Legendary Comic Book Creators and Cartoonists to be Honored during New York Comic Con:
Wendy and Richard Pini, Patrick McDonnell, John Byrne, Peter David, and Barbara Shermund
THE HARVEY AWARDS ANNOUNCE SIX HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES FOR 2025
NEW YORK — October 10, 2025 — The Harvey Awards today revealed this year’s inductees into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame in advance of the 37th Harvey Awards ceremony to be held during New York Comic Con. The 2025 Harvey Awards will honor six recipients: legendary husband-and-wife creative team Wendy and Richard Pini (ElfQuest); prolific cartoonist and author Patrick McDonnell (Mutts, The Super Hero’s Journey); acclaimed writer and artist John Byrne (X-Men, Fantastic Four, Superman); award-winning writer Peter David (The Incredible Hulk, Star Trek, Fallen Angel) (posthumously); and Barbara Shermund, one of the first women cartoonists to work for The New Yorker (posthumously).
“What an astonishing surprise! Wendy and I are honored to be inducted into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame,” said Richard Pini. “We used to wonder why this or that book of ElfQuest always seemed to fly under the ‘award radar.’ This acknowledgement brings the answer into focus. ElfQuest isn’t a single issue or series; rather, it is the cumulative work of both our lives, and we are deeply grateful for the recognition.”
“I’ve loved comics my whole life,” said Patrick McDonnell. “It’s an honor and a thrill to be inducted into the Hall of Fame named for one of the true masters of our unique art form, Harvey Kurtzman. I greatly appreciate this award.”
“Tippity tap tippity tap, and ‘thank you very much,’ might be what you’d hear if Peter’s corporeal form were with us to take a call congratulating him on the Harvey’s Hall of Fame induction, because he’d be simultaneously working on whatever was next,” said Shana David-Massett, acknowledging the posthumous award for her father, Peter David. “The whirring and clicking of a keyboard was part of the soundtrack to life with a writer of so very much stuff and a giver of voices to countless characters, with a sense of humor we will hear in dialogue still yet to be, in more than one universe. ‘Gotta go,’ he’d say, ‘I’m on a deadline.’ A dutiful employee, a world builder, a fan, and a good guy.”
The Harvey Awards Hall of Fame inductees will be recognized at the annual awards ceremony on Friday, October 10, during New York Comic Con 2025.
The Harvey Awards Steering Committee is co-chaired by Nellie Kurtzman, John Lind, and Chip Mosher. Camilla Di Persia, Alex Rae, and Chris D’Lando of ReedPop are coordinating this year’s awards. For more information about Harvey Kurtzman and the Harvey Awards, please visit harveyawards.com or the Harvey Awards social media pages (Facebook and X).
New York Comic Con, the ultimate pop culture destination event in the United States, will take place on October 9–12, 2025, at the Javits Center in New York City. NYCC brings the best of comics, television, film, exhibitors, celebrities, cosplay, anime, and more to create memorable, uniquely exciting experiences for fans. These experiences transcend beyond the walls of the Javits Center and continue to live beyond the weekend of NYCC through the online world of New York Comic Con’s Popverse.
About Harvey Kurtzman and the Harvey Awards:
Harvey Kurtzman (1924–1993), creator of MAD, was a cartoonist and pop culture icon. Among the most influential American satirists, he was known for his visionary abilities that encompassed author, artist, designer, and editor, and combined those skills in some capacity in almost every project he was involved in. The Harvey Awards, presented annually since 1988, are named in his honor and aim to recognize the achievements among creators and their books in the publishing industry.
About ReedPop:
ReedPop is a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions — one of the world’s leading events organizers. Launched in 2006, the group has become the number one producer of pop culture events across the globe as well as a full service digital content provider and media company. Delivering once-in-a-lifetime fan experiences curated specifically for localized audiences, ReedPop currently features events in North America and Europe, including: New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), PAX West, East, and Unplugged, Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC), Florida Supercon, Star Wars Celebration, MCM Comic Con, Eurogamer Expo (EGX), and more. The staff at ReedPop are a fan-based, globally focused group of professionals that are uniquely qualified to build and serve the communities with whom they share a common passion. (www.reedpop.com)