Source Point Press

If you were a fan of the recent hit horror film OBSESSION, we'd like to present MY DEAREST by writer/illustrator .ki to you for a perfect terrifying follow-up! This is not only Natalie's debut published work, but also a first for us in that's it's the first ever horror-manga we've published! Follow the story of Giselle, an average college student who seemingly has her entire life in order, starts to see her seemingly perfect life unravel when a mysterious stalker makes their presence known through relentless and increasingly terrifying displays of adoration. Can Giselle discover who her stalker is and escape their grasp... or, will her sanity escape first? If you're a fan of horror, manga, or both, you'll want to make sure your local comic shop is pre-ordering you this one, as it's one of the darkest and most genuinely unsettling horror comics we've published yet!

In 2019 Source Point Press Editor-in-Chief Travis McIntire won it. In 2021 Source Point Press Co-Founder Joshua Werner won it. This past weekend, Source Point Press Publisher Dirk Manning won it.

All three of them were friends of Gary Reed and also sat under his learning tree, applying lessons learned from him in how to pay it forward to other comic creators.

Here's the video of the announcement and acceptance speech from Dirk, this year's winner of the 2026 Gary Reed Independent Creator of the Year Award live from Cherry Capital Comic Con. You will see a grown man (and esteemed horror writer) try not to cry... and talk about a good man we still all miss very much and whose legacy we continue to try to honor through Source Point Press. Thank you, Travis. Thank you, Josh. Thank you, Dirk. Thank you, Gary.

Gary Reed Independent creator of the year awards 2026 Gary Reed Independent creator of the year awards 2026Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/6492767892275200