Amazon posts quarterfinalists in Comic Strip Superstar contest

Amazon has posted the results of the first round of judging in their Comic Strip Superstar contest with Andrews McMeel Publishing. Those making it past this first round will now go on to be winnowed down by John Glynn and Lee Salem of Universal Uclick. Those that advance will then be judged by Garry Trudeau, Lynn Johnston, Scott Hilburn, and Mark Tatulli. The last 10 will then be judged by the public.

Here is the list of the finalists from a PDF on Amazon. I don’t have time to Google-search them to see how many are already online in some form or another. It would also be nice to have the creator’s names, but that wasn’t provided. If anyone recognizes the titles below, please put the URL in the comments.

  1. 2Cupsâ?©
  2. Aâ?©Glassâ?©ofâ?©Merlo
  3. Aâ?©HOLLOWâ?©POINT
  4. Aboveâ?©theâ?©Fold (Mike Cope)
  5. Adultâ?©Children (Stephen Beals)
  6. Ajaxâ?©andâ?©Bip
  7. ALâ?©DROID
  8. Alwaysâ?©Pokeâ?©Airâ?©Holes
  9. Amaz’nâ?©Events
  10. Americanâ?©Widget
  11. Andy
  12. anotherâ?©perfectâ?©day
  13. ASKEW
  14. AWAâ?©(Aliensâ?©Withâ?©Attitude)
  15. Bandit’sâ?©Hideoutâ?©
  16. BarnRats
  17. Bearâ?©Minimum,â?©The
  18. Beaverâ?©inâ?©theâ?©Man,â?©The
  19. Beebleville
  20. Beingâ?©Dad
  21. Belleâ?©Plaine
  22. Bennyâ?©andâ?©Floyd
  23. Berd
  24. Biffâ?©Theâ?©Cyberpunk
  25. Bigâ?©Daddy
  26. Billyâ?©Blackâ?©+â?©Troubleâ?©Show,â?©The
  27. Blankâ?©Stairs
  28. Bookâ?©ofâ?©Lists
  29. Boomerâ?©Bust
  30. Boughtâ?©theâ?©Farm
  31. Boundâ?©forâ?©Greatness
  32. Brothersâ?©Hannsen,â?©The
  33. Buddies,â?©The
  34. Buff
  35. Bumpâ?©Onâ?©Aâ?©Log
  36. Büni
  37. Cabbage & Waffles
  38. Cactusâ?©Cow
  39. Cagneyâ?©
  40. Carson
  41. Castâ?©ofâ?©Characters
  42. Casualâ?©Friday
  43. Chloe & Max
  44. Chuckleâ?©Pics
  45. Clinton’sâ?©Ditch
  46. Comfyâ?©Kozy
  47. Conkers
  48. Cookingâ?©Mayhem
  49. CounterCulture
  50. Cowlyâ?©Bros
  51. Cowsâ?©andâ?©Stuff
  52. Crashâ?©Testâ?©Dummies,â?©The
  53. Crayonâ?©Box
  54. Crazyâ?©Belzo
  55. Creek (by Brian Martin)
  56. CY�FY
  57. Deadboy
  58. Degreesâ?©ofâ?©Freedom
  59. Distract
  60. Doubtingâ?©Thomas (by Jim Thomas)
  61. DragonQuest
  62. Easyâ?©Asâ?©Cake
