Chris Staros is the Editor-in-Chief of Top Shelf Productions, one of the leading independent publishers of literary graphic novels.
In the recent past, he was also an adjunct professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) teaching Sequential Art classes to the next generation of industry professionals (2012-2017). Since the release of his first fanzine, The Staros Report, in 1994, and co-founding Top Shelf Productions, Inc. in 1997, Chris has published over 600 graphic novels that have helped the medium of comics thrive as a well-rounded and literary art form. Most notably, the March trilogy by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell; They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker; From Hell by Alan Moore & Eddie Campbell; The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill; Lost Girls by Alan Moore & Melinda Gebbie; Essex County and The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire; Ballad for Sophie by Filipe Melo & Juan Cavia; Blankets by Craig Thompson; Surfside Girls by Kim Dwinell; Red Panda & Moon Bear by Jarod Roselló; Kodi by Jared Cullum; Monster on the Hill by Rob Harrell; Loved & Lost, Clumsy and Unlikely by Jeffrey Brown; Cosmoknights by Hannah Templer; Home Time by Campbell Whyte; Belzebubs by JP Ahonen; and God is Disappointed in You by Mark Russell and Shannon Wheeler -- all of which have garnered accolades from the likes of CNN, NPR, Time, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, and the New York Times (with 6 having been made into feature films and TV shows). To date, 30 years of comics publishing experience, with 6 million creator-owned, indie graphic novels sold [which, to put in perspective, is half the views that a cute squirrel eating a nut can get on the internet in a day]. If you want to make him happy, talk to him about Elvis, as he loves The King more than anything.
Industry Awards for Top Shelf Graphic Novels
• 2024 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Series (Cosmoknights)
• 2024 MoCCA Arts Festival Award of Excellence: Kevin Alvir for Lisa Cheese & Ghost Guitar
• 2024 MoCCA Arts Festival Award of Excellence: Sofia Warren for Radical: My Year with a Socialist Senator!
• 2022 Graphic Medicine Award: Parenthesis by Élodie Durand
• 2021 Dwayne McDuffie Award: They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker• 2021 National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award for Best Graphic Novel: Kodi by Jared Cullum• 2021 Silver Ledger Award (Australia) for Best Graphic Novel: Home Time II: Beyond the Weaving by Campbell Whyte• 2021 Silver Ledger Award (Australia) for Best Graphic Novel: Under-Earth by Chris Gooch• 2021 Bronze Ledger Award (Australia) for Best Graphic Novel: The Grot by Pat Grant• 2021 Aurealis Award (Australia) for Best Graphic Novel: Under-Earth by Chris Gooch• 2020 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work: They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker• 2020 APALA Award for Young Adult Literature: They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker• 2020 MoCCA Award of Excellence - Long Form - Silver Medal: An Embarrassment of Witches by Sophie Goldstein and Jenn Jordan• 2020 Bronze Ledger Award (Australia) for Best Work of the Year: Deep Breaths by Chris Gooch• 2019 Eisner Award for Best Pub. for Early Readers: Johnny Boo (Book 8): Johnny Boo and the Ice Cream Computer by James Kochalka• 2019 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Collection: Girl Town by Casey Nowak• 2018 Dinky Award for Showcasing Diversity: Gumballs by Erin Nations• 2018 Dinky Award for Best Work from a Mid/Large Press: Home Time (Book One): Under the River by Campbell Whyte• 2018 Silver Ledger Award (Australia) for Best Work of the Year: Home Time (Book One): Under the River by Campbell Whyte• 2017 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work: March (Book Three) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2017 Coretta Scott King Book Award: March (Book Three) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2017 Michael L. Printz Award: March (Book Three) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2017 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award: March (Book Three) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2017 YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults: March (Book Three) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2017 Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature YA: March (Book Three) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2017 Sibert Informational Book Award: March (Book Three) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2017 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Series: Chester 5000 by Jess Fink• 2016 National Book Award for Young People's Literature: March (Book Three) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2016 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work: March (Book Two) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2016 Harvey Award for Best Biographical or Historical Presentation: March (Book Two) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2016 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Album Original: March (Book Two) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2016 Dinky Award for Best Work: Mid/Large Press: March (Book Two) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2016 Street Literature Book Award Medal - Graphic Novel: March (Book Two) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2015 Sakura Medal: Monster on the Hill by Rob Harrell• 2014 Robert F. Kennedy Book Award Special Recognition: March (Book One) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2014 Lynd Ward Graphic Novel Prize: Heck by Zander Cannon• 2013 Coretta Scott King Honor Book Recipient: March (Book One) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2013 Diamond Gem Award, Indie GN of the Year: March (Book One) by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell• 2013 Joe Shuster Award: The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire• 2012 Eisner Award for Best Publication for Early Readers: Dragon Puncher (Boon Two): Dragon Puncher Island by James Kochalka• 2012 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Comic: Pterodactyl Hunters by Brendan Leach• 2012 Diamond Gem Award, Indie GN of the Year: The Underwater Welder by Jeff Lemire• 2011 Canada Reads People's Choice: Essex County by Jeff Lemire• 2011 Diamond Gem Award, Indie GN of the Year: The League of Ext. Gentlemen: Century 1969 by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill• 2009 American Library Assoc. Alex Award for Adult Book with Teen Appeal: Essex County by Jeff Lemire• 2009 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel: Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell• 2009 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Novel: Too Cool To Be Forgotten by Alex Robinson• 2009 Diamond Gem Award, Indie GN of the Year: The League of Ext. Gentlemen: Century 1910 by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill• 2008 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Debut: Swallow Me Whole by Nate Powell• 2008 Doug Wright Award: Essex County by Jeff Lemire• 2008 Joe Shuster Award: Essex County by Jeff Lemire• 2007 Harvey Award for Excellence In Presentation: Lost Girls by Alan Moore and Melinda Gebbie• 2006 Eisner Award for Best Publication for a Younger Audience: Owly by Andy Runton• 2006 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Periodical: Comic Book Artist Edited by Jon B. Cooke• 2006 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Novel: Tricked by Alex Robinson• 2006 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel: Tricked by Alex Robinson• 2006 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Series: Owly by Andy Runton• 2005 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Periodical: Comic Book Artist Edited by Jon B. Cooke• 2005 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Debut: Will You Still Love Me If I Wet the Bed? by Liz Prince• 2005 Harvey Award for Best Journalistic Presentation: Comic Book Artist Edited by Jon B. Cooke• 2005 Howard Eugene Day Memorial Prize: Owly by Andy Runton• 2004 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel: Blankets by Craig Thompson• 2004 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Novel: Blankets by Craig Thompson• 2004 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel: Blankets by Craig Thompson• 2004 Eisner Award for Best Comics-Related Periodical: Comic Book Artist Edited by Jon B. Cooke• 2003 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Graphic: Three Fingers by Rich Koslowski• 2002 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Story: Trenches by Scott Mills• 2002 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Comic: Sketchbook Diaries by James Kochalka• 2000 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Novel: From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell (w/Eddie Campbell Comics)• 2000 Harvey Award for Best Graphic Novel: From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell (w/Eddie Campbell Comics)
• 2000 Harvey Award for Best New Talent: Craig Thompson (for Good-bye, Chunky Rice)• 2000 Ignatz Award for Outstanding Graphic Novel: From Hell by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell (w/Eddie Campbell Comics)
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