Named after comic book legend Will Eisner, the Eisner Awards are sort of like the Academy Awards of comics. Handed out every year at San Diego Comic-Con, the nominees usually include a good spectrum of indie and mainstream books and creators. Check out the 2017 winners below!
Best Short Story
“Good Boy,” by Tom King and David Finch, in Batman Annual #1 (DC)
Best Single Issue/One-Shot
Beasts of Burden: What the Cat Dragged In, by Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, and Jill Thompson (Dark Horse)
Best Continuing Series
Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples (Image)
Best Limited Series
The Vision, by Tom King and Gabriel Walta (Marvel)
Best New Series
Black Hammer, by Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston (Dark Horse)
Best Publication for Early Readers (up to age 8)
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea, by Ben Clanton (Tundra)
Best Publication for Kids (ages 9-12)
Ghosts, by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastic)
Best Publication for Teens (ages 13-17)
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, by Ryan North and Erica Henderson (Marvel)
Best Humor Publication
Jughead, by Chip Zdarsky, Ryan North, Erica Henderson, and Derek Charm (Archie)
Best Anthology
Love is Love, edited by Marc Andreyko (IDW/DC)
Best Reality-Based Work
March (Book Three), by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell (Top Shelf)
Best Graphic Album—New
Wonder Woman: The True Amazon by Jill Thompson (DC Comics)
Best Graphic Album—Reprint
Demon, by Jason Shiga (First Second)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material
Moebius Library: The World of Edena, by Jean “Moebius” Giraud et al. (Dark Horse)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia
The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, by Sonny Liew (Pantheon)
Best Archival Collection/Project—Strips (at least 20 years old)
Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy, Colorful Cases of the 1930s, edited by Peter Maresca (Sunday Press)
Best Archival Collection/Project—Comic Books (at least 20 Years Old)
The Complete Wimmen’s Comix, edited by Trina Robbins (Fantagraphics)
Best Writer
Brian K. Vaughan, Paper Girls, Saga, We Stand On Guard (Image)
Best Writer/Artist
Sonny Liew, The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye (Pantheon)
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
Fiona Staples, Saga (Image)
Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
Jill Thompson, Wonder Woman: The True Amazon (DC); Beasts of Burden: What the Cat Dragged In (Dark Horse)
Best Cover Artist (for multiple covers)
Fiona Staples, Saga (Image)
Best Coloring
Matt Wilson, Cry Havoc, Paper Girls, The Wicked + The Divine (Image); Black Widow, The Mighty Thor, Star-Lord (Marvel)
Best Lettering
Todd Klein, Clean Room, Dark Night, Lucifer (Vertigo/DC); Black Hammer (Dark Horse)
Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism
The A.V. Club comics coverage, (Comics Panel, Back Issues, and Big Issues, by Oliver Sava et al) www.avclub.com
Best Comics-Related Book
Krazy: George Herriman, A Life in Black and White, by Michael Tisserand (Harper)
Best Academic/Scholarly Work
Superwomen: Gender, Power, and Representation, by Carolyn Cocca (Bloomsbury)
Best Publication Design
The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye, designed by Sonny Liew (Pantheon)
Best Webcomic
Bird Boy, by Anne Szabla, http://bird-boy.com
Best Digital Comic
Bandette, by Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover
WILL EISNER SPIRIT OF COMICS RETAILER AWARD
Comicazi, Robert Howard, David Lockwood, Michael Burke. Somerville, MA
The five finalists were:
- Comicazi, Robert Howard, David Lockwood, Michael Burke. Somerville, MA
- The Comic Bug, Jun Goeku, Mike Wellman. Manhattan Beach, CA
- Illusive Comics and Games, Anna Warren Cebrian. Santa Clara, CA
- Kingpin Books, Mário Freitas. Lisbon, Portugal
- Space Cadets Collection Collection, Jen King. Oak Ridge North, TX
The Spirit of Comics award judges were:
- John Hertzler (actor, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
- Josh Geppi (president, Diamond International Galleries)
- Victoria Jamieson (graphic novelist, Roller Girl, The Great Pet Escape)
- Adam Sherif (2016 Spirit Award winner, Orbital Comicz, London, UK)
- Bill Morrison (executive editor, MAD magazine)
BILL FINGER AWARD WINNERS
Jack Kirby
Bill Messner-Loebs
RUSS MANNING AWARD
Anne Szabla, writer-artist of Bird Boy (Dark Horse)
BOB CLAMPETT HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Joe Ferrara
Marc Andreyko
WILL EISNER COMIC AWARDS HALL OF FAME
Judges Choices (automatically inducted)
- Milt Gross (1895–1953)
- H. G. Peter (1880–1958)
- Antonio Prohías (1921–1998)
- Dori Seda (1950–1988)
Voters Choices
- Gilbert Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez
- George Perez
- Walt Simonson
- Jim Starlin
What a great year for comics and this list proves it. Personally, The Vision was hands down the best book and deserved the win for Limited Series. But it’s great to see important books like March and Love Is Love get recognition. A big congratulation to all winners and let’s hope for another year of great comics, nominations, and winners!
What books were your favorites? What winners would you have picked? Which ones did you read? Comment and discuss below.
And stay tuned to Monkeys Fighting Robots for all your SDCC news!