  63. Eat,â?©Drink,â?©Consume
  64. Ellaâ?©andâ?©Greta (by Susan Camilleri Konar)
  65. Ellen,â?©Inc. (by Mark Magee)
  66. Emptyâ?©Vessels
  67. Entities�R�Us,�Ghost�Hunter�Comic
  68. Evenâ?©Odder
  69. Everythingâ?©Show,â?©The
  70. Evilâ?©Twin
  71. Failure
  72. Faust
  73. Fecklessness
  74. Figuringâ?©itâ?©Allâ?©Out
  75. Finn
  76. Fishâ?©Outâ?©ofâ?©Water
  77. Fishâ?©Tales
  78. Fleasâ?©onâ?©Flickâ?©
  79. FLOYD
  80. Forâ?©Real?
  81. Fossilâ?©Park
  82. Frankâ?©Blunt
  83. Freeâ?©atâ?©Last
  84. Funnyâ?©Bunny
  85. Furryâ?©Freaksâ?©starringâ?©Elfâ?©and
  86. Motorbellyâ?©
  87. Gangbusters
  88. Ghoulâ?©School
  89. Girl
  90. Goingâ?©Nowhere
  91. Goingâ?©up?
  92. Goodâ?©Life,â?©The
  93. Gutterâ?©Skipping
  94. Harambeeâ?©Hills
  95. Has�Been�Hollow
  96. Haystackâ?©Rock
  97. Hemlockâ?©Heights
  98. Hiâ?©There!
  99. Highâ?©Noon
  100. Historyâ?©Bluffs
  101. Hogwashed
  102. Holidaze
  103. Hoodooâ?©theâ?©Unwiseâ?©Owl
  104. Hoosierville
  105. Horrorâ?©Prep
  106. Horseâ?©Feathers
  107. Hotelâ?©Dreary
  108. Hoxwinderâ?©Hall
  109. ICECUBESâ?©theâ?©comicâ?©strip. (by Leroy Brown)
  110. Idiotboyâ?©
  111. Igments
  112. Imp
  113. Inâ?©Theâ?©Sandbox
  114. Inâ?©Theâ?©Weeds
  115. Inquiringâ?©Minds,â?©The
  116. Jeremyâ?©Andâ?©Tim
  117. Joe�6�Pack
  118. Justâ?©Marriedâ?©
  119. Justus
  120. Kangarooâ?©Court
  121. Kickin’â?©theâ?©Habitrail
  122. Kirbyâ?©theâ?©Clown
  123. Kitchenâ?©Sink,â?©The
  124. Kittyâ?©Grandma
  125. KOZMOâ?©OFâ?©THEâ?©COSMOS
  126. Lab,â?©The
  127. Lakeâ?©Nowhere
  128. Landfill
  129. Latchkey
  130. Lifeâ?©Inâ?©Strangeville
  131. Lifeâ?©ofâ?©Cats,â?©The
  132. Lifeâ?©Ofâ?©Lou (by Bill Bettwy)
  133. Lighterâ?©Sideâ?©ofâ?©Death,â?©The
  134. Lilâ?©Wit
  135. Limbo
  136. Linnyâ?©andâ?©Pavo
  137. Livingâ?©Withâ?©Chaos
  138. Looseâ?©Screw
  139. Lostâ?©inâ?©Transition
  140. Love�Sick���The�Comic�Strip
  141. Lunaville
  142. Magnusâ?©Magifix
  143. Maisâ?©Forte
  144. Meagan
  145. Meaningâ?©Ofâ?©Clive,â?©The
  146. Meanwhile…
  147. MIMIC
  148. Misdirected
  149. Momâ?©onâ?©theâ?©Edge
  150. Mothâ?©andâ?©Ethan
  151. Mr.â?©Bob
  152. Mr.â?©Tutor
  153. Mulberry
  154. Myâ?©Friendâ?©Grandpa
  155. mycartoons
  156. Newsâ?©ofâ?©theâ?©WIld
