The Eisner Award nominees for 2011 have been announced and it is a bumper crop of top comics. One of my favourite creators, Mike Mignola (Hellboy), tops the lists with 5 nominations, followed closely by Nick Spencer (Morning Glories) and Joe Hill (Locke & Key).
The winners of the awards will be announced at this years San Diego Comic Con.
The 2011 Will Eisner – Comic Industry Award Nominees are,
Best Short Story
* “Bart on the Fourth of July,” by Peter Kuper, in Bart Simpson #54 (Bongo)
* “Batman, in Trick for the Scarecrow,” by Billy Tucci, in DCU Halloween Special 2010 (DC)
* “Cinderella,” by Nick Spencer and Rodin Esquejo, in Fractured Fables (Silverline Books/Image)
* “Hamburgers for One,” by Frank Stockton, in Popgun vol. 4 (Image)
* “Little Red Riding Hood,” by Bryan Talbot and Camilla d’Errico, in Fractured Fables (Silverline Books/Image)
* “Post Mortem,” by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark, in I Am an Avenger #2 (Marvel)
Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)
* The Cape, by Joe Hill, Jason Ciaramella, and Zack Howard (IDW)
* Fables #100, by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham, and others (Vertigo/DC)
* Hellboy: Double Feature of Evil, by Mike Mignola and Richard Corben (Dark Horse)
* Locke & Key: Keys to the Kingdom #1: “Sparrow,” by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)
* Unknown Soldier #21: “A Gun in Africa,” by Joshua Dysart and Rick Veitch (Vertigo/DC)
Best Continuing Series
* Chew, by John Layman and Rob Guillory (Image)
* Echo, by Terry Moore (Abstract Studio)
* Locke & Key, by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez (IDW)
* Morning Glories, by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma (Shadowline/Image)
* Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)
* Scalped, by Jason Aaron and R. M. Guéra (Vertigo/DC)
Best Limited Series
* Baltimore: The Plague Ships, by Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden, and Ben Stenbeck (Dark Horse)
* Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love, by Chris Roberson and Shawn McManus (Vertigo/DC)
* Daytripper, by Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá (Vertigo/DC)
* Joe the Barbarian, by Grant Morrison and Sean Murphy (Vertigo/DC)
* Stumptown, by Greg Rucka and Matthew Southworth (Oni)
Best New Series
* American Vampire, by Scott Snyder, Stephen King, and Rafael Albuquerque (Vertigo/DC)
* iZombie, by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred (Vertigo/DC)
* Marineman, by Ian Churchill (Image)
* Morning Glories, by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma (Shadowline/Image)
* Superboy, by Jeff Lemire and Pier Gallo (DC)
Best Publication for Kids
* Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean, by Sara Stewart Taylor and Ben Towle (Center for Cartoon Studies/Disney/Hyperion)
* Amelia Rules!: True Things (Adults Don’t Want Kids to Know), by Jimmy Gownley (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster)
* Binky to the Rescue, by Ashley Spires (Kids Can Press)
* Scratch9, by Rob M. Worley and Jason T. Kruse (Ape Entertainment)
* Tiny Titans, by Art Baltazar and Franco (DC)
* The Unsinkable Walker Bean, by Aaron Renier (First Second)
Best Publication for Teens
* Ghostopolis, by Doug TenNapel (Scholastic Graphix)
* Hereville: How Mirka Got Her Sword, by Barry Deutsch (Amulet Books)
* Return of the Dapper Men, by Jim McCann and Janet Lee (Archaia)
* Smile, by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastic Graphix)
* Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty, by G. Neri and Randy DuBurke (Lee & Low)
Best Humor Publication
* Afrodisiac, by Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca (Adhouse)
* Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book, by Ian Boothby, John Delaney, and Dan Davis (Bongo)
* Drinking at the Movies, by Julia Wertz (Three Rivers Press/Crown)
* I Thought You Would Be Funnier, by Shannon Wheeler (BOOM!)
