The 2008 Friends of Lulu Award Nominations have just been announced. (Above image by Hope Larson.)

Kim Yale Award:
MARTINA FUGAZZOTTO (senior designer, gURL.com)
KIKI JONES (gURL Comix artist)
JULIA WERTZ (The Fart Party)

Woman of Distinction:
SHELLY BOND (group editor, Vertigo; editor, MINX line);
CINDY FOURNIER (VP Operations, Diamond Comic Distributors);
JANNA MORISHIMA (director, Diamond Kids Group)

Women Cartoonists Hall of Fame:
NELL BRINKLEY (early 20th century cartoonist);
MARTY LINKS (Bobby Sox/Emmy Lou);
TARPE MILLS (Miss Fury);
LOUISE SIMONSON (X-Factor; Superman: The Man of Steel)

Lulu of the Year:
AUDRA FURUICHI (Nemu-Nemu);
gURL Comix (www.gURL.com);
STEPHANIE MCMILLAN (Minimum Security);
RUTU MODAN (Exit Wounds);
MARJANE SATRAPI (Persepolis)

PR follows:

It’s time for a true FoL first. Every year, Friends of Lulu, the national, non-profit organization, which has brought more women and girls into comic books for close to 15 years, recognizes several women who have made notable contributions in the ever-expanding comics industry. As yet another extremely successful year for women in comics continues, FoL is proud to keep the momentum going by bringing the Lulu Awards, usually presented in a West Coast event, to New York City for the first time. The 2008 Friends of Lulu award nominees have been selected by the comic-reading public, and the voting period for the award winners has begun.

This year’s well-deserved trophies will be presented at the exciting Lulu Awards event on Saturday, June 7, 2008 at the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) in Manhattan, at 594 Broadway, Suite 401 (between Houston and Prince Streets). This event starts at 8:30 p.m. and takes place during the annual, highly popular MoCCA Art Festival (the weekend of June 7 and 8; for more information, please go to www.moccany.org). Refreshments will be served, and the night’s M.C. will be the lively illustrator Emily Flake. The suggested donation for admission to this sure-to-be-enjoyable event is $8, and admission is free for Friends of Lulu and MoCCA members. FoL kindly requests that attendees RSVP by purchasing tickets for the event beforehand, at our site, www.friends-lulu.org. A number of tickets will also be available at the door.

Those people interested in voting for their favorite nominees simply need to visit the Friends of Lulu Website at www.friends-lulu.org/awardsVote.php by Tuesday, May 27; the voting period closes at the end of that day. Only current Friends of Lulu members can vote, and information about how to join the organization is at the main site, www.friends-lulu.org.