Internet book retailer amazon.com and US comic publisher Andrews McMeel Publishing have launched a new contest to search for a new Comic Strip Superstar. Following two elimination rounds a panel of comic strip luminaries including Doonesbury‘s Gary Trudeau will select 10 finalists, and the winner will be picked by a vote by amazon.com customers. The winner will receive a publishing contract, a $5000 (approx £3000) advance and a monthly stipend to develop 20 further strips.

For more details see here and you can read the official rules here. The deadline for all submissions is Saturday 12th September. Although the contest is being hosted by the US version of amazon.com, it is open to customers from a further 23 countries, including the UK.