Teen Graphic Novel Contest

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Timeline

• Submissions open: July 1 – August 31, 2026
• Winners announced: October, 2026
• Award Ceremony: Saturday, November 21, 2026 from 2:00 – 3:30 PM at the KDL Cascade Township Branch

Helpful Links

• Scan your work at any KDL branch. Ask a librarian for help.
• Graphic Novel library events: Zine Crafting and Let’s Draw Comics.
• Booklist: How to Draw Graphic Novels and Manga for Teens
• Booklist: HOT! New! Teen Graphic Novels

Contest Guidelines

• Create your own comic book/graphic novel with a maximum length of 8 pages, including the cover page.
• Use letter-size paper (8.5 x 11”) with black-and-white drawings on single-sided pages only.
• Each submission must be the creative and original work of the submitting author/illustrator. Any submissions with more than one author/illustrator will be considered a single entry and will share any prizes possibly awarded.
• The contest is limited to amateur teen authors/illustrators only.
• Computer generated images are acceptable as long as they are your original work (no clip art or AI generated images).
• Complete the Graphic Novel Contest Entry Form on Submittable (link is provided while contest is open) and upload a PDF of your work. Entries turned in without a complete form will be ineligible. Entries with more than one author/illustrator should only be submitted once (the form contains space for multiple authors).
• When submitting a digital scan, ensure it is an accurate reflection of the original. If your work is selected for publishing, what you submit will be printed in the quality it was received.
• Entries must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM on August 31st.
• There is a limit of one entry per contestant(s).
• Entries will be judged using a rubric scale covering the following: overall story, originality, creativity and illustration by a panel of library staff and comic industry professionals. Read the detailed judging criteria and rubric used for this contest.
• A winner will be awarded alongside four honorable mentions. The winning artist(s) will receive $100 and the honorable mention artist(s) will receive $50 in the form of Meijer Gift Cards. The top 10 finalists will be published together in an anthology.
• Winners will be announced online in October, and prizes will be awarded during an In-Person Award Ceremony on the third Saturday in November at the KDL Cascade Township Branch.

Judging Criteria

Read this Judging Criteria Guide to learn what your judges will be looking for.

Judges

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Terms of Service

Kent District Library reserves the right to reproduce your work. You can reuse all your work after the contest.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Author(s) shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Kent District Library, hereinafter referred to as the “Contest Sponsor,” including all of their employees and agents, from and against all losses, liabilities, penalties, fines, damages and claims and all related costs and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements and costs of investigation, litigation, settlement, judgments, interest and penalties), and also including any claims of infringement of United States copyright or other proprietary right of any person or entity, which right is enforceable under the laws of the United States, arising from or in connection with their participation in the Graphic Novel Contest.

The Contest Sponsor shall hold an exclusive right to publish the winning Works in all physical and digital formats for a period of one year from the date the Graphic Novel Contest winners are announced. Following that period, the Author(s) may republish the submitted Work with any person or entity of their choosing. The Author(s) agrees that the Contest Sponsors shall maintain their co-equal copyright in the said Work in perpetuity, but Contest Sponsor waives their right to benefit from any third party republishing of the Work.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General Information 

Please refer to the Contest Guidelines above, as well as the Judging Criteria Guide. These two documents will be used to make determinations on any issues that arise when receiving, judging and awarding submissions. If you have further questions after reading this document, please email TeenProgrammingGroup@kdl.org and a staff member will answer. 

What file types can I use to digitally submit my work? 

PDF format. 

We prefer digital work and scans to be set at 300 dpi or higher. Be sure to preview your scan before submitting to ensure it is the best representation of your work. Make sure your work is not upside-down.

You can scan your work at any KDL branch. Ask a librarian if you need help.

I don’t live in Kent District Library’s service area. Can I still enter the contest? 

If you live or attend school in Kent County, Michigan, you are eligible to enter the contest, even if you do not live in the Kent District Library service area. 

Content & Copyright 

Does my submission have to have a theme? 

No, there are no restrictions on content, theme, or plot. Questions regarding appropriateness are addressed below. The contest is open-ended and entries can be on any topic or theme you choose.  

My submission may not be suitable for all audiences, is that a problem? 