  157. Nextâ?©Doorâ?©Neighbors
  158. Nightâ?©ShifNoâ?©Rodeoâ?©
  159. Noah’sâ?©Island
  160. Noodleâ?©Bytes
  161. Northâ?©Forty
  162. Nutzâ?©n’â?©Doltz
  163. O’Malleyâ?©Girls,â?©The
  164. Oddson
  165. Offâ?©Courseâ?©
  166. Onâ?©theâ?©Loose
  167. Ordinaryâ?©Bill
  168. Otherâ?©Kids,â?©The
  169. Outâ?©ofâ?©theâ?©Groove
  170. Outâ?©toâ?©Lunch
  171. Pandora’sâ?©Box
  172. Peggyâ?©
  173. Pepâ?©Squad
  174. Phases
  175. Photocartoonist,â?©The
  176. Picpakâ?©Dog
  177. Plusâ?©Tenâ?©Coolnessâ?©Points
  178. PMâ?©Donutâ?©
  179. Poets
  180. Politicalâ?©Circus
  181. Popel
  182. Potionsâ?©andâ?©Tricks (by Charles Brubaker)
  183. Pre�Life�Crisis
  184. PROBERZ
  185. Puffinâ?©theâ?©Penguin
  186. Quotarium
  187. Rackafracka
  188. RECESSâ?©WITCH
  189. RETINA
  190. Risible
  191. Rivertalkin’
  192. ROBOTSâ?©WIN
  193. Roofus
  194. ROOTBEER
  195. Rufus
  196. Sardonicâ?©Salad
  197. Schoolâ?©Daze
  198. Scribbles & Sketchâ?©
  199. Secretâ?©Agents
  200. Sethâ?©andâ?©Buddy (by Leslie Taylor)
  201. Shepherd’sâ?©Graceâ?©
  202. Shooâ?©Flyâ?©Pie
  203. SHORTâ?©NOODLES
  204. Sickâ?©Children
  205. Skippingâ?©Out
  206. Slingshot
  207. Slipstackâ?©
  208. Slivers
  209. Soggy
  210. Spaceâ?©Princess
  211. Spaceâ?©Stationâ?©Alpha
  212. STEPDAD
  213. Stiwâ?©Kit
  214. Stoneâ?©Road
  215. StoreMart
  216. Streetâ?©Cat
  217. Stringsâ?©Attached
  218. Stuffed
  219. Suburbanâ?©Sarah
  220. Sugarâ?©andâ?©Snails
  221. Texasâ?©Roadâ?©Stew
  222. Thatâ?©Deafâ?©Guy
  223. Thatâ?©Monkeyâ?©Tune (by Mike Kandalaft)
  224. THATABABY
  225. Then & NOW
  226. Thisâ?©Placeâ?©Isâ?©Aâ?©Zoo
  227. Thunder & Lightning
  228. Tomâ?©theâ?©Cameraman
  229. Tortillaâ?©Flat
  230. Tortoise & theâ?©Hare
  231. Treatyâ?©Oak
  232. Turnipâ?©Greens
  233. Unfinishedâ?©Melody
  234. Usherâ?©Klutz:â?©Theâ?©Reelâ?©Adventure
  235. Valentineâ?©Lane
  236. Viewâ?©fromâ?©theâ?©Couch
  237. Walkingâ?©Upright (Jesse Cline)
  238. Wallflowerâ?©
  239. WEâ?©DID
  240. Wendell & G
  241. Werewolfâ?©andâ?©Firefly
  242. Whatâ?©Isâ?©Cool?
  243. WHO’Sâ?©PERFECT?
  244. Wick
  245. Workâ?©Isâ?©Ridiculous
  246. X’sâ?©&â?©O’s
  247. XYZs
  248. Yip
  249. Youâ?©Yiddle
  250. Zeros,â?©Theâ?©

