Rich Watson put out a press release today announcing the nominees for the fourth annual Glyph Comics Awards, which "recognize the best in comics made by, for, and about people of color."

The ballot for the fan award can be found here.

The 2009 GCA ceremony will be held May 15 in the Skyline Room of the Free Library of Philadelphia, Park Central branch, as part of East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention, which will take place at the Crown Plaza Philadelphia Center City.

The nominees for 2009 are after the break.

*****

Story of the Year

Bayou, Jeremy Love, writer and artist

Incognegro; Mat Johnson, writer, Warren Pleece, artist

Justice League of America: The Second Coming; Dwayne McDuffie, writer, Ed Benes, artist

Pilot Season: Genius, Marc Bernardin & Adam Freeman, writers, Afua Richardson, artist

Presidential Material: Barack Obama; Jeff Mariotte, writer, Tom Morgan, artist

Best Writer

Marc Bernardin & Adam Freeman, Genius

Mat Johnson, Incognegro

Jeremy Love, Bayou

Jeff Mariotte, Presidential Material: Barack Obama

Dwayne McDuffie, Justice League of America

Best Artist

Jamal Igle, Supergirl

Jeremy Love, Bayou

Warren Pleece, Incognegro

Afua Richardson, Pilot Season: Genius

Larry Stroman, Black Panther Annual #1

Best Male Character

Black Lightning, Final Crisis: Submit; Grant Morrison, writer, Matthew Clark, Norm Rapmund, Rob Hunter & Don Ho, artists; created by Tony Isabella & Trevor von Eeden

Black Panther, Black Panther Annual #1; Reginald Hudlin, writer, Larry Stroman & Ken Lashley, artists; created by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Lwanga Moses, Unknown Soldier; Joshua Dysart, writer, Alberto Ponticelli, artist; inspired by the character created by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert

The Spectre, Final Crisis: Revelations; Greg Rucka, writer, Philip Tan, Jeff de los Santos & Jonathan Glapion, artists; inspired by the character created by Jerry Siegel & Bernard Bailey

Zane Pinchback, Incognegro; created by Mat Johnson, writer, and Warren Pleece, artist

Best Female Character

Destiny Ajaye, Pilot Season: Genius; created by Marc Bernardin & Adam Freeman, writers, Afua Richardson, artist

Lee Wagstaff, Bayou; created by Jeremy Love, writer and artist

Storm, X-Men: Worlds Apart; Christopher Yost, writer, Diogenes Neves, artist; created by Len Wein & Dave Cockrum

Vielle, Fungus Grotto; created by Shatia Hamilton, writer and artist

Vixen, Vixen: Return of the Lion; G. Willow Wilson, writer, Cafu, artist; created by Gerry Conway & Bob Oksner

Rising Star Award

Jennifer Crute, Jennifer’s Journal

Damian Duffy & John Jennings, The Hole: Consumer Culture

Charlie Goubile, Blackbird

Starline X. Hodge, Candi

Ashley Woods, Millennia War

Best Reprint Collection

Aya of Yop City, Drawn & Quarterly

Me and the Devil Blues V1, Del Rey

Nat Turner HC, Abrams

Best Cover

Final Crisis: Submit, Matthew Clark & Norm Rapmund, artists; Richard & Tonya Horie, colors

The Hole: Consumer Culture; John Jennings, illustrator

Pilot Season: Genius, Afua Richardson, illustrator

Unknown Soldier #1, Igor Kordey, illustrator

Vixen: Return of the Lion #1; Josh Middleton, illustrator

Best Comic Strip

Bayou, Jeremy Love, writer and artist

Cafe con Leche; Charlos Gary, writer and artist

Fungus Grotto, Shatia Hamilton, writer and artist

“Jefferson Jacks” from Crankshaft; Tom Batiuk & Tony Isabella, writers, Chuck Ayers, artist

The K Chronicles, Keith Knight, writer and artist

Fan Award for Best Comic

Iron Man: Director of SHIELD #33-35; Christos Gage, writer, Sean Chen & Sandu Florea, artists

Pilot Season: Genius; Marc Bernardin & Adam Freeman, writers, Afua Richardson, artist

Presidential Material: Barack Obama; Jeff Mariotte, writer, Tom Morgan, artist

Vixen: Return of the Lion; G. Willow Wilson, writer, Cafu, artist

Young Avengers Presents #1; Ed Brubaker, writer, Paco Medina, artist

The judges for the 2009 competition are: Valerie D’Orazio, president of Friends of Lulu, blogger and comics writer; Mathan Erhardt, writer, Comics Nexus; Ed Mathews, columnist, Pop Image; Tim O’Shea, writer/interviewer, TalkingWithTim.com and Robot 6; and Elayne Riggs, comics reviewer and commentator.