World Literary Awards

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R. Kikuo Johnson

アール・キクオ・ジョンソン

R. Kikuo Johnson

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1981-01-01 （Maui, Hawaii, United States）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English

Career

Occupations
Illustrator, Cartoonist, Graphic Novelist, Educator
Active Years
2005-
Influenced By
David Mazzucchelli, Hawaiian oral traditions and folklore

Education

Rhode Island School of Design
Illustration / Illustration
Period: 2000–2004
Year of Graduation: 2004
Country: United States
Studied under David Mazzucchelli

Awards

Whiting Award
2023
Category: Fiction
Organization: Whiting Foundation
Result: Winner
Ignatz Award (Outstanding Graphic Novel)
2022
Work: No One Else
Category: Outstanding Graphic Novel
Organization: Ignatz Awards
Result: Winner
Lucca Comics Award (Best Script)
2022
Work: No One Else
Category: Best Script
Organization: Lucca Comics & Games
Result: Winner
LA Times Book Prize (Graphic Novel/Comics)
2021
Work: No One Else
Category: Graphic Novel/Comics
Organization: Los Angeles Times
Result: Winner
Lynd Ward Prize (Honor)
2022
Work: No One Else
Category: Honor
Organization: Lynd Ward Prize
Result: Honor
Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature
2013
Work: The Shark King
Organization: Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)
Result: Winner
Harvey Award (Best New Talent)
2006
Work: Night Fisher
Category: Best New Talent
Organization: Harvey Awards
Result: Winner
Russ Manning Award
2006
Work: Night Fisher
Category: Most Promising Newcomer
Organization: Comic-Con International
Result: Winner
ASME Best Cover
2022
Work: The New Yorker cover "Delayed"
Category: News and Politics
Organization: American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME)
Result: Winner
Society of Illustrators Gold Medal (Editorial)
2021
Work: The New Yorker cover "Delayed"
Category: Editorial
Organization: Society of Illustrators
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Night Fisher

2005 Graphic novel / Semi-autobiographical coming-of-age

A semi-autobiographical coming-of-age story set on Maui, depicting youth, loneliness, and family relationships with delicate illustration.

Coming of ageFamilyIsland landscapeLoss

The Shark King

2012 All-ages graphic novel (based on myth)

An all-ages graphic novel based on the Hawaiian legend of Nanaue, conveying traditional culture and hero myth through clear, expressive art.

MythIdentityThe sea

No One Else

2021 Graphic novella

A quiet, finely observed graphic novella that examines loss, memory, and quotidian details in a blue-toned aesthetic; widely praised by major publications.

LossMemoryUrban lifeLoneliness

Bibliography

  • Night Fisher, Fantagraphics, 2005
  • The Shark King, Toon Books, 2012
  • No One Else, Fantagraphics, 2021

Adaptations

  • Several New Yorker covers and illustrations (media appearances)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Restrained linework and subdued color palettesDetail-oriented observational depiction
Recurring Motifs
The sea and wavesIsland landscapesFamily memoryBlue tonality

Legacy

As a Hawaiian-born illustrator and graphic novelist, he has been acclaimed for both long-form comics and magazine covers. The success of No One Else helped further recognition of graphic novels within literary prizes; in 2023 he became the first graphic novelist to receive a Whiting Award for fiction.

Museums

  • Library of Congress (Prints and Photographs Division) Washington, D.C., United States

Archives

  • Works and prints held in the Library of Congress

In Popular Culture

  • Multiple New Yorker covers have made his imagery part of contemporary magazine culture

Quotes

  • "note-perfect"
    Source: The New York Times (review of No One Else) (2021)

Trivia

  • In 2023 became the first graphic novelist to receive a Whiting Award.
  • Has taught a comics creation class at RISD since 2009.
  • Has produced multiple covers for The New Yorker.