92 thoughts on “Amazon posts quarterfinalists in Comic Strip Superstar contest

  1. Holy cow, that’s a scary list. I must’ve been insane. Well, that’s a given ….

    I wish I knew where to find these strips, too. I have to say I’m disappointed that I didn’t see Guy In A Bush on there. It’s a weird, wacky idea and is perfectly surreal. Don’t stop it Brian!

    My strip is Adult Children. Be kind.

  2. Too bad they didn’t include the creators’ names. It would be more fun to look through the list. I scanned it real fast and did recognize Life of Lou (by Bill Bettwy). Been a big fan of that strip for a couple years. It’s on Comics Sherpa.

    Best of luck to those who entered.

  3. There are a lot of great comics listed but I have to agree with Wiley on the idea of letting the general public vote on the final 10. My comic “Outbursts” have a look and maybe someday I’ll make the cut. Good luck to everyone involved.

  4. You can add Susan Camilleri Konar’s “Ella & Greta” to the list of Success in Comics Seminar’s alumni to enter the top 250! Congrats Mike (monkeytune), Ryan Pagelow, and Rich Diesslin! I hold good thoughts for you guys!

  5. I second that! Congrates to my new buds, Susan, Mike, Ryan and Rich! You all are awesome talents and good people!

  6. “Worst possible way to choose anything.”

    I have to agree with Wiley…as much as I hear some folks complain about editors, it seems a true professional would be more experienced and better equipped to know what will play in the market over the long haul.

    Throwing it up for mob rule seems to be letting only those with Amazon.com accounts (and their families and friends) choose the strip. That doesn’t seem to be a true representation of the market place, IMHO.

    I’d rather a guy like John Glynn make the final decision, not Rupert Sniptard of Monkeybone, Oregon and his extended family of latte suckers.

  7. Sardonic Salad is mine (with writer Kit Lowrance). Quite suprised we made the cut. pulled a submission together 2 days before the deadline. Be kind to us hacks.

  8. Thanks Brian, Graham, Bridgett! Alan, mine is the Out to Lunch entry. I had mixed feelings about the contest but I finally decided I have nothing to lose and hoped to survive a cut or two (as the others who entered I’m sure). I have no delusions about making it to the top 10 or winning any kind of vote-off.

    So anyway – congrats to those who made this cut, and no shame / no loss for the trying for those who didn’t. After the Tundra seminar I realized that even though I’ve been at this for 10 years (full time anyway) that there’s still so many improvements that I can make to what I do, that I just have to keep pluggin’ away!

    My 2¢ anyway.

  9. CLINTON’S DITCH is online at
    (editor’snote: URL has been removed)
    Web-based intro a little dated, but essentially the same stuff I submitted. Hey, whaddaya got to lose?

  10. if they stage a public vote and nobody does….will it still count? I checked out most of the linked toons and can say without hesitation….there was only 1-2 that I’d spend the time to go ‘find’ on the internet ever again. Granted, all toons don’t have to be wonderfully drawn to be great. Neither do they have to all be wickedly funny. However, you’d think that they’d display one or the other. Sadly, most of these do not have either quality. Before I get ripped to shreds, let me say that these are only ‘my’ opinions. Judges and the public at large may disagree. I have my own criteria for what I deem to be funny. These don’t measure up. Just my 2 cents worth….

  11. Thx for URL deletion, Alan. Maybe other finalists should exercise caution with regard to the entry rules.

  12. I was alluding to Mike Cope’s blog where he explicitly stated he couldn’t post his submitted work as stated in the Superstar rules — I haven’t personally re-scoured all the fine print, but Mike’s comment was enough to scare the bejeezus out of me. I’d rather get cut because my work sucks than on a technicality.

  13. Oh, yeah, I knew that rule. But for instance on my website I don’t have any of the submitted work presented. I submitted totally new material. But if you don’t feel comfortable that’s cool – I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t something I didn’t already know. 🙂

  14. Thanks Stephen. I didn’t make the deadline due to a family emergency. But I wish all you guys and gals the best and you better believe you will be seeing plenty of Guy In A Bush.

  15. There must be some kind of error… I didn’t see Guy in a Bush on there. Quick, someone get on that and fix it.

  16. @Mike #36,

    I kind of agree you about the quality of some of the comics (I’ve only looked at a handful though). One thing I’ve considered however is that I haven’t see what everyone has sent in, and I know I spent more time on the ones I sent in than I do normally (to my shame, I know).

    Anyway, there are also some really good ones. And between the ones I’m not impressed with and the ones I am impressed with, I’ve become bipolar in regards to my confidence of my own work. 😛

  17. I would have to agree with you Les.
    There definetely are some comics that I probably wouldn’t give a second glance at but there are quite a few that I have been following for a while and I think are good, well developed strips.