* Literature: Unsuccessfully Competing Against TV Since 1953, by Dave Kellett (Small Fish Studios)
* Prime Baby, by Gene Luen Yang (First Second)
Best Anthology
* The Anthology Project, edited by Joy Ang and Nick Thornborrow (Lucidity Press)
* Korea as Viewed by 12 Creators, edited by Nicolas Finet (Fanfare&midot;Ponent Mon)
* Liquid City, vol. 2, edited by Sonny Liew and Lim Cheng Tju (Image)
* Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard, edited by Paul Morrissey and David Petersen (Archaia)
* Trickster: Native American Tales, edited by Matt Dembicki (Fulcrum Books)
Best Digital Comic
* Abominable Charles Christopher, by Karl Kerschl, www.abominable.cc
* The Bean, by Travis Hanson, www.beanleafpress.com
* Lackadaisy, by Tracy Butler, www.lackadaisycats.com/comic.php
* Max Overacts, by Caanan Grall, occasionalcomics.com
* Zahra’s Paradise, by Amir and Khalil, www.zahrasparadise.com
Best Reality-Based Work
* It Was the War of the Trenches, by Jacques Tardi (Fantagraphics)
* Picture This: The Nearsighted Monkey Book, by Lynda Barry (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Special Exits: A Graphic Memoir, by Joyce Farmer (Fantagraphics)
* Treasury of XXth Century Murder: The Terrible Axe Man of New Orleans, by Rick Geary (NBM)
* Two Generals, by Scott Chantler (McClelland & Stewart)
* You’ll Never Know Book 2: Collateral Damage, by Carol Tyler (Fantagraphics)
Best Graphic Album-New
* Elmer, by Gerry Alanguilan (SLG)
* Finding Frank and His Friend: Previously Unpublished Work by Clarence ‘Otis’ Dooley, by Melvin Goodge (Curio & Co.)
* Market Day, by James Sturm (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Return of the Dapper Men, by Jim McCann and Janet Lee (Archaia)
* Wilson, by Daniel Clowes (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Graphic Album-Reprint
* The Amazing Screw-on Head and Other Curious Objects, by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse)
* Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites, by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson (Dark Horse)
* Motel Art Improvement Service, by Jason Little (Dark Horse)
* The Simpsons/Futurama Crossover Crisis, by Ian Boothby, James Lloyd, and Steve Steere Jr. (Abrams Comicarts)
* Tumor, by Joshua Hale Fialkov and Noel Tuazon (Archaia)
* Wednesday Comics, edited by Mark Chiarello (DC)
Best Adaptation from Another Work
* Dante’s Divine Comedy, adapted by Seymour Chwast (Bloomsbury)
* The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, adapted by Joann Sfar (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
* The Marvelous Land of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, adapted by Eric Shanower and Skottie Young (Marvel)
* 7 Billion Needles, vols. 1 and 2, adapted from Hal Clement’s Needle by Nobuaki Tadano (Vertical)
* Silverfin: A James Bond Adventure, adapted by Charlie Higson and Kev Walker (Disney/Hyperion Books)
Best Archival Collection/Project-Strips
* Archie: The Complete Daily Newspaper Strips, 1946–1948, by Bob Montana, edited by Greg Goldstein (IDW)
* 40: A Doonesbury Retrospective, by G. B. Trudeau (Andrews McMeel)
* George Heriman’s Krazy Kat: A Celebration of Sundays, edited by Patrick McDonnell and Peter Maresca (Sunday Press Books)
* Polly and Her Pals Complete Sunday Comics, vol. 1, by Cliff Sterrett, edited by Dean Mullaney (IDW)
* Roy Crane’s Captain Easy, vol. 1, edited by Rick Norwood (Fantagraphics)
Best Archival Collection/Project-Comic Books
* Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer Artist’s Edition, edited by Scott Dunbier (IDW)
* The Horror! The Horror! Comic Books the Government Didn’t Want You to Read!, edited by Jim Trombetta (Abrams Comicart)
* The Incal Classic Collection, by Alexandro Jodorowsky and Moebius (Humanoids)
* Lynd Ward: Six Novels in Woodcuts, edited by Art Spiegelman (The Library of America)
* Thirteen “Going on Eighteen,” by John Stanley (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material
* It Was the War of the Trenches, by Jacques Tardi (Fantagraphics)
* The Killer: Modus Vivendi, by Matz and Luc Jacamon (Archaia)
* King of the Flies, Book One: Hallorave, by Mezzo and Pirus (Fantagraphics)
* The Littlest Pirate King, by David B. and Pierre Mac Orlan (Fantagraphics)
* Salvatore, by Nicolas De Crécy (NBM)
Best U.S. Edition of International Material-Asia
* Ayako, by Osamu Tezuka (Vertical)
* Bunny Drop, by Yumi Unita (Yen Press)
* A Drunken Dream and Other Stories, by Moto Hagio (Fantagraphics)
* House of Five Leaves, by Natsume Ono (VIZ Media)
* Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys, by Naoki Urasawa (VIZ Media)
Best Writer
