This Just In: Cartooning's 'Oscars' announce the division nominees

Not only is MAD magazine artist Tom Richmond overwhelmed, in disbelief and "suitably humbled." He also is awaiting a "hanging-chad controversy" to emerge.

So says Richmond on his "Mad Blog," in acknowledging that he's up for three -- count 'em, three -- National Cartoonists Society awards this year.

The NCS has just announced its 2010 divisional awards. Richmond, the ever-talented MAD caricaturist, is nominated for Newspaper Illustration; for Magazine Feature/Illustration; and for Book Illustration ("Bo Confidential").

Also scoring multiple nominations are Glenn McCoy (Gag Cartoons and Greeting Cards) and Dave Whamond (Gag Cartoons and Book Illustration, "My Think-a-Ma-Jink").

The nominees for Newspaper Comic Strip are John Hambrock ("The Brilliant Mind of Edison Lee"); Wiley Miller ("Non Sequitur"); and Jerry Scott & Jim Borgman ("Zits").

Nominated for Newspaper Panel Cartoon are Dave Blazek ("Loose Parts"); Tony Carillo ("F Minus"); and Hilary Price ("Rhymes With Orange").

Competing for the Editorial Cartoon award are Nick Anderson,
Rob Rogers and John Sherffius.

The Comic Book category pits Terry Moore ("Echo"); Paul Pope ("Strange Adventures"); and JH Williams ("Detective Comics"). The Graphic Novel nominees are David Mazzucchelli ("Asterios Polyp"); Seth ("George Sprott"); and David Small ("Stitches").

And having just screened the Irish-born "The Secret of Kells," it's no surprise to us that it received twin Feature Animation nominations -- for director Tomm Moore and character designer Barry Reynolds. The third nominee in the category is "Up" storyboard artist Ronnie del Carmen. (Both "Kells" and "Up" were up for the feature animation Oscar this year, of course, with the latter film winning the award.)

The nominees for the big Reuben Award -- Dan Piraro ("Bizarro"), Stephan Pastis ("Pearls Before Swine") and Richard Thompson ("Cul de Sac") -- were announced several weeks ago. All the winners will be announced Memorial Day weekend in New York.

Here's the official full list of nominees.