Inkpot Award

The Inkpot Award, bestowed annually since 1974 by Comic-Con International, is given to professionals in comic book, comic strip, animation, science fiction, and related pop-culture fields, who are guests of that organization's yearly multigenre fan convention, commonly known as Comic-Con or the San Diego Comic-Con. Also eligible are members of Comic-Con's Board of Directors and convention committee.

The recipients, listed below, are known primarily as comics creators (writers, artists, letterers, colorists), editors, or publishers, unless otherwise noted.

1974

 * Forrest J. Ackerman (magazine editor)
 * Ray Bradbury (prose writer)
 * Kirk Alyn (actor)
 * Milton Caniff
 * Frank Capra (filmmaker)
 * Bob Clampett (animator)
 * June Foray (voice actress)
 * Eric Hoffman (film historian)
 * Chuck Jones (animator)
 * Jack Kirby
 * Stan Lee
 * Bill Lund / William R. Lund (actor/writer/founding member of San Diego Comic-Con)
 * Russ Manning
 * Russell Myers (creator of 'Broom Hilda' comic strip)
 * Charles Schulz
 * Phil Seuling (Comic Art Convention founder)
 * Roy Thomas
 * Bjo Trimble (science-fiction fandom figure)

1975

 * Barry Alfonso (writer/founding member of San Diego Comic-Con)
 * Brad Anderson
 * Robert Bloch (prose writer)
 * Vaughn Bodé
 * Edgar Rice Burroughs (prose writer)
 * Daws Butler (voice actor)
 * Richard Butner (Comic-Con Chair-person; NO relation to prose writer)
 * Shel Dorf ('Founding Father' of San Diego Comic-Con)
 * Will Eisner
 * Mark Evanier
 * Gil Kane
 * Alan Light
 * Dick Moores
 * George Pal (filmmaker)
 * Rod Serling (screenwriter)
 * Joe Shuster
 * Jerry Siegel
 * Barry Windsor-Smith
 * Jim Starlin
 * Jim Steranko
 * Ted Sturgeon (prose writer)
 * Larry ("Seymour") Vincent (TV horror-movie host)

1976

 * Neal Adams
 * Sergio Aragonés
 * Mel Blanc (voice actor)
 * Frank Brunner
 * Rick Griffin
 * Johnny Hart
 * George Clayton Johnson (screenwriter)
 * Vicky Kelso (long-time Secretary of San Diego Comic-Con)
 * Mel Lazarus
 * Sheldon Mayer
 * Dale Messick
 * Alex Niño
 * Don Rico
 * Don Thompson
 * Maggie Thompson

1977

 * Alfredo Alcala
 * Carl Barks
 * C. C. Beck
 * Howard Chaykin
 * Lester Dent (prose writer)
 * Jackie Estrada
 * Hal Foster
 * Walter Gibson (prose writer)
 * Jim Harmon (writer/old radio & movie serial historian)
 * Robert A. Heinlein (prose writer)
 * Gene Henderson (San Diego Comic-Con's Historian & Director-at-Large)
 * Michael Kaluta
 * Joe Kubert
 * Harvey Kurtzman
 * George Lucas (filmmaker)
 * Stan Lynde
 * Byron Preiss
 * Trina Robbins
 * Stanley Ralph Ross
 * Bill Scott
 * David Scroggy
 * Jay Ward (TV producer)
 * Len Wein

1978

 * John Buscema
 * Al Capp
 * Gene Colan
 * Gill Fox
 * Tom French
 * Steve Gerber
 * Chester Gould
 * Burne Hogarth
 * Bob Kane
 * Ken Krueger (founding member of San Diego Comic-Con)
 * Bernie Lansky
 * Gray Morrow
 * Clarence Nash
 * Grim Natwick
 * Bill Rotsler
 * Mike Royer
 * Gilbert Shelton
 * Dave Sheridan
 * Bil Stout
 * Frank Thorne
 * Boris Vallejo
 * Mort Weisinger
 * Elmer Woggon

