Celebrating excellence in Indian comic book
and graphic storytelling
Held on Friday, May 8, 2026 in Mumbai
About the Awards
The Indian Comic Book Awards, instituted by the Comic Book Trust of India, are a national annual recognition celebrating excellence in Indian comic book and graphic storytelling. The awards honour outstanding work published within the country by Indian creators across writing, art, publishing, and innovation in the medium.
Established to spotlight creative achievement, encourage professional standards, and strengthen the Indian comic book ecosystem, the awards seek to document, acknowledge, and elevate the most significant contributions to Indian comics each year, while fostering a culture of critical appreciation and long-term growth for the medium in India.
Award Categories
Winners 2026
held on May 8, 2026 in Mumbai, India.
Best Comic Book/Graphic Novel
Best Web Comic
Best Debut Comic
Best Writer
Best Artist
Best Colourist
Best Letterist
Indian Comic Book Awards 2026
The Jury
Dan Parent
Dan Parent is an American comic book artist and writer best known for his long-running work with Archie Comics.
A graduate of The Kubert School, he began working for Archie immediately after completing his studies and has since become one of the most recognizable creative voices associated with the publisher. His acclaimed Love Showdown series brought him widespread attention in the 1990s and helped define a modern era of Archie storytelling.
Over the course of his career, Dan has illustrated for major properties including Felix the Cat, Barbie, Disney Adventures, DC, Valiant, and Dynamite, and co-created the cult-favorite comic series Die Kitty Die. His work earned a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book in 2013, along with multiple Harvey Award nominations and a Ringo Award nomination.
Dan has also contributed to numerous high-profile crossover projects, collaborating with franchises and icons such as KISS, Blondie, Batman ’66, Glee, Sharknado, Predator, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Vampirella, and Red Sonja. He continues to be an active force in contemporary comics, working on titles including Betty and Veronica, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Josie and the Pussycats, while producing covers for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Vampirella, and Spider-Man.
Vaibhav Kumaresh
Vaibhav Kumaresh is an International Emmy nominated animation film maker and Founder, Creative Director at Vaibhav Studios, Mumbai.
Founded in 2003, the studio has created some of India’s favourite animated content in the field of TV commercials, episodic series and channel promos: the Amaron Battery ad campaign, Chulbuli for Clinic Plus, Buladi’s AIDS awareness campaign for the West Bengal government, the Vodafone Zumis, Simpoo the angry sardaar math teacher on Channel [V] and Lamput the globally acclaimed, International Emmy nominated micro short series for Cartoon Network to name a few.
With the aim of building a strong indigenous animation industry, Vaibhav Studios has self
funded its maiden Hindi feature film titled Return of the Jungle – set to release across theatres in India during summer 2026.
A Fine Arts graduate, Vaibhav studied animation film making at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. He is an active committee member and the Honorary Secretary of The Animation Society of India (TASI). Vaibhav also teaches animation and is a visiting faculty at various animation and design schools across India.
Jatin Varma
Jatin Varma is the founder of Comic Con India and Chief Trustee of the Comic Book Trust of India.
A lifelong comics fan turned industry builder, he has spent over a decade championing comic culture and creating spaces where creators and fans can come together. His work has played a key role in bringing comics into India’s mainstream pop culture landscape. Through the Trust, he continues to focus on nurturing talent, supporting storytellers, and ensuring that Indian comics grow as a vibrant, respected creative medium for future generations.
Indian Comic Book
Awards FAQs
The Indian Comic Book Awards exist to recognise excellence in Indian comic book storytelling while strengthening access, preservation, and appreciation of the medium across India.
Terms & Conditions
These Terms & Conditions govern submissions to the Indian Comic Book Awards organized by The Comic Book Trust of India (TCBT India). By submitting an entry, you agree to these terms.
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