Collectors Network Holdings, PBC (CNHP), a Public Benefit Corporation that owns ComicArtFans.com (CAF), the global hub for everything related to original art from comic books and other narrative or visual storytelling art, is proud to announce the seven recipients of the inaugural Jack & Roz Kirby Awards (the Kirbys).
The Kirbys are an annual award recognizing innovation, excellence, and humanity in narrative communication. Its first award ceremony was held at the Original Art Expo (OAX) in Orlando, Florida on Saturday, February 21 and co-hosted by Kasra Ghanbari and Rob Salkowitz. OAX is produced by CAF and is an art fair and trade show hybrid being developed as an annual platform to exclusively showcase the narrative arts, most especially comic book, illustration, collector card, comic strip, game, animation, and other visual storytelling art.
Kirby Award ceremony at OAX pavilion
The Kirbys were announced on October 8, 2025 under a partnership between CAF, The Estate of Jack Kirby (Kirby Estate) as represented by The Rosalind Kirby Family Trust, and The Jack Kirby Museum & Research Center (Kirby Museum). The award process was conducted by an Oversight Council, Advisory Board, and Voting Committee, who selectively have responsibilities to nominate candidates and vote on the award winners. The Founding Sponsors of the Kirbys were Marvel Comics, GalaxyCon, Cosmic Lion Productions, and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.
“The first Jack & Roz Kirby Awards was a wonderful and meaningful event due in large part to the incredible contributions and goodwill of all involved,” said Kasra Ghanbari, CEO of CNHP and Creator of the Jack & Roz Kirby Awards. “I want to especially thank both Tracy Kirby and Jeremy Kirby, who were in attendance with their family members along with Tom Kraft and Rand Hoppe of the Kirby Museum. Looking forward, the 2027 Kirby Awards will have an expanded Advisory Board and Voting Committee, which will be announced by June with the 2027 award process starting in July and ending by October.”
“The Kirby family would like to congratulate everyone involved, as well as the first award recipients,” said Tracy Kirby, representative of the Kirby Estate. “We are thrilled how this all came together and honored Jack’s legacy and Roz’s love and dedication to Jack’s success and perseverance. As part of the Oversight Council, I am excited for the future of these awards and our partnership with CAF.”
In a provided statement, the Kirby Museum said, “Congratulations to the inaugural Jack & Roz Kirby Award recipients! We are proud to honor those who keep the Kirby legacy alive.”
For its first year, the Kirbys consisted of seven total award categories that celebrate the artist’s journey. The awards categories have no time restrictions, aside from the Newcomer Award; no geographic limits; and are English only (original/translated). Nominees must be alive at the time of nomination and, after winning a Kirby Award, are ineligible to be nominated for another five years.
The five Core Awards reflect attributes of Jack Kirby and of dedicated, lifelong creators. Voting Committee members have the exclusive responsibility to provide up to two nominations per category and are the sole voters for these categories.
INDEPENDENCE
“one who remains steadfast and fierce”
The nominee has demonstrated the ability to operate outside the confines of established systems and control structures to freely create works that express deeply personal beliefs, themes, and values without censorship and commercial pressure.
INNOVATOR
“one distinguished by new methods, approaches, and ideas”
The nominee has demonstrated clear innovation in methods, techniques, styles, storytelling, solutions, and/or packaging, and in so doing, has challenged the status quo and expanded the possibilities for all.
VISIONARY
“one distinguished by vital originality”
The nominee has demonstrated the ability to display and communicate worlds, characters, ideas, symbols, and realities beyond our current norms and understanding in contributing to our general comprehension and evolution.
NEWCOMER
“one to support in all ways”
The nominee has demonstrated early in their artistic life unique capabilities, viewpoints, perspectives, dedication, and perseverance that invites the possibility of consistently unique and impactful works being created.
STORYTELLER
“one adept at shared human connection”
The nominee has demonstrated the ability to synthesize the complex and varied components of storytelling to powerfully connect with, engage, and impact others.
The two Legacy Awards are a type of career achievement award, one of which is rooted in a fundamental character trait of a distinguished creator, and the other recognizing the underlying quality, innovation, importance, and distinction of a creator’s body of work. Nominations are electively provided by all Oversight Council, Advisory Board, and Voting Committee members and then voted on by the Oversight Council and Voting Committee.
CREATOR
“one whose life’s work is exemplar for those to come”
The nominee has demonstrated the desire, ability, and commitment to time and again reenter the creative process and engage the often unpredictable and arduous creative journey towards conveying to us new stories, characters, themes, symbols, and possibilities.
TEACHER
“one who suspends self and readily bestows experience and guidance”
The nominee has demonstrated the rare and critical ability to take that which they’ve experienced and learned and in a natural and discerning manner communicate their knowledge to others in a way that’s timely, uplifting, and impactful.
The Kirby Award statue was designed by Kasra Ghanbari and sculpted by Carlos Soca. A representative example of the statue was unveiled at the ceremony. The statue is a stark depiction of what it takes to create: a working space, the basic tools you’ve mastered, and your internal drive to create. The statue combines iconic imagery from Jack Kirby’s work space, along with ideas and symbols from two of Albrecht Dürer’s engravings, Melencolia I and Saint Jerome In His Study, and presents it to the recipient as the ultimate invitation and challenge, with the empty chair having the award winner’s name laser engraved on the seat back. The statue has been designed and constructed as a handmade work of art that we hope will take its place in a creator’s studio space or home.
The Kirbys are organized as follows, with full details in our December 23, 2025 press release.
Kasra Ghanbari is available for interviews, panels, and editorial features focused on the mission, impact, and future of The Kirby Awards.
For all requests, please contact Matthew Sardo, Director of Digital Communications, at msardo@comicartfans.com.
JACK & ROZ KIRBY
Jack Kirby (1917-1994) and Roz Kirby (1922-1997) were married in 1942, and over the next 50 plus years this is what they did together: revolutionized genres such as crime, war, romance and superhero comics including the creation of X-Men (Professor X, Cyclops, Marvel Girl/Phoenix, Beast, Angel, Iceman), Fantastic Four (Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm), The Avengers, The Forever People, The Inhumans, The Eternals, The New Gods, Sgt. Fury & His Howling Commandos, Captain America, Iron Man, The Hulk, Thor, Galactus, Silver Surfer, Black Panther, Wasp, Scarlet Witch, Wonder Man, Machine Man, Ant-Man, Magneto, Doctor Doom, Nick Fury, Red Skull, SHIELD, AIM, HYDRA, The Sentinels, The Skrulls, Uatu (The Watcher), Black Bolt, MODOK, Mister Miracle, Darkseid, OMAC, Kamandi, and The Demon amongst many, many other characters and properties.
THE ROSALIND KIRBY FAMILY TRUST
The Rosalind Kirby Trust upholds the legacy of Jack Kirby and ensures his creations continue to inspire millions around the world. More information HERE.
THE JACK KIRBY MUSEUM & RESEARCH CENTER
The Jack Kirby Museum & Research Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and encouraging the study, understanding, preservation, and appreciation of the life, work, and legacy of Jack Kirby—one of the most influential creators in comics and popular culture—more information HERE.
English (US) · 