1979

 * Craig Anderson
 * Steve Englehart
 * Dale Enzenbacher
 * Kelly Freas
 * Virginia French
 * H. R. Giger (painter)
 * Gene Hazelton
 * Carl Macek
 * Victor Moscoso
 * Larry Niven (prose writer)
 * Dan O'Neill
 * Virgil Partch
 * Jerry Pournelle
 * Nestor Redondo
 * Marshall Rogers
 * John Romita, Sr.
 * Bill Spicer
 * Mort Walker
 * Marv Wolfman

1980

 * Terry Austin
 * Murray Bishoff
 * Pat Boyette
 * John Byrne
 * Canadian Film Board
 * Ernie Chan
 * Chris Claremont
 * Shary Flenniken
 * Mike Friedrich
 * Rick Geary
 * Don Glut
 * S. Gross
 * Al Hartley
 * B. Kliban
 * Jerry Muller
 * George Olshevsky
 * Joe Orlando
 * Fred Patten
 * Don Phelps
 * Richard Pini
 * Wendy Pini
 * David Raskin
 * Scott Shaw! (artist/animator/founding member of San Diego Comic-Con)
 * Jim Shooter
 * John Stanley
 * B. K. Taylor
 * Osamu Tezuka (animator)
 * Adam West (actor)
 * Wally Wood

1981

 * Jerry Bails
 * L. B. Cole
 * Jim Fitzpatrick
 * Dick Giordano
 * Dave Graue
 * Paul Gulacy
 * Mary Henderson
 * Karl Hubenthal
 * Bil Keane
 * Frank Miller
 * Doug Moench
 * Monkey Punch
 * Dennis O'Neil
 * Gary Owens
 * Richard Rockwell, also known as Dick Rockwell
 * Allen Saunders
 * Julius Schwartz
 * Mike Sekowsky
 * Bill Sienkiewicz
 * Dave Sim
 * Alex Toth
 * Morrie Turner
 * Bill Woggon

1982

 * Bob Bindig
 * Brian Bolland
 * Russ Cochran
 * David Cockrum
 * Max Allan Collins
 * Chase Craig
 * Archie Goodwin
 * Mike Grell
 * Bruce Hamilton
 * Jack Katz
 * Howard Kazanjian
 * Hank Ketcham
 * Walter Koenig (actor)
 * Richard Kyle
 * Lee Marrs
 * Frank Marshall
 * John Pound(artist/founding member of San Diego Comic-Con)
 * Tony Raiola
 * Steven Spielberg (filmmaker)
 * Leonard Starr
 * Robert Williams

1983

 * Douglas Adams (prose writer)
 * Maeheah Alzmann
 * Jim Aparo
 * Don Bluth
 * Floyd Gottfredson
 * Norman Maurer
 * George Pérez
 * Arn Saba
 * Dan Spiegle
 * Joe Staton
 * James Van Hise
 * Cat Yronwode

1984

 * Murphy Anderson
 * Ramon Arambola
 * Greg Bear (prose writer/founding member of San Diego Comic-Con)
 * Fae (Gates) Desmond, Comic-Con Executive Director
 * Stan Drake
 * John Field
 * Rick Hoberg
 * Greg Jein
 * Ollie Johnston
 * Brant Parker
 * Robert Shayne (actor)
 * Curt Swan
 * Frank Thomas
 * Jim Valentino
 * Al Williamson

1985

 * Brent Anderson
 * Ben Bova (book/magazine editor)
 * David Brin
 * Jack Cummings
 * Jack Davis
 * Alan Moore
 * Dan O'Bannon (filmmaker)
 * Tom Orzechowski
 * John Rogers
 * Alex Schomburg
 * Walt Simonson

1986

 * Poul Anderson (prose writer)
 * Marion Zimmer Bradley (prose writer)
 * Dave Gibbons
 * Jean ("Moebius") Giraud
 * Gilbert Hernandez
 * Jaime Hernandez
 * Denis Kitchen
 * Steve Leialoha
 * Marty Nodell
 * Harvey Pekar
 * Mark Stadler
 * Dave Stevens

1987

 * Harlan Ellison (prose writer)
 * Larry Geeck
 * Ward Kimball
 * Deni Loubert
 * Bill Messner-Loebs
 * Mike Peters
 * Bill Schanes
 * Steve Schanes
 * Robert Silverberg (prose writer)
 * Art Spiegelman
 * Bernie Wrightson
 * Ray Zone (3-D historian)
 * Steve Ditko was presented an Inkpot Award in absentia, accepted on his behalf by Renegade Press publisher Deni Loubert, who had published Ditko's World in 1986. Ditko refused the award, and returned it to Loubert after having phoned her to say, "Awards bleed the artist and make us compete against each other. They are the most horrible things in the world. How dare you accept this on my behalf". At his behest, Loubert returned the award to the convention organizers.