Probably not. Your graphic novel may be on any topic you choose, but language, subject matter and imagery should not exceed a DC Comics Rating of Teen Plus (T+) or a manga age-rating of Older Teen (15+). 

I want to submit an entry, but I can’t draw OR I can’t write, what do I do? 

You can work with a friend who can draw or write and co-author your graphic novel together! We provide programming throughout the summer to help you gain new skills and build more confidence. We also have library resources like the books found in this booklist. We accept entries of all skill levels, please don’t be discouraged! 

Can I use characters or named settings from other stories, comics, graphic novels, or games? 

No. Named characters and settings from other series, stories, comics/graphic novels, games, etc. are subject to copyright laws and cannot appear in your submission. All characters and settings that appear in your submission must be your original work and cannot be based on other creations not originally thought up by you as the creator. 

Copyright does not cover stock characters or settings (Aspect Law Group). You can have a small green alien that talks oddly in your story as long as it isn’t named Yoda and doesn’t look, act, and talk like the iconic Yoda. Think about your characters and settings and make them uniquely yours. There may be aspects that overlap, but no one should be able to look at your characters and/or settings and think that it is a nearly identical representation of an already recognizable character and/or setting. 

If your submission could be interpreted as fanfiction or a knock-off, then it is not eligible for an award. We encourage you to create your own unique graphic novel. Be creative and write your own story!

Can I use a retelling of a classic? 

Possibly. If the story is public domain and not copyrighted, it is eligible to use. Folk and Fairy tales including writings by the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen are public domain. Public domain also includes any work published in the United States in or before 1924. Examples of public domain stories include Robin Hood, Dracula, and Sherlock Holmes. However, keep in mind one of the criteria you will be judged on is originality.  

Are we allowed to use the resources and images given with the software program we are using? For example, my program has some basic backgrounds and patterns you can choose from to use in graphic novel making. Will using those still count as original work? 

We accept both hand-drawn and computer-drawn graphic novels. If contestants are using a program or software to create the graphic novel, all images must be the artist’s original work. Contestants may not use premade images or clip art. You may use tools in the software, such as fonts, lines, and speech bubbles. Blank comic templates are also acceptable. For example, if you wanted a brick wall as part of the background, rather than inserting a premade brick wall image, you are expected to create one. When in doubt, draw it out! If you are uncertain, you can email us and we’ll let you know! 

Any Artificial Intelligence (AI) created comics will not be eligible for an award. We respect the talent and skill of our participants and want them to be recognized for the time, patience, and energy they put into their entries into this contest every year. Any questions, comments, concerns, or curiosities on this matter can be sent to TeenProgrammingGroup@kdl.org.

Format 

Do I have to make a cover page or back page? 

No. Cover and back pages are optional, but if included, must fit within the 8-page, single-sided restrictions as laid out in the Contest Guidelines above. 

Can my graphic novel be less than 8 pages? 

Yes, your graphic novel can be under 8 pages. The maximum length eligible for the award is 8 pages, but you do not need to use all 8 pages if it is appropriate for the length of your story. 

Can my submission be in color? 

No, graphic novels submitted in color will not be eligible for award. Grayscale and black and white illustrations and text are acceptable and eligible for an award. 

Can my submission use landscape orientation? 

We recommend orienting your graphic novel portrait-wise as we may print the winning submissions in a portrait-oriented booklet, but landscape-oriented submissions are accepted and eligible for award. 

Can my submission use A4 or legal size paper? 

No, the Guidelines for submission are strict on paper size. Only standard letter-size, 8.5” x 11” paper can be used, with a maximum of 8 pages, single-sided. 

Since the rules say that you can use a maximum of 8 pages, does that mean we can use the front and back? 

No, your submission should be a maximum of 8 pages, single-sided. Double-sided submissions will not be eligible for award. 

Can I use correction tape or other correction methods to cover up a mistake? 

Yes, you are able to use correction methods to cover up mistakes. As long as your submission can still lay flat for scanning and fits within the Submission Guidelines your submission will still be eligible. 

Can I submit my graphic novel with right-to-left reading direction, like Japanese-style manga? 

