CHARITY AND SYLVIA by Tillie Walden ‘16 is Vermont Reads Choice of 2026
We are happy to announce the graphic historical biography CHARITY & SYLVIA by award-winning cartoonist and CCS faculty member Tillie Walden ‘16 is Vermont Reads Choice for 2026.
Since 2003, Vermont Humanities has invited residents across the state to read the same book and join in community activities related to the book’s themes.
Out in June by Drawn & Quarterly, CHARITY & SYLVIA documents the true story of an openly lesbian couple who lived in 19th-century Vermont. Preorder your copy from your favorite bookstore or at: drawnandquarterly.com/books/charity-and-sylvia/
Celebrating CCS’s 20th Anniversary, two of Vermont’s most acclaimed cartoonists, Alison Bechdel and Tillie Walden ‘16, will share the stage for a rare public conversation about art, place, and the ways Vermont has shaped their work. Both artists have served as Vermont Cartoonist Laureate, and both have made international contributions to the art of comics—Bechdel through her groundbreaking memoirs Fun Home and Are You My Mother?, and Walden through her Eisner Award–winning memoir, Spinning, and space romance, On a Sunbeam.
Cartoon Studies Faculty & Alumni Nominated for 2024 Harvey Awards
We’re excited to announce members of the CCS community have been nominated for one of comics’ oldest and most prestigious awards—the Harvey Awards!
The nominees are….
Book of the Year: WATERSHIP DOWN, THE GRAPHIC NOVEL by CCS co-founder James Sturm, art by Joe Sutphin, based on the novel by Richard Adams (Ten Speed Graphic)
Congratulations to the CCS 2024 Eisner Award Nominations
San Diego Comic-Con announced the nominees for the 2024 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, honoring works published in 2023. Congratulations to CCS faculty, alum, and fellow nominees:
Tillie Walden ’16, graduate and faculty at The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS), is on the Forbes 30 Under 30 2024 list. “…Vermont appointed Tillie Walden the cartoon laureate, and at 26, she’s the youngest artist to receive the honor. Walden, who has published more than 10 books, often centering queer narratives, is also one of the youngest recipients of an Eisner Award, often referred to as the Oscars of the comics industry.” –Forbes. Click here to read more and see the complete list of young artists and designers reimagining how we see the world.
Two Center for Cartoon Studies Graduates Nominated for Eisner Awards
We are honored and excited to announce that two of our The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS) grads and current faculty, Robyn Smith ’17 and Tillie Walden ’16, have been nominated for the prestigious Eisner Award! Both are in the running for “The Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17).”
Robyn Smith ’17 for WASH DAY DIARIES (Chronicle Books) with writer Jamila Rowser. Robyn is a 2017 graduate of CCS, was a fellow from 2021-22, and is a member of our faculty.
Tillie Walden To Be Appointed Vermont’s Fifth Cartoonist Laureate
MONTPELIER, VT—Norwich resident Tillie Walden will be appointed Vermont’s fifth Cartoonist Laureate on Thursday, April 13, 2023, when she will be recognized on the Vermont Statehouse floor.
Walden is one of the most celebrated and accomplished cartoonists working today. She won the 2018 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work for her graphic novel memoir “Spinning,” making her at 22 one of the youngest Eisner Award winners ever.
Beautifully crafted and charged with emotion, Walden’s work is celebrated for its intimate and authentic portrayal of adolescence that often explores queer themes. Entertainment Weekly named her as one of “the most essential graphic novelists of her generation.”
A recent It’s LITPBS episode discussed how graphic novels are in fact . . . novels. In the myriad examples of the fantastic literature available in graphic form, the video features grad and faculty Tillie Walden ’16 and Vermont Cartoonist Laureate with Spinning and advisor Alison Bechdel with Fun Home. It’s LIT is a video essay series hosted by Lindsay Ellis and Princess Weekes where they explore figures, genres, and books that shaped the literary world.
The nominees have been announced for the 2020 Harvey Awards and a hearty congratulations goes out to Tillie Walden ’16, Charles Foresman ’08, and Eleri Harris ’14. All professionals from across the comic book industry are invited to vote; you just need to put in an application.
Click here to learn more and make an online donation now.
FREE COMICS
ART & COURAGE: A GUIDE TO SUSTAINING A CREATIVE PATH
We hope Art & Courage, will help readers feel a little more prepared for whatever creative journey they embark upon. Click here to read a free digital edition or to order print copies. This 32-page comic is filled with
CARTOONING IN AN ANXIOUS AGE
Cartooning In An Anxious Age (pdf)is a free comic by Cara Bean on the act of drawing, which focuses your attention and intimately connects you with the generative act of creation. It’s an inspiring read.
Let's Talk About It: A Graphic Guide to Mental Health
Using the power of comics to teach teens about the way our government worksThis Is What Democracy Looks Like, A Graphic Guide To Governance is a 32-page comic book created by The Center for Cartoon Studies (CCS). This short comic guide helps to bring democracy back to the hands of the people by explaining what democracy actually means and how the whole thing works. This guide will be a great jumping-off point to learn about our government.
THE APPLIED CARTOONING MANIFESTO
Download a free copy of The World is Made of Cheese, The Applied Cartooning Manifesto.