1988

 * Frank Alison, Comic-Con Director-at-Large
 * Robert Asprin (prose writer)
 * Mike Baron
 * Lynda Barry
 * John Bolton
 * Jules Feiffer
 * Raymond Feist (prose writer)
 * Matt Groening
 * Gary Groth
 * George R. R. Martin (prose writer)
 * Mike Pasqua
 * Steve Rude
 * Marie Severin
 * Matt Wagner

1989

 * Richard Alf (founding member of San Diego Comic-Con)
 * R. Crumb
 * Howard Cruse
 * Kevin Eastman
 * Lee Falk
 * Ron Goulart (prose writer)
 * Walt Kelly
 * Peter Laird
 * Syd Mead (industrial designer)
 * Andre Norton (prose writer)
 * Jerry Robinson
 * Diana Schutz
 * Janet Tait
 * Ron Turner
 * Gahan Wilson

1990

 * Karen Berger
 * Bob Burden
 * Tom DeFalco
 * William Gaines
 * Jim Henson (puppeteer)
 * Randy and Jean-Marc Lofficier
 * Grant Morrison
 * Bob Overstreet
 * Mary Reynante
 * Bob Schreck
 * Ken Steacy
 * Rick Sternbach (film/TV illustrator)
 * Charles Vess

1991

 * Alicia Austin
 * Clive Barker (prose writer)
 * Dan Barry
 * Dan DeCarlo
 * Creig Flessel
 * Neil Gaiman
 * Ted Geisel (Dr. Seuss)
 * Keith Giffen
 * George Gladir
 * Joe Haldeman (prose novelist)
 * Lynn Johnston
 * Carol Kalish
 * Don Maitz
 * Sheldon Moldoff
 * Steve Oliff
 * Julie Roloff
 * Stan Sakai

1992

 * Carina Burns-Chenelle
 * Bob Chapman
 * Francis Ford Coppola (filmmaker)
 * Robin Doig
 * Alan Grant
 * Bill Griffith
 * Ray Harryhausen (filmmaker)
 * Marc Hempel
 * Jim Lee
 * Milo Manara
 * Scott McCloud
 * Todd McFarlane
 * Rowena Morrill (book/magazine illustrator)
 * Diane Noomin
 * Louise Simonson
 * Dick Sprang
 * Vernor Vinge (prose writer)
 * Mark Wheatley

1993

 * Gary Carter (comics historian)
 * Phil Foglio
 * Robert Goodwin
 * Ferd Johnson
 * Don Martin
 * Dave McKean
 * Clydene Nee
 * Paul Norris
 * Paul Power
 * P. Craig Russell
 * Mark Schultz
 * Vincent Sullivan
 * Michael Whelan (artist)
 * Roger Zelazny (prose writer)

1994

 * Mike Carlin
 * Paul Chadwick
 * Al Feldstein
 * Stan Goldberg
 * Roberta Gregory
 * Chad Grothkopf
 * Jerry Ordway
 * Bud Plant
 * Mike Richardson
 * John Romita, Jr.
 * Richard Rowell
 * Lucius Shepard (prose writer)
 * Mickey Spillane (prose writer)
 * J. Michael Stracynski
 * Rumiko Takahashi

1995

 * Roger Corman (filmmaker)
 * Greg Hildbrandt
 * Tim Hildebrant
 * Ryuichi Ikegami
 * Irv Novick
 * Joe Sinnott

1996

 * Donna Barr
 * Mort Drucker
 * Joe Giella
 * Jim Mooney
 * Kurt Schaffenberger
 * François Schuiten
 * David Siegel