Yes, right-to-left reading orientation is acceptable. We recommend including a panel at the beginning of your graphic novel or other clear instructions within your comic informing readers that your submission should be read from right-to-left rather than left-to-right. 

Does my comic need to have text? 

Nope! Your comic is not required to have text. There are many great comics that utilize little to no text. You can get full points in the text criteria if your story is clear without text, as this is a harder task to achieve. However, if your story is confusing or unclear, and the judges feel that text would have been helpful in understanding what is going on, you will receive fewer points. A good way to test this is to have someone who doesn’t know anything about your story read your comic and ask them if they were able to follow and understand the story clearly in one try. If there is any confusion, or if they had to re-read any portions to understand, you may want to add text or redraw the confusing portions.  

Ownership & Privacy 

Do we still own our characters once we submit our entry? 

Yes, all artists and authors receive credit for their work and still own their characters once their entry is submitted. However, by entering the Contest, artists and/or authors permit Kent District Library to display and reproduce their submission at any time. Please see the Terms of Service under Contest Guidelines. 

I want to later reuse plot/characters/story from my graphic novel entry in another work and get it published. If I make a graphic novel of that story later, can I still publish that book? 

Yes, you may enter the Graphic Novel Contest and publish your book at a later date. Once your work is published, you are no longer considered an amateur and are not eligible for later contests. 

Can I submit my recently published graphic novel? 

No. The contest is intended for amateur creators. If your comic has found a publisher, you are no longer considered an amateur creator. 

Instead of using my real name, can I use a made-up name? 

Yes. The form you will fill out when submitting your graphic novel will ask for the Author’s Preferred Name. You may choose to use your legal name or a pseudonym/pen name if you would like. If you win, whatever name you entered as your preferred name will be used in the published anthology, as well as in any blogs or press releases announcing contest winners. If you provided your legal name and have privacy concerns about your legal name being published on our website and/or in the winner’s collection, please contact us at TeenProgrammingGroup@kdl.org immediately. 

Judging 

How many judges will judge each submission? 

Each entry is judged by a minimum of 3 judges. Entries will be judged by a panel of judges made up of library staff, comic industry professionals, and art professionals.  

How do you judge the submissions? 

Judges refer to the Judging Criteria Guide and Rubric to help determine the quality of submissions. Judges then award first and possible honorable mentions. Entries that do not follow the Guidelines are ineligible for award.  

We understand that this process of art and storytelling can be very personal for those submitting to this contest. We know this process and the feedback you may receive can be difficult, but our biggest hope is that it encourages you to continue to be creative, expand your skills, and do what you are passionate about.

Awards Ceremony & Prizes 

How will we know we won? 

Winners will be announced via email and in a blog post on the KDL website in mid-October. 

What are the prizes for winners and honorable mentions? 

The winning artist(s) will receive $100 and four honorable mention artist(s) will receive $50 in the form of Meijer Gift Cards. Five additional finalists will also be included in an anthology of our top ten submissions. All five winning artists and five published finalists will receive a copy of this anthology.  

How can I pick up my prize after the contest? 

Prizes will be awarded at the Award Ceremony on the third Saturday of November.  If you are unable to attend the Awards Ceremony, we will send an email after the event to those who still need to claim prizes with instructions and an online form to know which library branch location to send the items.  

Gift Card prizes for Winners and Honorable Mentions are awarded by entry, not by the number of authors. KDL staff are not responsible for splitting gift cards or other prizes associated with an entry among co-authors/creators. This must be worked out between the co-authors/creators of the entry. 

Winners and Honorable Mentions will be required to complete a Gift Card Receipt form to claim their prize. If the winning entry has two or more authors, the person picking up the award prize must complete the form. Co-authors/creators may arrive together and both sign the form if able, but this is not required.  

Please check your email consistently for communication from info@kdl.org as we will use this account to contact you if there are any issues, and to send updates regarding the contest. 

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Teacher Toolkit

Example Newsletter Text:

Kent District Library is pleased to announce the 2026 Teen Graphic Novel Contest. Entries will be accepted from July 1 – August 31 at kdl.org/teengraphicnovel.  Teens ages 11-17 at the time of submission residing in or attending school in Kent County are encouraged to enter, and great prizes are up for grabs! Learn more at kdl.org/teengraphicnovel.