  18. The one thing I am curious about is: of the 250, how many have submitted the traditional way before and how many are currently posting on the web? just curious

    I am a first timer (Doubting Thomas) but from what i am getting from the comments is that a good number of people have been at this for awhile…

    And yes, there seems to be some varying levels of proficiency in the top 250, but I think that is probably true for most submissions. Assuming they got 5000, ten will probably be about the right number of successful strips.

  19. Brian, yours is one of the ones that makes me worry. Jerk. 😀

    Honestly if I get into the top 50, I’ll be pretty excited. I’m really wondering how many submissions they got though. If they only got 300 submissions, my ability to get in the top 250 isn’t exactly special. On the other hand, if they got a couple thousand, I’d be pretty excited to even make it to that 250 mark.

  20. Great job by all. There’s an incredible amount of skill out there. I wish I could see this kind of work more often.

  21. @Frank Mariani #41 … Thanks for taking time to visit my blog, and sorry if I scared your bejeezus 🙂

    According to the official rules, only your cartoons submitted to the competition need to be unpublished. As others have pointed out, a number of the quarterfinalists are established webcomics, so you shouldn’t worry about being disqualified, so long as you don’t publish any of your submission.

    In my case, the feature I submitted is a new one that has only existed in my sketchbooks (and head), so I’m a little more limited as to what I can share right now. Having a set deadline was enough motivation to quit thinking too much about it and just draw.

  22. Well, mycartoons is mine and can be found at http://mycartoons.de

    And since I started translating stuff for the contest I translated some more and finished an english version of my website.

    I don´t think I can make it to the final 10 though. My humor and cartoons aren´t really the family friendly newspaper style 😀

  23. #22: Iâ??d rather a guy like John Glynn make the final decision, not Rupert Sniptard of Monkeybone, Oregon and his extended family of latte suckers.

    Hey! Sniptard is a friend of mine and he doesn’t sip his lattes that loud!

  24. Scott DaRos,

    Checked out your blog.
    I enjoyed your comic very much – especially your unique artwork! Very nice!

    Best of luck in the next round!

    – Dan

  25. Hey Scott.

    Yeah, man. You’re very welcome. You have a real cool style there! (I’ll check out your friend’s site soon. Thanks.)

    Wish I could show you some of my comic strip right now, but it isn’t published anywhere on the web quite yet (although there is a glimpse on my website, under “characters” heading).

    Best,
    db

  26. The URL for #19 Beebleville is http://www.beebleville.com

    I’ve been following it for a while. A strange mix of random humor and story of the main characters family made up of mostly single panels.

    It’s been online for a few years now. The author is listed as Vince Cipriano.

  27. Hi, My name is Jodie Sarah Masiwchuk and I am the creator of comic strip #219, Suburban Sarah.

    Suburban Sarah is about a modern woman’s quaint and quirky observations of daily life. I update the website with two new strips every Friday. It can be found online at:

    http://www.SuburbanSarah.com

    Best of luck to everyone! 🙂

  28. Thanks there, Bri.
    I worked hard on that character’s cool hair! You wouldn’t believe how much hair gel it takes to get it like that… Haha!

  29. haha, why thank ya. but i gotta admit that the cursing ones are from years ago. i decided to veer off that path with the newer, more reader friendly comics. I left those up just to show the beginins

  30. HOLLY POOPY PANTS…I did crap myself at the kool aid one…I guess my bowels aren’t as strong as Mr. Isely’s.
    Well done indeed Faulkzilla. Your strip is quite the funny one!!!

  31. Hello… Comfy Kozy is my entry. I don’t have much to share because I only drew this up for the contest. Congrats to the rest of the 250! Good luck everyone!

  32. Someone told me about and I thought it was funny and I always read it. And I can’t wait for the new one to show up. I wish him the best. I’m glad that he made it to 250 out of 5000. It’s a strange mix of random humor and story of the main characters family made up of mostly single panels. I hope he continues on would and up would with his work.

    Itâ??s been online for a few years now. The author is listed as Vince Cipriano.

  33. Congrats to those who advanced – Especially you, Scott DaRos! (As I mentioned before, you have a great style going there, man! Really dig it!)

    Best of luck!

    -Dan

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