The National Cartoonist Society has announced the first round of division nominees for this year's Reuben Awards. Current plans are for a Virtual Reubens Weekend in the fall (October).

The National Cartoonists Society is an organization of professional cartoonists in the United States.  The Society was born in 1946 when groups of cartoonists got together to entertain the troops.

The nominees announced are for 5 categories:

• Gag cartoons
• Newspaper comic strips
• Newspaper panels
• Editorial cartoons
• Variety entertainment

The nominees are:

Gag Cartoons

• Kendra Allenby
• Robert Leighton
• Ellis Rosen

Newspaper Comic Strips

• Brian Crane – Pickles
• Jeff Parker & Steve Kelley – Dustin
• Ricardo Siri – Macanudo

Newspaper Panels

• Bill Abbott – Specktickles
• Dave Blazek – Loose Parts
• Mark Parisi – Off the Mark
• Bill Whitehead – Free Range

Editorial Cartoons

• Darrin Bell
• Bruce MacKinnon
• Nancy Ohanian
• Christopher Weyant

Variety Entertainment

• Chuck Dillon – Search and Find Puzzles for (Immature) Adults
• Chuck Dillon – What’s Wrong
• John Graziano – Ripley’s Believe it or Not!