FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS about the Contest

Question : Is voting the only method used to determine a winner?

Answer: No. The Contest judges will have the final say on who will move forward. Votes will be used as a tool by the judges to help them in selecting which cartoons progress forward, and in choosing the ultimate winner.

Question : Who are the judges?

Answer: The judges are a panel of professional cartoonists and representatives from the syndicate.

Question : How do I submit my cartoons?

Answer: You will submit them electronically, on the website. Once you register, you will be guided through the process of uploading each cartoon. The contest lasts ten rounds, and you will need to submit all ten cartoons.

Question : When does the contest start?

Answer: The contest will start on February 6th.

Question : If I am the writer of my strip but someone else does the artwork, should both of our names be on the strip? If my strip is the winner, will we both receive the prize as "one person"?

Answer: Yes on both. Both writer and illustrator are considered the authors of the strip and will receive the prize as "one person".

Question : Am I allowed to enter more than one cartoon strip concept? If so, how many?

Answer: You can enter more than one strip concept. No limit to the number of strips you can enter. However, you must enter each strip under a different email address. Your email address is our control and identification method.

Question : Do I need to copyright my comic strip before submitting it.

Answer:That decision is yours. A copyright is as simple as drawing a circle c with your name and year next to it.

Question : How will I know when my comics have been uploaded?

Answer: You will see the strip in the contest section of the website. Strips will be posted before voting actually begins.

Question : Should my drawings only be in black and white or should I color them?

Answer: Your choice. You are the contestant and the creator.

Question : Should I send all dailies or are Sunday comics acceptable?

Answer: You should submit dailies.

Question : Is there an age limit? If so, if I have permission from a parent or legal guardian, will I still be permitted to enter the contest?

Answer: There is no age limit or requirement.

Question : Is the contest only for residents of the United States?

Answer: No. The contest is Global.

Question : How many runners-up will there be?

Answer: There are two runners-up.

Question : What kind of material is acceptable? Can you give me examples as to what you view as inappropriate?

Answer: Foul language, explicit drawings or material that would generally be considered pornographic or in bad taste will be deleted from the contest, and be at the sole discretion of the Studio and contest Operators.

Question : If I submit material that is, to you, inappropriate, will I be notified so I can submit a substitute?

Answer: The website operators may choose to alert the cartoonists, if they deem it an error in judgment. However, if there is a question, the cartoonist should contact tony@thecartooniststudio.com for pre-approval.

Question: Do I need to number my selections so you will know in which order to put them?

Answer: No….The sequence that you use to upload the cartoon to the website is the sequence that they will appear.

Question : In what size should I draw my comics?

Answer: A comfortable size would be 6 x 18 inches, but draw it so that you can scan it and send it as a jpeg, jpg, png or bmp format.

Question : I have comics already on the Amateur Cubicle. Would it be a good idea to submit some of those for the contest?

Answer: No. The contest is separate from the Amateur Cubicle. You want to use 'fresh' strips that have not been seen. You can use the strip concept, but submit fresh cartoons.

Question : Are digital drawings allowed?

Answer: Yes.