* Ian Boothby, Comic Book Guy: The Comic Book; Futurama Comics #47–50; Simpsons Comics #162, 168; Simpsons Super Spectacular #11–12 (Bongo)
* Joe Hill, Locke & Key (IDW)
* John Layman, Chew (Image)
* Jim McCann, Return of the Dapper Men (Archaia)
* Nick Spencer, Morning Glories, Shuddertown, Forgetless, Existence 3.0 (Image)
Best Writer/Artist
* Dan Clowes, Wilson (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Outfit (IDW)
* Joe Kubert, Dong Xoai, Vietnam 1965 (DC)
* Terry Moore, Echo (Abstract Studio)
* James Sturm, Market Day (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Naoki Urasawa, Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys (VIZ Media)
Best Penciller/Inker or Penciller/Inker Team
* Richard Corben, Hellboy (Dark Horse)
* Stephen DeStefano, Lucky in Love Book One: A Poor Man’s Story (Fantagraphics)
* Rob Guillory, Chew (Image)
* Gabriel Rodriguez, Locke & Key (IDW)
* Skottie Young, The Marvelous Land of Oz (Marvel)
Best Painter/Multimedia Artist (interior art)
* Lynda Barry, Picture This: The Nearsighted Monkey Book (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Brecht Evens, The Wrong Place (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Juanjo Guarnido, Blacksad (Dark Horse)
* Janet Lee, Return of the Dapper Men (Archaia)
* Eric Liberge, On the Odd Hours (NBM)
* Carol Tyler, You’ll Never Know Book 2: Collateral Damage (Fantagraphics)
Best Cover Artist
* Rodin Esquejo, Morning Glories (Shadowline/Image)
* Dave Johnson, Abe Sapien: The Abyssal Plain (Dark Horse); Unknown Soldier (Vertigo/DC); Punisher/Max, Deadpool (Marvel)
* Mike Mignola, Hellboy, Baltimore: The Plague Ships (Dark Horse)
* David Petersen, Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard (Archaia)
* Yuko Shimizu, The Unwritten (Vertigo/DC)
Best Coloring
* Jimmy Gownley, Amelia Rules!: True Things (Adults Don’t Want Kids to Know), Amelia Rules!: The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular, by Jimmy Gownley (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster)
* Metaphrog (Sandra Marrs and John Chalmers), Louis: Night Salad (Metaphrog)
* Dave Stewart, Hellboy, BPRD, Baltimore, Let Me In (Dark Horse); Detective Comics (DC); Neil Young’s Greendale, Daytripper, Joe the Barbarian (Vertigo/DC)
* Hilary Sycamore, City of Spies, Resistance, Booth, Brain Camp, Solomon’s Thieves (First Second)
* Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library 20: Lint (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Lettering
* Darwyn Cooke, Richard Stark’s Parker: The Outfit (IDW)
* Dan Clowes, Wilson (Drawn & Quarterly)
* Jimmy Gownley, Amelia Rules!: True Things (Adults Don’t Want Kids to Know), Amelia Rules!: The Tweenage Guide to Not Being Unpopular, by Jimmy Gownley (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster)
* Todd Klein, Fables, The Unwritten, Joe the Barbarian, iZombie (Vertigo/DC); Tom Strong and the Robots of Doom (WildStorm/DC); SHIELD (Marvel); Driver for the Dead (Radical)
* Doug TenNapel, Ghostopolis (Scholastic Graphix)
* Chris Ware, Acme Novelty Library 20: Lint (Drawn & Quarterly)
Best Comics-Related Periodical/Journalism
* Alter Ego, edited by Roy Thomas (TwoMorrows)
* The Beat, produced by Heidi MacDonald (www.comicsbeat.com)
* ComicBookResources, produced by Jonah Weiland (www.comicbookresources.com)
* ComicsAlliance, produced by Laura Hudson (www.comicsalliance.com)
* The Comics Reporter, produced by Tom Spurgeon (www.comicsreporter.com)
* USA Today Comics Section, by Life Section Entertainment Editor Dennis Moore; Comics Section Lead, John Geddes (www.usatoday.com/life/comics/index)
Best Comics-Related Book
* Doonesbury and the Art of G. B. Trudeau, by Brian Walker (Yale University Press)
* Fire and Water: Bill Everett, the Sub-Mariner, and the Birth of Marvel Comics, by Blake Bell (Fantagraphics)
* The Oddly Compelling Art of Denis Kitchen, by Denis Kitchen and Charles Brownstein, edited by John Lind and Diana Schutz (Dark Horse Books)
* Shazam! The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal, by Chip Kidd and Geoff Spear (Abrams Comicarts)
* 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking, by Paul Levitz (TASCHEN)
Best Publication Design
* Dave Stevens’ The Rocketeer Artist’s Edition, designed by Randall Dahlk (IDW)
* Polly and Her Pals Complete Sunday Comics, vol. 1, designed by Lorraine Turner and Dean Mullaney (IDW)
* Return of the Dapper Men, designed by Todd Klein (Archaia)
* 75 Years of DC Comics: The Art of Modern Mythmaking, designed by Josh Baker (TASCHEN)
* Two Generals, designed by Jennifer Lum (McClelland & Stewart)
Hall of Fame
Judges’ Choices:
* Ernie Bushmiller
* Jack Jackson
* Martin Nodell
* Lynd Ward
