art is beautiful, and the world is familiar but different enough to draw the eye in.

Second Place
Jimmy Litz
The Current, Carthage College, Kenosha, Wis.

Judge's comments: This strip is so unusual - the art isn’t traditionally accessible, the jokes are completely unexpected - that it's completely charming. It’s edgy and deceptively clever, and the color helps add interest in an otherwise artistically stripped down scene.

Third Place
Chris Griffin
The Battalion, Texas A&M Univ., College Station, Texas

Judge's comments: Jokes are snappy and the art, though simple, sets off the text well. This could have been equally at home in the “editorial” category.

First Place
Alexandra Westrich
F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.

Judge's comments: This is a clever visual metaphor rendered in skillful art. The idea is solid and effectively communicated. The caricatures are easily recognizable, and the level of detail is fantastic.

Second Place
Eric Garcia
F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.

Judge's comments: There’s a lot going on in the art for this cartoon, but the style helps keep it from overwhelming the reader. A deceptively simple style that feels a bit cartoonish but works well with the writing and gets the point across.

Third Place
Bill Richards
Red & Black, Univ. of Georgia, Athens, Ga.

Judge's comments: The clean art style and tight writing serve this cartoon well. The lettering in particular is distinctive, readable and elegant.

Honorable Mention
Christopher Sharron
Daily Kent Stater, Kent State Univ., Kent, Ohio

Judge's comments: This high-impact artwork makes a bold statement to fit the cartoon's message.