Initiated in 1992, they were originally known as the Compuserve Comics and Animation Forum Awards for the CompuServe forum that created and gave out the award.
In 1994, after the death of long-time comics enthusiast and publisher Don Thompson, the awards were renamed in Thompson's honor.
Nominees were selected by Compuserve Comics Forum members, with write-in votes allowed; voting was open to Compuserve Comics Forum members.
The awards were administered and presented annually at the Detroit-based multigenre convention Motor City Comic Con.
Awards are for work done during the listed year.