Ngozi Ukazu is an American cartoonist and graphic novelist. In 2013, she created the webcomic Check, Please!, which later became a New York Times-bestselling graphic novel.
| Ngozi Ukazu | |
|---|---|
 Ukazu at the 2024 Texas Book Festival. | |
| Nationality | American |
| Area(s) | Cartoonist, Writer |
Notable works | Check, Please! |
| Awards | "Digital Book of the Year" Harvey Award (2019) "Outstanding Comic" Ignatz Award (2019) |
| http://www.ngoziu.com | |
Early life
editNgozi Ukazu grew up in Houston, Texas.[1][2] She attended Bellaire High School, where she contributed to the school’s newspaper, The Three Penny Press, as the comics editor. She is the daughter of Nigerian parents.[2] She studied computer science, obtaining a degree in Computing and The Arts from Yale University in 2013[3] and earned a masters degree in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2015.[4]
Career
editUkazu launched Check, Please! as a webcomic in 2013 after writing a screenplay about Eric "Bitty" Bittle, a gay college freshman and champion figure skater who joins a hockey team.[5][6]
Ukazu created a Kickstarter campaign in 2015 to print the first volume of the comic; the campaign resulted in the highest-funded comics project in Kickstarter's history.[7] In 2018, the first installment, Check, Please!: #Hockey, was published by First Second Books.[1] The sequel, Check, Please!: Sticks & Scones, was a New York Times bestseller in May 2020.[8]
For DC Comics she created the graphic novel Barda in 2024, both writing and illustrating.[9]
Publications
edit- 2018: Check, Please!: #Hockey
- 2020: Check, Please!: Sticks & Scones
Awards and honors
edit- 2019 Ignatz Award - Winner, Outstanding Comic[10]
- 2019 Harvey Award - Winner, Digital Book of the Year[11]
- 2019 YALSA - Finalist | William C. Morris Award
- 2018 The Boston Globe - Best YA of 2018[12]
- 2018 Kirkus Reviews - Best Young Adult Books of 2018 That Explore Family and Self[13]
- 2018 New York Public Library’s Best Books - Top Ten Books For Teens[14]
- 2018 Best of Austin - Arts & Entertainment Critics Pick[15]
- 2018 Harvey Awards - Nominee, Digital Book of the Year[16]
- 2017 National Cartoonists Society - Winner, Best Online Comic: Long Form[17]
- 2017 NPR - 100 Favorite Comics And Graphic Novels[18]
References
edit- ^ a b Brenner, Wayne Alan (2018-09-05). "Ngozi Ukazu Hip-Checks This Year's Staple! Expo". Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2020-05-24. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ^ a b Hagerty, Michael (2018-11-01). "Check, Please! How a Web Comic About Hockey and Baking Went Viral". Houston Public Media. Archived from the original on 2020-06-14. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
- ^ "Check, Please!". Tumblr. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
- ^ "Ngozi Ukazu". Ngozi Ukazu. Archived from the original on 2020-06-01. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
- ^ Romano, Aja (2016-06-29). "Why queer hockey webcomic Check, Please! is stealing the internet's heart". Vox. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
- ^ Lehoczky, Etelka (30 September 2018). "Life, Love and Hockey (Oooh, And Pie) In 'Check, Please!'". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
- ^ "Get a first look at the conclusion to Ngozi Ukazu's 'Check, Please' books". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2019-10-31. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ^ "Graphic Books and Manga - Best Sellers - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2019-11-06. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
- ^ "FCBD Announcement". Archived from the original on 2024-05-16. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
- ^ Staff, Beat (2019-10-09). "Syndicated Comics". The Beat. Archived from the original on 2020-04-14. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- ^ "And the Winners of the 2019 HARVEY AWARDS are..." Newsarama. Archived from the original on 2020-01-02. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- ^ Globe, The Boston. "Best 2018 books for children". BostonGlobe.com. Archived from the original on 2020-05-14. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- ^ "Best Young Adult Books of 2018 From Kirkus Reviews – Children's Book Council". 3 December 2018. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- ^ "The New York Public Library Unveils Its Best Books of 2018 for Kids, Teens, and Adults". The New York Public Library. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- ^ "Best Reason to Care About Hockey (Besides the Texas Stars): Ngozi Ukazu". www.austinchronicle.com. Archived from the original on 2020-05-24. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- ^ "The Harvey Awards Reveal Nominees for 2018 - The Harvey Awards". www.harveyawards.com. 2018-08-09. Archived from the original on 2020-06-14. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- ^ "71st Annual Reuben Award Winners Announced!". Retrieved 2020-05-25.
- ^ Weldon, Glen; Mayer, Petra (12 July 2017). "Let's Get Graphic: 100 Favorite Comics And Graphic Novels". NPR.org. Archived from the original on 2021-02-13. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
External links
edit
Media related to Ngozi Ukazu at Wikimedia Commons