1997

 * Dick Ayers
 * Steve Bissette
 * Terry Brooks (prose writer)
 * Bob Haney
 * Russ Heath
 * Carol Lay
 * Michael Moorcock (prose writer)
 * Janice Tobias
 * George Tuska

1998

 * John Broome
 * Eddie Campbell
 * Nick Cardy
 * David Glanzer, Comic-Con Director of Marketing and Publicity
 * Fred Guardineer
 * Lorenzo Mattotti
 * Paul S. Newman
 * John Severin
 * Joe Simon
 * Naoko Takeuchi
 * Mark Yturralde (filmmaker)

1999

 * Tom Batiuk
 * Chuck Cuidera
 * Samuel R. Delany (prose writer)
 * Arnold Drake
 * Sam Glanzman
 * Larry Gonick
 * Irwin Hasen
 * Sue Lord, Comic-Con HR/Guest Relations

2000

 * Will Elder
 * Rick Estrada, also known as Ric Estrada
 * Phoebe Gloeckner
 * Beth Holley, Comic-Con VP, Exhibits
 * Carmine Infantino
 * Jack Kamen
 * Ben Katchor
 * Harry Lampert
 * Bryan Talbot
 * Angelo Torres
 * Lewis Trondheim

2001

 * Henry Boltinoff
 * Irwin Donenfeld
 * Brian and Wendy Froud
 * Martin Jaquish, Comic-Con Director-at-Large
 * Joe R. Lansdale
 * Spider and Jeanne Robinson (prose writers)
 * Alvin Schwartz [NOTE: Unclear which of two writers Alvin Schwartz]
 * Jeff Smith
 * Kim Thompson

2002

 * Eddie Ibrahim, Comic-Con Director of Programming
 * Frank Jacobs
 * Jason
 * Paul Levitz
 * Bob Lubbers
 * Bob Oksner
 * Lew Sayre Schwartz
 * Hal Sherman
 * Herb Trimpe
 * William Woolfolk

2003

 * Charles Berberian
 * Frank Bolle
 * Sal Buscema
 * John Davenport, Comic-Con Events staff
 * Philippe Dupuy
 * Steve Jackson (games manufacturer)
 * Sid Jacobson
 * Larry Lieber
 * Terry Moore
 * Howard Post

2004

 * Jack Adler
 * Tom Gill
 * Harry Harrison (prose writer)
 * Bruce Jones
 * Batton Lash
 * Mike Mignola
 * Bill Plympton (animator)
 * Frank Springer
 * John Totleben

2005

 * Lee Ames
 * Sy Barry
 * Taerie Bryant, Comic-Con Fandom Services
 * Bob Bolling
 * Bob Fujitani
 * Dexter Taylor

2006

 * Peter S. Beagle (Outstanding Achievement in Science Fiction and Fantasy)
 * Art Clokey (animator)
 * Luis Dominguez
 * Basil Gogos
 * Everett Raymond Kinstler (former comics artist; presidential portrait painter)
 * Kazuo Koike
 * Bill Pittman, Comic-Con VP Operations
 * Yoshihiro Tatsumi

2007

 * Allen Bellman
 * Renée French
 * Gary Friedrich
 * Adam Hughes
 * Miriam Katin
 * Mel Keefer
 * Joseph Michael Linsner
 * David Morrell (prose writer)
 * Lily Renée Phlllips
 * Mike Ploog
 * Mary Sturhann, Comic-Con Secretary
 * Dan Vado
 * Mark Verheiden
 * F. Paul Wilson (prose writer)

2008

 * Kyle Baker
 * Ralph Bakshi (animator)
 * Mike W. Barr
 * Ed Brubaker
 * Kim Deitch
 * Victor Gorelick
 * Al Jaffee
 * James Jira, Comic-Con Asst. to President
 * Todd Klein (letterer)
 * Dean Koontz (prose writer)
 * Tite Kubo
 * Noel Neill (actress)
 * Floyd Norman
 * Jeff Watts
 * Bill Willingham
 * Connie Willis
 * Jim Woodring

2009

 * Hayao Miyazaki
 * John Lasseter
 * Dwayne McDuffie